This document discusses conventions and techniques used in artist and band websites. It provides examples and analyses of different website designs. Key points include: 1) Artist websites typically feature menus for merchandise, music, tour dates, and newsletter signup. Graphics and typography are important for branding recognition. 2) Websites utilize various designs - some with intricate graphics for interactivity, others focusing on photography. Typography plays a role in conveying an artist's image. 3) Elements like pop-ups, loading screens, and ways to interact with artists can enhance the user experience if implemented properly. Language, branding, and digital convergence are also important design considerations.

1. Including audio-visual elements and original images (mise en
scene, camera shots and angles, lighting etc)
Analysis Codes and
Conventions of Artist
Websites

2. ARTIST/BAND WEBSITES
Menu bar found on artist/band websites
• Graphic stating the artist/band name (some have continuous/signature titling)
• Home Page
• Merchandise (Selling physical music copies, apparel, accessories)
• Music Videos
• Music (Links to individual Albums, Singles, and EPs on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music,
YouTube Music)
• Tour Dates (With Links to Ticket Sites i.e., Ticketmaster, GigsandTours etc)
• Newsletter/Subscribe

3. GRAPHICS AND TYPOGRAPHY
Graphics-
Typically, there are two types of artist/band websites. These include:
A) A higher-budget website, utilising graphic design to create higher interactivity and retention
i.e. the top row of images on the right demonstrate the artist Doja Cat’s website which has
been to designed to appear like a game, including the ability to pick an avatar, and visit
different virtual ‘shops’, which link her merchandise, music and concert tickets. The second
band, Glass Animals, has created the façade that their website is a Windows95 home screen,
with each of their links concealed behind folders, and their messages and photos displayed in
pop-ups. This clever use of intertextuality effectively works for all generations of fans,
conveying both a sense of nostalgia and the 90s (and other decades) aesthetic that has
become increasingly popular with the younger generation, as the trend cycle works its way
back around.
B) A website relying on photography to maintain the literal ‘image’ of their brand. Minimalistic
graphics may also be used. Links to sections of the website are much more visible and easily
navigable. The bottom row of images on the left demonstrate this.
Typography-
Many individual artists and bands use signature typography across their platforms and products to create a sense
of “branding”. For example, the band Little Mix, as of recently, uses a bold, black, sans-serif font in their band
heading, which conveys a high-profile, upmarket brand/group that can rely on a simplistic identifier that is still
widely known. However, their older branding (on the far left), demonstrates how a smaller, lesser known artist
may need to rely on their branding to stand out. This pink, artistic font is reminiscent of that created by pens or
paint (a board marker/graffiti), suggesting being aimed at a younger audience, and stereotypically girls, since
they were mainly marketed as a ‘girl group’ (by girls/for girls). As they aged, and their demographic changed, they
changed with their audience, which an effective brand strategy.
Therefore, it is evident that it is important to fully understand your target audience, even when deciding the most
superficial elements of your identity as an artist/band, since people will make a snap-judgement off of their first
impression i.e. an album cover or a website masthead.
The artist The Weeknd also mirrors this technique, in his branding, to reflect his status as an up-market, widely
known artist. Whereas, the smaller artist, Gracie Abrams, uses a distinguishable, original font.
Examples of artists websites (left to right, top to bottom) : Doja Cat, Glass Animals, Lyn Lapid, L

4. INTERACTIVITY
• Pop-Up: Pop-ups are a genuine promotional tool, that can be effective if used sparingly.
Too many, with too much information discourages the viewer for actually consuming
the information in the pop-up, or can cause them to click off the website all together.
With few, concise pop-ups (a title and simple phrasing, like ‘order now’ or ‘out now’), you
can convey your message to the audience.
• Loading Screen: A small addition, technique-wise, but adds an extra creative element,
giving the impression of an up-market website. It simply conveys the artist – or team of
people working for them- care enough, or have the funds, to put in some extra effort to
make the viewers/listeners experience better. The audience are supporting the artist;
they should feel secure in doing that i.e. they feel a sense of artist pride.
• Interacting with the artist: Supporting the artist should be simple or accessible, so not
to discourage the audience i.e. simple click of a button to receive emails/texts/a
subscription
• Small symbols can often connote meaning without text i.e. a social media logo
• Encouragement is good, Force/Bombardment is not
• Personal-scale interactivity can, in most cases, be effective i.e. forums, Patreon pages, or
Discord channels dedicated to Q&As and behind-the-scenes information.
Loading Screen- Creative Technique
Promotional Pop-Ups
Subscribing/Following/Supporting Artist

5. INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS:
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Typography- Non-bold, non-italicised, sans-serif font. The spacing between
the letters and simple line art conveys a simple aesthetic, probably inspired
from the bands simple beginnings, and values as an ‘independent. self-
produced’ music group.
Layout- This website has a simple
layout, each section is only divided
with space, instead of physical
lines/columns. Each section is
navigable using the menu bar, but the
user can also scroll down the entire
webpage.
Design- They use examples of
interactivity and digital convergence
throughout their website, including
this clever graphic (that I believe
Spotify provides) that imitates
Spotify’s User Interface and playlist
feature that displays their new album
tracklist.
Image - As an Indie Folk-Rock group, the Oh
Hello’s often base their songs on folklore,
mythology, fairy tales and writings of creatives
from the past. The image denotes a clearing of
a dense wood in the foreground, a towering
castle in the midground, and a shining,
emphasised sun in the background. It creates
an image for the audience to visualise the
‘feeling’ of the album, which is connoting a
narrative approach to song writing, describing
adventure and the imaginary.
This would make it easier for the listener to
anticipate whether they will want to use their
time to listen to the tracks. In an age of short
attention-spans and a growing need for
‘productivity’, this quick-and-easy signifier is
essential for retaining a modern audience.
Colour- They sustain the use of shades of
yellow, green, teal and black throughout the
website, likely to reinforce their theming
between the contrast of nature and the
supernatural.
Menu Bar - Accessible, user can
navigate to desired page quickly.
Uses the same typography as the
band’s titling/logo makes the
website seem cohesive.

6. INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS: (CONT.)
LANGUAGE & BRANDING
Language – There is persuasive language used throughout
the website to promote the idea of exclusivity;
‘limited edition', 'one-of-a-kind’, ‘special’ promote the idea
that their audience is part of an “elite” club, for financially
supporting the band through merchandise.
Design/Digital Convergence- Another example of digital
convergence through the imitation of the Spotify layout ,
and the visual link to a YouTube Music video.
Merchandise- Pre-ordering is a common marketing
technique to garner production rate, but also for brands
(labels, streaming sites, tour venues etc) to understand
the artists’ guaranteed support from their audience.
Digital Convergence/Promotion- A visual YouTube link to a ‘Tiny Desk Concert’ recording. This is one of the only links on
their webpage to an external party (i.e. a page or platform not run/managed by them). The ‘Tiny Desk Concert’s’ are widely
popular online, and many people tune in to performances of artists they aren’t familiar with. Therefore, they are receiving
support from inside their fanbase (through promoting it on their regular channels i.e. their website) and outside their
regular listeners (performing on an established platform).A

7. 2nd INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS
Shot type-
A medium close-up shot taken at eye-level. The
subject is staring directly at the camera, in direct
address. These three factors create the illusion of a
bond or association between the artist and the
audience. The cropping to create the medium close-
up makes it seem like you are looking at him or
having an interaction, meaning you can only see
the majority of his upper-body. This ‘bond’ makes it
more likely for the audience to continually support
the artist’s content.
Image-
Mise en scene-proxemics
Lighting
Rep
Framing
Expre body lang
Objects
clothes
.
Layout
Typography
Bold, white, sans-serif font,
with wide spacing between
the letters
A translucent box (containing
the website's focus, the album
they are promoting)
overlays the focal image,
meaning it can display key
information on the homepage
(as well as links to
'buy/listen'), whilst also
looking visually appealing.
The menu bar is evenly
spaced, simple and accessible
(utilising social/streaming
platform logos to not
overwhelm with text). Same
applies for the page navigation
side bar.
Image-
The image has the subject sat in a 'grunge-like' setting (some kind of warehouse/derelict building), which they
cleverly contrast with the detail of the subject's costume, props and lighting. James wears a black suede jacket
embroidered with golden birds with would perhaps connote prosperity and affluency, however his simple grey
tee, raggedy neckerchief, and natural hair suggest his shifting genres between simpler ballads and folk, to
more engineered rock and pop. They have used naturalistic, warm lighting to highlight the left side of his face,
and have chosen to keep the light sources within the image, connoting a symbolic candour e.g., his photos, like
his music, are simple but appealing, honest and natural.

8. DISPLAYING THE PRODUCT