http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic
The research of MySpace artist pages is being carried out on Lily Allen. This is because she is one of the first successful artists to start using MySpace as a way of advertising her music.
Starting with the layout of the page. The layout of the artist page follows the normal conventions of a MySpace profile. Everything is in boxes with the same background colour of black. This helps for the visitor to easily identify the different sections of what is what. It is easy navigation. Also, the background image has a range of colours and is very colourful so the colour of black stands out and calms down the brightness of the background. Black is also a unisex colour both aimed at male and female. Also the ways in which the boxes are positioned are in order of importance. At the top of the page is a basic profile summary containing of a photo of the artist, their name, where they’re from and their genre of music. This is basic indication to that this MySpace page is Lily Allen’s page and not a fan site. Also opposing this at the top of the page is a music player which has been placed here at the top because her music is ultimately what she is promoting and is the main attention to why she had set up her MySpace page. To share her music. Next down the page is easy links for messaging and adding to friends etc. These are important because a main element of MySpace is to communicate with your friends. Also to make new ones. For a MySpace artist page, it is important for the artist to interact and become popular with their visitors/fans to become more popular and to create awareness of their page and their music. Also with this is the URL address, just as a reminder for future reference if the reader wishes to revisit. Opposing this is dates for upcoming concerts. These have been put after the music player is because of the order of importance. It is important for the artist to attract any new fans, so the music player is the first interactive object on the page, attracting new people. Then the concert dates is for already fans.
All the images used on the page are of course, of Lily Allen. This is to advertise her and her type of music. There is one image that can be referred to iconography. Lily Allen’s new album advertisement is placed at the top centre of the page so it’s the first image the visitor’s eyes are drawn to. The image advertising the album is her sitting is a big, poofie dress. A reference to an iconic photo of Marilyn Monroe sitting in a poofie dress. This may have been the case, because it has a subtext of the potential of how good Allen’s music is.
The type face has been kept to a simplistic font such as Ariel so the text is ready to read. Also the colour of it white, contrasts against black, again, for easy reading. The advertisement at the top of the page for Allen’s new album is on bold black lettering, is darker than its background of a blue/white washed background. This stands out more and with its large size it allows the reader to remember what they had just read. The name of the album “It’s not me, it’s you” is in yellow, Out of context with the dark colours of the image, Again, this is to create a memory hook of the album.
There is many elements were the visitor can interact on the page. Firstly, the music player, the main reason for the purpose of the sight. To advertise Allen’s music. Secondly, Video’s which is technological convergence again, advertising Allen’s music yet, advertising the videos to them as well. Thirdly there is Lily Allen’s blog. Allowing the reader to get more insight into the artist. Also to keep up to date with any news, events and gossip that could occur. This is a good way of keeping fans interested in your music. Lastly, there is a comment section which allows reader to write anything down and allows freedom of speech. You can only comment if you are a ‘friend’ of Lily’s which again is a good way of keeping people interested and visiting also to raise your popularity.
The images of the star indicate a vast variety of target audience. The images consist of her signature hairstyle, a block cut fringe. This is rememorable of the star. Also she shows a variety of genres such as glamour, country and a stereotypical London girl (bright colours, big ear rings etc.). This is advertising Lily as a diverse artist, reaching out to many audiences male and female, from a young age to old.
There is no indication to a marketing strategy for the record company. This is quite common in signed artists whereas if you were to look at a unsigned artist page, you would be clearly indicated that they were unsigned in their artist profile. This is because signed artists are signed and don’t need to advertise for a company as for they already have one. Whereas an unsigned act would be using MySpace to be discovered by a record company. Lily now uses her MySpace to promote her music. The only indication of the record label being advertised is in the music player where it clearly states that the song ‘Not Fair’ is by EMI records.
The main difference with an artist MySpace profile and a normal MySpace page is that the purposes of them are different. The purpose of a normal MySpace page is to interact with friends, keep in touch and to meet new people. The purpose of a MySpace artist profile is to advertise music and sometimes to be discovered by a record company.
