DOES
the world really need another music video awards show? The answer is
yes - at least according to YouTube.
The
online video-sharing site is rolling out its first YouTube Music
Awards on Sunday, with a show that pairs established industry stars
such as Lady Gaga and Arcade Fire along with performers from the
Google-owned video site.
The
show will boost YouTube's profile just weeks before the site is
expected to announce a subscription service that will compete in an
already crowded music marketplace.
"On
a practical level (YouTube has) put people on the map and it's
generated revenue or other resources like support or recognition from
people that normally would not get the exposure," said Reggie
Watts, a performance artist who, along with actor Jason Schwartzman,
will host the event.
The
awards categories are limited but clearly meant to differentiate the
YouTube awards from the Grammys or the MTV Music Video Awards, which
grabbed attention this year after a raunchy performance by former
Disney star Miley Cyrus as she transitions into a more adult career.
YouTube
will also name a video of the year and an artist of the year, with a
slate of nominees including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Eminem, Katy
Perry and other top-40 mainstays.
But
the categories also range more broadly. "Response of the Year"
will pick the best fan remix, parody or response. Other categories
include YouTube phenomenon, breakthrough and innovation of the year.
Even
the show's structure aims for something a little different. Watts
said he and co-host Schwartzman know the overall sequence of the
events but don't know the blow-by-blow of what will happen at the
Spike Jonze-directed show.
"We
have no clue what's going to happen," he said. "All you can
do in the moment is perform."
The
awards show will stream live from New York on Sunday starting at 6
p.m. (2200 GMT).
YouTube
has positioned itself in recent years as a major source of new music
videos for fans. Lady Gaga alone has racked up well over 1 billion
views of her various videos.
The
shift highlights some of the challenges - and opportunities - for
artists. While accessing fans has never been easier, turning a profit
and making a living as a musician has become more challenging.
Sites
such as YouTube effectively function as on-demand stations for music,
with fans able to listen to play lists over and over just for
watching the occasional commercial.
YouTube
is expected to introduce an option by the end of the year to let
music fans skip the commercials via a paid subscription service.
That
would pit YouTube more directly against services such as the online
music streaming Web service Spotify, which itself has had its share
of musicians such as Radiohead's Thom Yorke who criticize the
company's business model for squeezing artists.
Into
all of this comes the awards show, which will showcase the abundance
of changes in the music industry.
The
show is "about a certain level of discovery," Watts said.
"It's going to be an experiment on all levels."
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