MySpace is making another comeback, this time without algorithms

Be still, my early noughties emo-beating-heart.

Before Instagram aesthetics, TikTok algorithms and LinkedIn humblebrags, there was MySpace. A place where your profile song was a personality trait, your Top 8 could end friendships, and everyone knew who Tom was.

Now, more than two decades after it first rewired the internet, MySpace is plotting yet another comeback.

The platform's owners, brothers Tim and Chris Vanderhook, have confirmed they plan to relaunch the once-dominant social network, this time betting that users are finally ready to trade algorithms for authenticity.

Speaking in Tommy Avallone's documentary MySpace, Tim Vanderhook said the company remained committed to bringing the platform back.

"We still own MySpace. We are stewards of the MySpace brand at this point, and we are going to relaunch MySpace. We're just waiting for the right time to do it. And if that one doesn't work, we'll do it again."

The documentary is currently completing its film festival run and has not yet been widely released.

READ MORE: Why Meta thinks AI is making creators more valuable, not less

READ MORE: Meta begins third and final round of job cuts in a bid to improve its financial performance

This time, no algorithm

While few details have been officially confirmed, multiple reports suggest the revived MySpace will centre on music, creativity and genuine online communities rather than engagement-hungry recommendation engines.

Instead of algorithmically curated feeds, the platform is expected to prioritise chronological posts, greater user control and organic discovery. It's a clear attempt to tap into growing frustration with social platforms that decide what people see, positioning MySpace as a home for musicians, creators and communities rather than viral content.

In other words, the feed won't be deciding your personality. However, your profile song might.

The social network that started it all

Launched in 2003 by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe, MySpace quickly became the internet's cultural playground. By 2005 it had amassed more than 22 million users, prompting News Corporation to acquire the business at the height of its popularity.

But the rise of Facebook soon reshaped the social media landscape. Membership began falling sharply from 2008, and MySpace changed hands several times in the years that followed.

One of its highest-profile reinventions came in 2011, when advertising company Specific Media acquired the platform and partnered with Justin Timberlake on a music-first relaunch. Despite slick marketing and a complete redesign, the reboot never found the audience it was chasing.

Chris and Tim Vanderhook have been trying to revive the brand since acquiring it through Specific Media, and they appear undeterred by previous failures.

As Tim acknowledged in the documentary, if the next relaunch doesn't stick, they'll simply try again.

Whether today's creators and users are ready to return to a platform that defined the early internet remains to be seen. But in an age where algorithm fatigue is becoming increasingly common, perhaps MySpace's biggest advantage is that it's trying to feel a little more like the internet once did.