OUGD504 - Brief 4 - Website Analysis: Chvrches

OUGD504: Brief 4: SONY music / ONLY studio Brief

Website Analysis: Chvrches 

The first think the user sees when accessing the Chvrches website is a pop up promoting their recently released album, this shows the cover art, track listing and most importantly links to purchase the album. This is a great way to instantly alert the user about the new album and would allow them to download it straight away with no confusion trying to find it within the site. Some may call this too in your face however I feel it is bold and engaging highlighting, at the end of the day, the most important feature of the website right at the start of the users experience. 

The homepage of the website is extremely interactive using the album artwork creatively on a digital platform, the colour watched boxes from the album artwork have been utilised and transformed into the page navigation. This is a little confusing at first however when the user hovers over the boxes the text appears informing you which page this box will take you too. This element of user interaction massively improves to overall user experience of the website. 

As an alternative to the navigation within the boxes on the homepage there is also a drop down list alternative that can easily be found, this takes over the full screen which gives a bold aesthetic and a greater sense of usability without background elements distracting from the content. The centrally aligned text creates a clear social point within the page and is reminiscent of album track listing on the reverse of most albums. 

The live shows page of the website creates a sophisticated and legible aesthetic, using the background of the homepage to create continuity between the pages with a black transparency filer to focus the eye to the content and allow this to stand out in white body copy. The information fills the whole screen with even distribution making it aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. The social media links once again create a cross platform with other social media and can be used and free promotion for the band. 

The Chvrches website is the most interactive and provides the best user experience of all the websites analysed thus far. The engaging and immersive layout is sophisticated and will appeal to the target audience who have sophisticated internet demands. The promotion of the album from the second the user enters the website is a nice feature and there is continuity between all of the pages creating a nice flow throughout the website. The only criticism would be that is feels very refined like it would be perfect for tablets or mobiles however I would expect slightly more detail fro the desktop site.