It's all about the attention:
Jason Calacanis tries to be #1 on Twitter and got 100+ new followers through the last TWiT.
Michael Arrington says:
"Recorded music is nothing but marketing material to drive awareness of an artist."
"As a printed poem, one assumes, is nothing but marketing material to
drive awareness of a poet. As a sculpture is nothing but marketing
material to drive awareness of a sculptor. As a film is nothing but
marketing material to drive awareness of a director."