YouTube has developed into something of an internet phenomenon since it emerged on 2005. The online video network features user generated-content such as pop music, live music, movies and television clips as well as much amateur material. In 2006 registered users uploaded in excess of 65,000 new videos with the site obtaining one 100 million hits a day. An important factor in YouTube’s astonishing success is undoubtedly the access it offers to free music.
The original idea was to create a site for amateurs. Indeed YouTube retains the feel that videos are made on the cheap when it is the large corporations that are frequently the driving force. Low budget productions can cost as little as their tape without hinting at any links to a record company. The whole idea is that they look amateurish facilitating the creation of a lot of viral activity.
Youtube has also seized upon by big business as a potential direct marketing tool. Many record companies now upload their latest music. When the band “OK Go” signed to Capital records released its second album it was their video on the site that really attracted the fans’ attention. YouTube can also act as an important yardstick of music artists’ success. On July 16 2010 Justin Bieber’s video “Baby” became the most viewed of all time with over 450,000,000 hits.
Among all the flotsam, the popularity of YouTube music does still provide a unique opportunity for genuine talent to shine. This has resulted to a number of music artists signing deals. 15 year old Savannah Outen was signed to Levosia Entertainment and after posting videos of herself singing. The career of Susan Boyle received a significant boost from people worldwide viewing a clip of her appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent”.
In November 2006, YouTube was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion functioning as a subsidiary. Last year Google stated that the site was serving 2 billion videos a week plus advertising. People love to spend time on the internet watch music for free a film of their favourite band or comedian. This lies at the heart of the enormous appeal of YouTube.