A music website is not only a way to maintain a direct connection with your biggest fans, it’s also an opportunity to fine-tune your artist image and curate your music brand. You have control over how your website looks, you can organize it however you like, and it can include everything you need to promote your music in methodical and creative ways that grow your fanbase and support your career.
To engage your fans and industry professionals alike, design a music website that showcases your personal brand…
A music website is not only a way to maintain a direct connection with your biggest fans, it’s also an opportunity to fine-tune your artist image and curate your music brand. You have control over how your website looks, you can organize it however you like, and it can include everything you need to promote your music in methodical and creative ways that grow your fanbase and support your career.
To engage your fans and industry professionals alike, design a music website that showcases your personal brand as well as your music. We’ve put together a list of important elements to keep in mind, along with examples of the best music website designs to inspire you.
1. A compelling header section
2. Whitespace to emphasize content
3. An engaging video header
4. Website animation
5. A space to sell your music and merch
6. A coordinated color palette
7. A clear call to action
8. Drawing on your branding
9. Pops of bright color
10. Styled page sections for structure
11. A striking logo
12. Oversized typography
13. Abstract imagery to set a mood
14. A modern sidebar menu
15. Beautiful branding
1. A compelling header section
When someone visits your website you have only a few seconds to make a big impression. The quickest way to grab attention is with a compelling header image or video. A strong header is arguably just as important as the music you include, and will encourage your visitors to engage further with your music.
An inspiring main header image or video also sets the tone for your entire website. It should convey your brand, your vibe, and your sound all at once. Choose an image or video that shows you in your element, be that performing or co-writing or just posing with your bandmates in a way that feels natural.
Experimental electronic band Black Signal melds their header video seamlessly into a design that uses navy and pops of pink and turquoise, drawing from the vibe of the video with overlaying colors that are echoed in the rest of their website design.
2. Whitespace to emphasize content
A minimal music website template allows plenty of space for focus on your videos, photos, and media. By adding padding (empty space) around your content, a minimal website design provides you with a clean look that is void of any clutter, allowing your pages to ‘breathe.’
Minimalism instantly gives your website a professional look—even with plenty of content, the extra space makes your pages flow well, and the fonts appear crisp and clean.
Using whitespace to create a minimal yet engaging website is shown to good effect by singer-songwriter Tarquin Alexandra. She has taken advantage of a clean white layout with a tidy site title and menu to add her content in carefully-curated batches.
3. An engaging video header
Using a video header to lead your website design can create a feeling of excitement, or spark interest for the rest of your music website. Make sure the video header isn’t long (about 10 seconds is great), and set your band name, social media icons, and menu overtop of it. This combination of static text and motion behind it is a great way to make your website visitors stop and take notice.
Electronic psych duo forceghost use a memorable video header to underscore their sound, showing colors and textures that meld and weave between the background and their logo. In addition to looping perfectly, their header video sets the tone of their brand, followed by the rest of their band website pages
4. Website animation
One way to be sure that your website design stands out is by using subtle loading animation. This could include your artist name, menu, and call-to-action feature floating seamlessly into view as your page loads. This animation sets you up with an on-trend website that immediately engages your fans’ interest.
5. A space to sell your music and merch
Effective website design displays who you are and what you do in ways that stimulate fans to follow and support you online. Make good use of customizable online space for your music—it is all your own, for you to sell music and merch directly to your fans.
Duo Wolf & Moon have set up an eye-catching store in a grid layout, allowing their merch to shine. Their Store page is set up in clear sections, with different releases showing as you scroll down the page. Their use of a grid layout allows each product its proper space to stand out, and the simple backgrounds offset their album art beautifully, creating a vibe that reflects the aesthetic of their music and visual brand.
