How And Why Are Websites Used?

Websites are basically designed to help fans keep updated, they create a platform where the Artist(s) can advertise their campaign which links directly with the Richard Dyer Star theory. His theory splits into three areas. The star as a construction, The star as a commodity and the Star as an Ideology. The star is not a real person, it is simply something created through media and advertising (like using websites), something that is not true and which doesn't reflect the actual person beneath.

Richard Dyer-'Paradox of the Star'

A fan base is what can make or break an artist. Artists strongly rely on views as the audience can make word travel fast, hopefully gaining a wider following meaning more fans becoming interested in that artist. 

Websites share information on upcoming tours, albums, videos, sneak peaks, official merchandise and much more. People who make subscriptions to websites also gets notifications and updates straight away when something new has arisen on that Artists website. As well as promoting the Artist, a website also sells the artist album's and tour tickets etc..

Social Media is an extremely important part of networking for artists. On almost every musicians website, artists have links to their Facebook pages, Twitter, iTunes, Soundcloud, Instagram etc. This is also a way of making them 'official' for e.g the blue tick used on Twitter.  Also by being able to channel, fans and artists can actually communicate with each other. 

A website is often designed around the Artist's self image, whether its organic or synthetic the artist often has a trademark or something they always do or use which their fans can recognise them with. Updating their look can also be utilized within the website design as the artists gradually develop, especially through images.