Artist websites first starting emerging on the Internet in the mid 1990’s and for the first time gave artists the ability to communicate directly with their fans on a worldwide basis. Music fans will often times do a web search when they first hear about an artist they are interested in and having an official artist site makes it easy to find an artist on the web. Fans can access information they are interested in such as the artist’s biography, tour dates, discography, news, engage with other fans on the site forums and follow artist’s blog through RSS feeds.

Artist websites can also be a good source of high margin revenue through selling CD’s, downloads, concert tickets, merchandise and specialty items directly to fans. Designing, building, hosting and managing a website can be overwhelming and expensive for artists. Several companies like Hostbaby and Echomusic now specialize artist website solutions complete with the latest site features and marketing tools.

Many fans have launched websites or online fan clubs dedicated to their favorite artist that can help build up an artist’s online community.