The research of MySpace artist pages is being carried out on Lily Allen. This is because she is one of the first successful artists to start using MySpace as a way of advertising her music.
Starting with the layout of the page. The layout of the artist page follows the normal conventions of a MySpace profile. Everything is in boxes with the same background colour of black. This helps for the visitor to easily identify the different sections of what is what. It is easy navigation. Also, the background image has a range of colours and is very colourful so the colour of black stands out and calms down the brightness of the background. Black is also a unisex colour both aimed at male and female. Also the ways in which the boxes are positioned are in order of importance. At the top of the page is a basic profile summary containing of a photo of the artist, their name, where they’re from and their genre of music. This is basic indication to that this MySpace page is Lily Allen’s page and not a fan site. Also opposing this at the top of the page is a music player which has been placed here at the top because her music is ultimately what she is promoting and is the main attention to why she had set up her MySpace page. To share her music. Next down the page is easy links for messaging and adding to friends etc. These are important because a main element of MySpace is to communicate with your friends. Also to make new ones. For a MySpace artist page, it is important for the artist to interact and become popular with their visitors/fans to become more popular and to create awareness of their page and their music. Also with this is the URL address, just as a reminder for future reference if the reader wishes to revisit. Opposing this is dates for upcoming concerts. These have been put after the music player is because of the order of importance. It is important for the artist to attract any new fans, so the music player is the first interactive object on the page, attracting new people. Then the concert dates is for already fans.
All the images used on the page are of course, of Lily Allen. This is to advertise her and her type of music. There is one image that can be referred to iconography. Lily Allen’s new album advertisement is placed at the top centre of the page so it’s the first image the visitor’s eyes are drawn to. The image advertising the album is her sitting is a big, poofie dress. A reference to an iconic photo of Marilyn Monroe sitting in a poofie dress. This may have been the case, because it has a subtext of the potential of how good Allen’s music is.
The type face has been kept to a simplistic font such as Ariel so the text is ready to read. Also the colour of it white, contrasts against black, again, for easy reading. The advertisement at the top of the page for Allen’s new album is on bold black lettering, is darker than its background of a blue/white washed background. This stands out more and with its large size it allows the reader to remember what they had just read. The name of the album “It’s not me, it’s you” is in yellow, Out of context with the dark colours of the image, Again, this is to create a memory hook of the album.
There is many elements were the visitor can interact on the page. Firstly, the music player, the main reason for the purpose of the sight. To advertise Allen’s music. Secondly, Video’s which is technological convergence again, advertising Allen’s music yet, advertising the videos to them as well. Thirdly there is Lily Allen’s blog. Allowing the reader to get more insight into the artist. Also to keep up to date with any news, events and gossip that could occur. This is a good way of keeping fans interested in your music. Lastly, there is a comment section which allows reader to write anything down and allows freedom of speech. You can only comment if you are a ‘friend’ of Lily’s which again is a good way of keeping people interested and visiting also to raise your popularity.
The images of the star indicate a vast variety of target audience. The images consist of her signature hairstyle, a block cut fringe. This is rememorable of the star. Also she shows a variety of genres such as glamour, country and a stereotypical London girl (bright colours, big ear rings etc.). This is advertising Lily as a diverse artist, reaching out to many audiences male and female, from a young age to old.
There is no indication to a marketing strategy for the record company. This is quite common in signed artists whereas if you were to look at a unsigned artist page, you would be clearly indicated that they were unsigned in their artist profile. This is because signed artists are signed and don’t need to advertise for a company as for they already have one. Whereas an unsigned act would be using MySpace to be discovered by a record company. Lily now uses her MySpace to promote her music. The only indication of the record label being advertised is in the music player where it clearly states that the song ‘Not Fair’ is by EMI records.
The main difference with an artist MySpace profile and a normal MySpace page is that the purposes of them are different. The purpose of a normal MySpace page is to interact with friends, keep in touch and to meet new people. The purpose of a MySpace artist profile is to advertise music and sometimes to be discovered by a record company.
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