September 08, 2010

By By Antony Bruno

MTV received all sorts of flack for losing out on the chance to buy MySpace after the social networking giant was acquired by NewsCorp. Now, MTV Networks? online sites outrank MySpace Music and everybody else according to new data from ComScore Media Metrix.

ComScore?s August data lists MTV Music Group sites as the most-visited online music destination with 53 million unique visitors. That includes traffic to MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com combined. It?s a 165% year-over-year increase.

Vevo came in second on the list at 49.3 million, MySpace Music third at 26.3 million, AOL Music fourth at 21.9 million, and ToneFuse Media fifth at 19.1 million.

MTV is understandably touting this data as proof that its digital media strategy is working. The company launched multiple social networking and content initiatives online in the last year that include live concert streams; content and advertising deals with the likes of Warner Music Group, Eventful and OurStage; and exclusive content like MTV-led interviews with artists, behind-the-scenes content from events, and smaller things like adding access to lyrics to artist profiles.

MTV says it is working on additional digital music initiatives set to launch before the end of the year, including an in-development new music site.

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