ARTISTS' WEBSITES RESEARCH

I decided to analyse different artist's websites in order to inspire myself to create a website for mine.

·THE ROLLING STONES:

This group's genre is rock. Their icon of the tongue is very distinguishable from other band's logos. The fact that it is the same iconic logo appeals to the target audience as they are trying to use the same logo but creating a variation for it to fit with this website's needs. There is no need for the band to clear that this is the "Rolling Stones" website due to the use of colours and the iconography. the black background against the red is their signature. 

On the top you are able to click different subheading that will take you to different windows with different information. The way they are easy to read and straightforward to click makes it easy for the audience to understand the website. On the last right subheading you are able to access the different media platforms, a vital part of a website in order to create word of mouth. 

The merchandise window opens up to a wide variety of products to chose from. All of them with the logo of the new album, creating a marketing campaign. The style of the website is consistent all throughout as it stays with a black background and same font. The only window layout that differs from the others is the tour dates ones, where the background is blue and green, symbolising the importance of this window. It is obvious that one of the strengths of the band is live performance as they enhance it by using a different style and colours.

Moreover, a key point of this website is how they let the audience subscribe to preordering the latest album. They can also sing up to get news on ticket pre-sales, new releases and exclusive content from the Rolling Stones. This incentives the audience to buying new stuff and booking their tickets to the concerts before than anyone else.

The website follows Gauntlett's Theory as all the text used is easy to read due to the way the white stands out from a black background and it is direct and short. making the meaning straight forward. The audience aren't distracted by the use of images or colour as everything is very monochrome yet due to the colours used it is very eye-catching.

·JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE:

As soon as you enter Justin Timberlake’s official website page you catch a snippet of what sort of genre/music this artist performs, in this case pop. The website is simple but effective as the colours are bold and plain. The contrast between the black, white and orange create an eye-catching effect. The typography on his official website is extremely consistent throughout the whole website and it is clear and easy to read. The serif white bold ‘JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE’ features in every page which is effective and consistent as it catches the audience’s eyes and attention. The main image of the front cover changes to different photos of concerts, giving the viewer a sense of his life performances.  

It is very easy to navigate by clicking the orange button on the top which takes you to sub headers that are easy to access as they are clear and precise. They are divided into the things that most people search for when looking for an artist's website. These are usually tour dates, merchandise, buying CDs and registering to create a free account to receive exclusive news and alerts about upcoming tour dates before anyone else. These sub headings are effective as they give many options to his viewers.

Furthermore, there is also a option at the bottom of the website where you can access his official social networking pages such as Facebook and Twitter. This is really effective as he is promoting his social networking accounts which can attract more attention and raise more awareness if he is releasing a music video, album or tour dates.

On his music and films section, he has included illustrations which synergies his platforms and promotes his music and films, you can click on to access these images by clicking onto them. Moreover, he has also included a store on his official website which is effective as it allows his fans to buy clothes and accessories on his official website which will give his fans satisfaction.

·THE DECEMBERISTS:

The Decemberists’ official website has a very unique way of using colour. They used a photo of the band in black and white against a colourful background that looks hand-drawn. The laid back look hints the genre of the group, in this case indie. The way the heading of the website is integrated into it with the name of the band hand-drawn indicates the type of music they produce. The different colours for each subheading makes them even more interesting, creating a much more solidified iconography that puts the website together due to the extravagant use of different tones all throughout.

The information available to the reader varies from tour dates, news, music premiers, videos, merchandise... They are very easy to access due to the design of the website as it is rather simple. You can access it by clicking on any of the subheadings. They include footage of their official music videos that can be watched there without having to open another window.

There is a wide variety of multimedia content, which include the links to all social media. This is situated on the right part of the website on a green rectangle. This creates a clear separation between the windows of the website and the social platforms which will derive the viewer to another window. There is an online shop where visitors can buy merchandise, including t-shirts that fans can buy and later on wear to the concerts.

In addition to their lyrics, which often focus on historical incidents and/or folklore, which is clearly referenced in the website by the use of colours and drawings, The Decemberists are also well known for their eclectic live shows, which can be seen on the video subtitle. Audience participation is a part of each performance, typically during encores, and they also want to make it even more interactive by letting them sign up to receive "Newsletters" which will make them part of a group of fans that receive restricted content. The band stages whimsical reenactments of sea battles, therefore explaining the drawings used on the website, and other centuries-old events, typically of regional interest, or acts out songs with members of the crowd.