The beginning of an era, George Lois’s “I Want My MTV”

A New Conversation

Alex Martin
Aug 28, 2017 · 3 min read

We invite you to join a new conversation taking place at Artist by Sound. We’re a group of music enthusiasts in the industry who love the visual artistry behind the music, and plan to share content starting this fall.

We will take a closer look at those who design and direct album artwork, web experiences, digital music platforms, advertising campaigns, event experiences, music videos, gig posters, show backdrops, VR/AR, and whatever experiences that have yet to be invented. These creatives work for design agencies, represent bands and artists, develop marketing campaigns, lead creative teams at a record label, or produce merchandise. We’ll discuss and uncover their point of view on innovations across music experiences, their role as an artist, and the stories behind their work.

Kii Arens, 2014

Our interest sparks from today’s exciting and evolving era of music. Marketing and business strategies have diversified well beyond an album release, radio airplay and ordinary tours, to where engaging digital campaigns, pre-sales, e-commerce, playlists, web experiences, and show production are essential to making an artist’s brand tangible and cohesive. Five years from now, the outlets can easily become something else because music continually engenders new relationships with fans as the most dynamic media available. Recall George Lois’s “I Want My MTV,” Khalil Joseph’s The Reflektor Tapes, John Kosh’s album art, Kii Arens’ gig posters, or Moment Factory’s production design: all accentuating a music experience. Maybe it’s flipped, and music brings character to something else as seen in Under Armour’s use of “The Last Goodbye.”

Kahlil Joseph’s The Reflektor Tapes

These experiences are supported by a visual balance to help share a story, put people in a new place, and make them feel something they haven’t felt before, even just for a moment. That’s what fans take home at the end of the day. Thus the annex of design, message and music draws a bigger picture beyond the scope of their own mediums, uniquely reflecting artistry, people, and social context.

That’s where we come in. We’re fascinated by the creative experiences around this ever-changing form of entertainment, and we believe there is another story to tell with a different type of artist within music.

To that end, we look forward to sharing our findings at Artist by Sound. You can stay updated by subscribing to us on Medium and signing-up for our newsletter. We’re also available on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.

Stay tuned.

Artist by Sound

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Alex Martin

Written by

Music enthusiast in Los Angeles

Artist by Sound

The bridge between music and design.

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