Artie Venti
web aesthetics paper
Web aesthetics is less defined and more ambiguous than aesthetics of other media. The web new medium and there are no classic rules, like in fine art, to tell us how to rate a web site. Nevertheless, one can usually assess a web sites quality by analyzing its effectiveness.
A web site is created with a specific intent before being uploaded to the internet. Whether it sells a product, gives information, or searches for other web sites, a web page was made with a purpose and a successful web site fulfills this objective. Many web sites are not universal and are only intended to be viewed by a specific group of people. Good web aesthetics, accordingly, is not universal and in this case is dependent on how well the site is geared towards its audience.
Effectiveness also insists that the web site can be accessed easily and reach the most people. Jennifer Nierdest points out in her book, Learning Web Design, that text and graphics have a major impact on how a web site is viewed. She points out that a web designer has limited control over how their site is seen because people have different preferences on and availability of how they browse web pages. People have their own control over text in the terms of size, color and font. Some people may also have graphics shut off to speed up the download time, therefore rendering information inside graphics useless to these users. However, for the sake of this analysis, I will examine these sites from the perspective of the Loyola College in Maryland computer lab browser presets.
In this paper I will analyze three home web sites of popular rock bands that I have recently gone to see in concert. When examining the aesthetics of these sites, I will investigate how well the site can make the user more interactive with a band. The person accessing the site is most probably a fan and is interested in information about the band. They want to see where and when the band is touring, know the lyrics to their favorite song, or buy a t-shirt to show off their support. The web site should provide an interactive relationship between the band and the fan. Access to the band’s e-mail to ask a question or the ability to hear a song of the latest CD, are all factors in a good band web site.
Incubus | View this site
The Incubus web site, like most band web sites, begins with an intro page. Unlike other sites where the intro is simply just a sequence of video or images accompanied by a song, this page is interactive. The user can click on the various pictures or video clips to see a picture of the band. This is a very convenient and inventive way to begin a band web site. Fans can take their time clicking on the different images to see photos or if they are in a hurry to get band information, they just simply click on “enter” to access the site. Although the use of a video intro is appealing at times, it is time consuming and can become tiresome to a frequent user.
The site contains music videos of the band as seen on MTV and small clips of most of the band’s discography. If someone enjoys the music they can even link to a site to buy the CD. For the fans looking to personalize their computer, there are screen savers and wallpapers available from the site as well.
This site takes advantage of the unique qualities of web media by giving the user a chance to instantly enter a room and chat with other fans. A fan can also sign up to be a part of an email list to get the latest updates on the band instantly.
This site is simple and only provides a small amount of information about the band. As a fan myself I was left unsatisfied. There are not any lyrics to the songs and the small audio clips are in wav form and do not give a feel for the band’s sound. Aesthetically there are some faults in the way the site is designed. The links to different sections are in small text at the bottom of the page and not noticed right away. If someone was looking for photos of the band, they might not know to look in the media section and even still would not see photos at the bottom of the page at first glance. (I would add a link to show this, however, the web site is set up to only show links when accessing the site through the home page.)
Stone Temple Pilots | View this site
The Stone Temple Pilot’s web site also has a clever introduction. Once the site is accessed a copy of their tour dates scroll down immediately answering a frequently asked question about the band. There is an option to skip the intro, but that is basically standard on all these sites. This site immediately gives the impression that it is all business. On the main page a fan is provided with links to buy their latest CD and join the mailing list. The text is short and simple and there is no need for scrolling on every single page like the Incubus site.
This site is very well organized and makes the surfing through easy and compatible. When looking up the lyrics to a song a user can listen to songs on the same CD and can even purchase the CD online. Click here to see what I mean. While looking up tour dates, fans can be linked to purchase tickets to these shows online. Click here to see tour dates and buy tickets.
This site is rather simple and does not rely heavily on graphics and effects. It is similar to the Incubus web site in structure. However, there is more information and access. At times, there are instances of user confusion and a sense of lost and found. Audio songs are usually under the multimedia section but in this case the songs are along with the lyrics in discography. The designer assumes the user has a general knowledge of the band which could prove a problem to someone not versed in band information, such as, disguising the links to certain CDs in the cover of the CD.
System of a Down | View this site
The System of a Down site is the most inventive of all these sites. The introduction begins with a music video of their latest single. If someone has not heard System’s music, they are immediately introduced. Once entering the web site, reality is suspended and it seems like the user is accessing into some sort of secure area. This appropriately parallels the band name and makes the user feel like he is entering a ‘system’ of some sort.
This thematic element to the website is further emphasized once the system has been entered. In order to move your way through the web site, the user must make use of a remote control in the top left corner of the screen. Although ineffective to those who do not have use of graphics or not patient enough to examine the controller, this idea is a cool way to surf throughout the system. The whole web site is riddled with interesting graphics which were obviously geared towards the teen/young adults who will be most interested in the band and the site. A doll’s head follows your choices in the cult section and eyes loom over your choices in the system TV section. The news section is designed to look like a newspaper and all the while the remote is there to guide you along.
This site is well designed and cleverly thought up. It relies heavily on graphics and animation giving it a captivating visual appeal. However, this could prove a problem for people experiencing lag on their internet connections and other such problems. The not so reliable computer lab PCs at Loyola College in Maryland froze numerous times while I browsed this site, most likely from the information constantly being downloaded from the site to upkeep all the graphical elements.
Band web sites create a more personal relationship with the band. The opportunity to email band members is quicker and more easily accessible than fan mail. Users logging onto a band’s web site give fans instant access to the latest news and tour dates instead of waiting every month hoping a rock magazine will print an article.
Not only can fans hear their favorite music but also have access to information as to what the band members are interested in. Many musicians are also activists and use their status to fight for certain causes and movements. Fans looking up to these musicians can join them and share similar interests. However this all assumes that the band members keep up with the site and readily give their input to the creator. On the Stone Temple Pilots web site, the last and only comments came from the singer Scott Weiland and that message was dated two years.
In addition, the home web sites are usually run by the record label, which has always been controversial in the music industry. The Stone Temple Pilots web site was most likely run by the record company because the site was always pressing the buying of the album first and foremost. Whereas, the Incubus web site seemed more intimate with pictures of the band hanging out and jamming together was the main theme of the web site. The System of a Down web site was the most activist and had the most availability to information other than what brand of microphone the singer uses. Sometimes a fan’s web site provides more of what a fan is interested in, however, much of the time the information is skewed and individually biased.
The widespread availability of information and the opportunity to interact is the greatest advantage the web has over other sources of media. The System of a Down web site most fully makes the most out of these aspects manages to keep a fan’s interest and get him involved with the band and other movements around the world.