Websites allow information about an artist/band, to be updated and edited constantly whilst still being a very cheap and easy way to market and distribute the product to an international audience.
The home page needs to be visually appealing in order to entice an audience to make them want to look into the website further. These days, people often just look at the home page of a website and if it’s not appealing or difficult to navigate won’t continue viewing the site. It's like judging a book by it's cover, if it's not alluring, people simply won't look further.
The home page of a musicians website need to have pictures and other visually appealing attributes such as the bands name clearly shown and their social media in order for audience members to have the opportunity to feel closer to the artist. They should also have information or links that could take them onto further parts of the website to view their tour dates or a blog.
In the homepage for Biffy Clyro, the band are the focus point being clearly visible in the centre of the site. The strong use of the colour black throughout makes them seem more significant as that's where our eye is draw but suits the minimalistic convention of their album and 'star image' in general. The lead singer is shirtless, allowing his tattoos to be revealed. This could appeal to their target audience because, being a rock band, their audience would likely find similar things appealing such as tattoos. It also adds a sense of rebellion, another feature that Richard Dyer states is enticing for audiences.
On the other hand, The Lumineers website doesn't show any of the band directly, only a silhouette of the lead singer from a frame in their music video. Although the band aren't shown, the minimalistic nature of the homepage is also successful in appealing to their target audience.
The main similarity between the two is the minimalistic features which they both use despite being bands from two distinctly different genres. Information about their music, tour dates and other elements of their 'image' are linked to clearly in the home pages making them easy to access. The most significant difference is that in the Biffy Clyro homepage, all three members of the band are clearly visible suggesting that they are in a way quite vain whereas the absence of the band in The Lumineers page suggests that there is more to their product than their 'star image’.
I find that the The Lumineers page is more enticing with the colours used and with the lack of the band members themselves, personally, it makes me want to look further into their site and their music. The Biffy Clyro page is successful in creating their star image and alluring the audience but I find the black overwhelming and almost too basic.
