Ypulse: Media for the Next Generation
Making sense of social networking. The common theme with many of web 2.0 marketing tools is to use them with a side-by-side strategy – building a dynamic 2-way relationship with your audience rather than trying to bombard them with info and make your message heard about all other advertiser static.

Google’s OpenSocial: What it means | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com
One of the clearer explanations I’ve come across of just what the OpenSocial hubbub is all about. Start wrapping your head around it…

hypebot: MySpace Experiments With Ad Supported Music As Model Expands
We mentioned RCRD LBL last week, now MySpace is joining the fray.

The Secret Strategies Behind Many “Viral” Videos
Not sure how I feel about this one, but it’s definitely an interesting read. It’s somewhat of an advertorial for The Comotion Group and largely comes off as rather shameless about their somewhat questionable tactics, perpetuating some unfortunate stereotypes about online marketing. Greenberg tries to backpedal in a followup article: Follow Up To The Viral Video Post: Dan Wants Another Word but this makes it sound even fishier if you ask me. However, while Greenberg’s tactics may not be of the same school of marketing thought that I personally come from, I can see why they work and there are some interesting and useful points to be found about the use of tags on youtube, tips for good content, amongst other things. But it is also testament to the fact that just because you want to create something “viral” it doesn’t mean that all you do is just throw it up on youtube and watch the views rack up.
I’m interested in what you all feel about such strategies and whether you perceive a risk in utilizing such strategies (which may or may not be obvious to the consumer) to synthesize a “viral” phenomenon, or whether achieving a certain number of views/plays outweighs the knock your credibility might take… hit me back with your comments.

Astral22′s Modern Soul Podcast #6
An excellent installment of the Modern Soul podcast. Norman from Nu-Soul Mag drops some eclectic soul jams.

hypebot: Social Music Marketing – A Quick Handbook
a handy update on some new updates in social network marketing – touches on Facebook initiatives, Google’s Open Social and more.

RCRD LBL Solves the Free Music Riddle | Listening Post from Wired.com
Is this music 2.0? Free, ad-supported mp3s from RCRD LBL – a joint venture from Downtown Records and internet entrepreneur and Engadget cofounder Peter Rojas.

13 Tips to Maximize Every Hour of Your Day
we all need more hours in the day…..here’s some tips to squeeze the most of your day

MySpace.com – Sam Sparro – Los Angeles – Electro / Funk / Pop – www.myspace.com/samsparro
Sam Sparro is ultra fresh. Crazy soulful electro funk soul.