Kanye West, Rihanna & More Want You on Their YouTube

YouTube has taken its subscription service one step further. The streaming video site has announced the launch of the MyYouTube contest, where artists including Kanye West, B.o.B, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Chrisette Michele, Justin Bieber and more are encouraging fans to subscribe to their respective YouTube pages. In return, users will get the chance to win special prizes from the participants.

The contest, which runs until Feb. 5, involves more than 50 artists who have recorded special videos encouraging fans to subscribe to their pages. The artist with the most points accrued by the end of the competition will be added to a YouTube masthead, allowing users to subscribe to their page without having to leave the homepage. The placement is also beneficial to artists since videos on the main YouTube page get the most views. Internet hits are becoming more and more important. Billboard recently announced the new Social 50 chart which measures an artists' popularity on the Internet.

To bolster their popularity for the contest, artists are offering prize incentives to five fans who click subscribe. Some rewards are smaller, such as a signed 'Pink Friday' CD from Nicki Minaj, a 'coutoure edition' of Rihanna's 'LOUD!' and signed albums from Soulja Boy and Lupe Fiasco. Others are more substantial, with Diddy giving away pairs of DiddyBeats headphones and Chrisette Michele offering Carol's Daughter gift bags and a Hair Milk travel set. Winners will receive a notification email during the week of February 14, 2011, and can sign up for the promotion on MyYouTube.