Myspace co-founder and first CEO Chris DeWolfe recently recalled how future superstars Katy Perry and Taylor Swift used Myspace to build their earliest audiences. In a 2026 interview tied to a new documentary, DeWolfe named Perry, Swift, and comedian Dane Cook as standout entertainers who broke out on the platform, according to AOL/PEOPLE. Myspace was the dominant social network of the mid-2000s, a place where musicians posted songs and talked directly to fans before Facebook took over. For founders and operators, DeWolfe's recollections are a case study in how a platform's early culture can launch careers — and why timing and direct access matter more than scale alone.
Table of Contents
- What the founder actually said
- Why the story is surfacing now
- How Myspace grew and what it was worth
- What founders can take from it
- What to keep in mind about the sources
- Frequently Asked Questions
What the founder actually said
DeWolfe pointed to Katy Perry as his clearest example of a myspace breakout. He recalled that Perry was a gospel singer who moved to Los Angeles to pursue music before the platform helped her reach a wider audience, per AOL/PEOPLE. For Taylor Swift, the story centers on direct fan connection.
According to the documentary's account reported by Deadline, Swift used Myspace to reply to fan comments individually, one by one, before she was widely known. The through-line is engagement, not just distribution. Both artists used the platform to form early, direct relationships with listeners — the kind of owned audience that founders today chase across newsletters, Discord, and social feeds.
Why the story is surfacing now
The occasion is a new documentary simply titled "Myspace." It was directed by Tommy Avallone, produced by Gunpowder & Sky with Van Toffler as an executive, and world-premiered at Toronto's Hot Docs festival in April 2026, per IMDb and Deadline. The film credits Myspace with helping launch the careers of Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, the Arctic Monkeys, and Dane Cook, plus early internet personalities Jeffree Star and Tila Tequila, according to NOW Toronto. That mix of musicians and influencers reflects how broad the platform's early reach was.
How Myspace grew and what it was worth
Myspace was founded in 2003 by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. It grew fast enough that News Corp bought it for $580 million in 2005, per Deadline — a landmark price for a social platform at the time.
At its mid-2000s peak, Myspace surpassed 100 million users before ceding dominance to Facebook, according to AOL/PEOPLE. That arc — rapid rise, lucrative sale, then decline against a focused competitor — remains one of the most-studied cautionary tales in consumer tech.
What founders can take from it
The practical lesson is about early-adopter dynamics, not nostalgia. A platform that lets creators reach and answer their first fans directly can compound loyalty faster than paid reach ever will.
One caveat: this is a founder recounting his own platform's wins through a documentary, so treat the framing as favorable. It highlights the breakout stories and naturally underplays the many creators for whom the platform did little.
- Prioritize direct interaction: Swift's one-by-one replies show engagement beats broadcast in the early days.
- Serve the underserved: Perry found room on a platform where a new artist could be discovered without a label's push.
- Watch the incumbent risk: Myspace's fall to Facebook shows even a market leader can lose to a more focused rival.
- Value owned audience: the relationships creators built there traveled with them for years.
What to keep in mind about the sources
Perry and Swift are featured or referenced in the film, but neither was interviewed on camera, according to NEXT Magazine. Their stories come through DeWolfe, other original staff, and archival material rather than their own present-day accounts.
On-camera interviewees include original Myspace staff, Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba, Dane Cook, Jeffree Star, and Tila Tequila, per NEXT Magazine. If you want to judge the claims yourself, the official "Myspace" (2026) documentary listing is a useful starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Katy Perry and Taylor Swift give interviews for the Myspace documentary?
No. Both are featured or referenced, but neither was interviewed on camera, according to NEXT Magazine; their stories come through DeWolfe, staff, and archival footage.
Who founded Myspace and what happened to it?
Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe founded it in 2003. News Corp bought it for $580 million in 2005, and it peaked above 100 million users before losing ground to Facebook.