The On-Line Revolution

Since the rise of the on-line revolution, an influx of artists have been able to showcase their music on the internet through the use of digital platforms. Social networking websites such as Myspace allow music to be freely available for consumption by any audience; niche or mainstream.

Lily Allen is an artist in the mainstream who became prolific from beginnings on Myspace:

• Lily Allen made a MySpace account and began posting demos in November 2005 after a slow and unsuccessful time with record label 'London Record's' (part of Warner Music in 2002.) Through Myspace she attracted thousands of listeners, causing the label to rush-release 500 limited editions of her song 'LDN'. As her list of Myspace contacts increased in tens of thousands the number of downloads from her page also rocketed, with 19 million downloads  by 9 February 2009 she had 448,000 MySpace friends. and was the fifth most popular musical act of 2008 from Myspace records. Lily used her MySpace blog to publish her thoughts and feelings. However By February 2009 she stopped quoting; "It's boring when people just pick stuff up and write about it. People get hurt, people get upset."
• The pop artist is prolific in the contemporary music chart and has many award wins to her name such as: 2010 BRIT Award British Female Solo Artist, Download Music Awards Best Album and Q Awards Best Track 2009; as well as nominations for the Grammy Awards Best Alternitive Music Album 2008 and MTV Video Music Awards Spankin' New Artist. Currently Lily Allen has a total of 22 award wins and 56 nominations
• The alternitive pop artist presented music with a unique outlook, delivering songs which critics quoted as simply talking throughout. Dispite this, Lily has captured a target audience that enjoys her outspoken nature presented in her music and also in the external media. The target audience would be 16-30 year olds who enjoy chart music, the term 'festival goers' would be a good description as Lily appears on the festival circuit regularily. In recent years she has performed at the Glastonbury, Oxygen, Isle of Wight, Wireless, T In The Park and Big Weekend festivals. The target audience would also be implied through the issue's she covers in her songs such as; her brother wasting his life away spending all his time in the bedroom smoking weed in 'Alfie', or how her lover was lazy and could not satisfy her in 'Not Fair'.