INAUGURAL YOUTUBE MUSIC AWARDS
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Leading user-generated content site YouTube hosted its inaugural Music Awards show this past weekend. Hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts, the unscripted, live-streaming event gave music fans a little something different — a show that was representative of the 21st century, with star power, creativity, and the chance for fans to connect to the action.
The awards produced original content in the form of “live” music videos directed by Spike Jonze. Performances from Eminem, Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga, and Earl Sweatshirt all provided a different take on a what a live performance could be. The performance that stole the night was a choose-your-own-adventure story by Avicii, which was scripted by Lena Dunham and directed by Spike Jonze. In an unprecedented move, the performance paused midway to let fans decide the ending of the video.
Another factor that distinguished the show from your average awards ceremony was the way YouTube chose award winners – social media statistics determined the victor of each of the six award categories. Total number of views, likes, shares, and subscribers were tallied up to produce a well deserved winner.