Instead of waiting for a journalist to do a writeup on them, some artists are communicating with their fans directly through social media. 

Singer Kanye West has chosen to do away with formal interviews, opting for regular updates on Twitter and Ustream instead.

Although it has only been a few weeks since the creation of his Twitter account , the musician already has over 812,000 people following his tweets. Salon.com has even deemed writer Tao Lin as the "Lit ‘it boy’ for the internet age" for his self-promotion efforts on the internet.

Time’s "50 Best Websites 2010" is also worth a look, especially as the list includes links to lesser-known sites. In the social media section for instance, Time has included Gowalla over the more publicized Foursquare and Facebook Places.

Tao Lin: Lit 'It Boy' For the Internet Age [Salon]

Does Kanye's Twitter Mark the Death of Music Magazines? [Gizmodo]

50 Best Websites 2010 [Time]

eReader Owners Read More [eBookNewser]

Bloggers Crying Foul Over Philadelphia Business Tax [USAToday]