This document discusses conventions commonly found on music artist websites. It identifies several typical features, including an entry page to showcase new work, a home page promoting latest releases/news, navigation links, merchandise, social media links, and a fan account section. The document then discusses how the author incorporated these conventions into their website for a band called "Bleached Blonde," including images of band members, animations, a music video, merchandise shopping, and a color scheme inspired by another indie rock band. It also notes unique features like a free music player.

2. What are the conventions of a music
artist website?
From my research I have found
similarities and typical
conventions that reappear in
different artists homepages.
Here are the typical conventions I
identified when conducting my
research.

3. ENTER PAGE
The entry page is used in order to show you the artists
latest work and give you links so you can go and buy them
COMMON FEATURES

4. HOME PAGE
The home page is typically used to promote the artist’s
latest single/album or share any news about the artist
COMMON FEATURES

5. LINKS
The navigation links are usually located across the top of the
website, and always include things like ‘news’ and ‘gallery’
COMMON FEATURES

6. MERCHANDISE
As they are used to promote an artist, merchandise links are
usually included to make you buy things to physically
promote an artist more
COMMON FEATURES

7. SOCIAL MEDIA
Artists tend to include links to all social media they have as it
is an easy way for fans to keep updated and follow them, for
example on ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter’
COMMON FEATURES

8. FAN ACCOUNT
Most artists include a ‘fan sign-in’ section on their website
that allows fans to keep more updated and involved
COMMON FEATURES

9. How I incorporated this into my artists
website.
As you can see I was going for that DIY aesthetic look for my artists
website as I wanted to create a synergy/flow across all my products
so It would make it easier for audiences to identify my band as well
as respecting the artists value of DO IT YOURSELF.
The paper cut title “bleached blonde” (bands
name) was deliberately done to create that
old fashioned, more creative way of showing
uniqueness- through DIY activities. I added
the band name right in the front page just
like other artists websites so that audiences
can identify whose site they are visiting.
I have my bands picture at the back which is large
and includes all band members so that people can
physically identify the band as well as through
their music. This was another typical convention
that I followed. Having the bands image or artists
image was very common on other sites as it
allowed people to identify who they are, as of this
I also incorporated this convention into my
website.
I have my bands picture at the back which
is large and includes all band members so
that people can physically identify the
band as well as through their music.
Whenever the mouse hovers on top of the buttons the
buttons produce an animation showing that the website
actively engages with the user – other websites also had
animations that were similar. This is usually done to
make the website more user friendly and joyful
experience for fans and other audiences.

10. I have included my bands latest music video on the homepage
of the website allowing people to view the music video and
also help market the band through word of mouth or sharing
the video which is allowed on the website, allowing users to
share the music video on their Facebook or twitter. This was
another typical convention in other musical artists websites
which I have also used for my website as it would make the
website seem more professional and give it that real feeling.
Having the merchandise tab on the homepage
allows fans to purchase goods that are tailored
with the artists branding. This distribution
method of the artists products are on other ‘real’
websites there fore it felt appropriate to label the
merchandise button as a convention, so there
fore I have added it to my own website in hopes
of making it a more typical website.

11. Just like the arctic monkeys website , keeping the colour
scheme black and white and not very colourful , I have also
replicated the colour scheme but not completely black and
white. I did this as arctic monkeys are a band that share the
same musical genre so it only seemed appropriate to ‘copy’
some ideas from an already established indie rock band –which
are indeed very successful.
Just like every other music website gives tour dates I
also put up tour date with the names of places that were
going to be visited by the band.
Unlike other websites I input a music
player that allowed users to listen to
the bands latest tracks for free, which
essentially would keep fans happy and
would make the website more credible
as of the way we value our fan base.

12. Some websites did not allow for the album to be bought
directly from the website however most websites did. I also
have allowed fans to purchase the album, whilst giving them
the option of buying the album I have shown a preview of the
latest album art cover which shows the latest tracks. This was
very typical in other websites.

13. How I have reflected the genre of my
artists through the website.
• By adding a DIY aesthetic type look to the website I have
represented the indie rock value of, doing it yourself. Indie
rock values self- belief and creating music your self. Which
was reflected through the bands name font and tabs on the
website home page. Sticky tape on top of the tabs was placed
to make the website look like the tabs had been stuck on.

14. By keeping the artists image in the background and their music video and
products in front I have reflected the genre of indie rock and their value of
“music is more unique than the artists image”. By not focusing on the
artists image and having them not on the centre of the screen (but having
products in the centre) attracts the audiences attention away from the
artist and on to the products, this helps reinforcing the indie rock value of
music is should be the artists recognition and not their image.