Artists Motif’s/Logos

Why do artists use motif’s and logos?

• It is very common to see that all artists/bands often have a logo attached to their name. This is significant in defining artists from other artists, making them appear as individuals.

• Artists usually use custom logo designs which can project professionalism in to the industry commonly used to make other artists jealous and seem less professional.

• Having a logo also helps consumers differentiate certain artists products from other artists on the basis the products are different.

• It also helps the artists/bands become a brand as well as just a band because they can produce merchandise with their logo on so it can be seen and recognised everywhere.

• But basically artists do use their logos to promote themselves and their band so people will know who they are and they then get noticed by other audiences as well as the one targeted specifically at their music.

What is a Motif and Logo?

• Logo Definition:• A symbol or other small design adopted by an

organization to identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc.

• Motif Definition:• A decorative image or design, especially a

repeated one forming a pattern and/or a dominant or recurring idea in an artistic work.

Red Hot Chili PeppersWhat does this logo mean?The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ symbol started simply as something singer Anthony Kiedis once scrawled on a piece of paper, and is often referred to as the ‘Star of Affinity’ or the ‘Star of Infinity’ but Kiedis, however, has a much more endearing nickname for the eight-pronged asterisk ‘The Angels Arsehole’ it was just a logo that was made up at the last minute before a gig where they wanted to sell merchandise to fans. But other fans believe it symbolises controlled chaos which fits the band well.

The logo is used in all Red Hot Chili Peppers merchandise and albums and posters.

NIRVANA What does this logo mean?There has been many theories associated with the meaning of the Nirvana logo. The first theory here is that many people believe and agree that the logo was drawn by the main band member Kurt Cobain and made it’s first appearance on a flyer for the release party of the album ‘Nevermind’ in 1991. But also other people believe that it was drawn by Kurt Cobain whilst he was stoned in his apartment. Also enough theory is that it was taken from the Marquee of a strip club in Seattle. There has never been a accurate reason behind the logo for Nirvana but it is seen all over the UK & America as a legendary symbol for the band and is very well known by most ages, this conforms to the reasons as to which bands use logos because audiences then know their band anywhere.

Nirvana was known for stamping their logo on everything they could think of. It is still seen up to this day on lots of high street clothing, it is used on their merchandise, posters and albums.

This is the back of the first piece of merchandise created by the band, the logo first featured on the front of this t-shirt.

Ed SheeranWhat does this logo mean?Ed Sheeran openly admitted on twitter that he feels like he doesn’t have a significant meaning behind the logo he uses to promote himself. He posted on twitter ‘People ask me what the significance in the paw print is. I don’t have an answer so I tell them it’s tiger blood. They don’t get it’ so he has never actually defined why he uses it but it is a well known logo for this artist and everyone knows him by seeing this logo. It is used a lot in many forms especially on his merchandise this logo always appears a lot on his clothing. Ed Sheeran actually has his logo tattooed on to his arm, this is iconic and symbolic and people recognise this logo anywhere and automatically assume it is Ed Sheeran.

Ed Sheeran merchandise is known for using his logo all over the clothing.

Ed Sheeran’s logo also features on his album because it is well known by fans but also the general public.

PrinceWhat is the meaning behind this logo?Prince for much of the 1990’s, the pop singer, songwriter and musician Prince changed his name to what he referred to as ‘an unpronounceable symbol’ the symbol is combined elements of astrological symbols for males and females in a form that resembled a scepter. Prince was frustrated with Warner Bros., his record label at the time, for asking him to release fewer albums to avoid flooding the market. Rolling Stone reports that, frustrated at not being able to get out of his recording contract, Prince retaliated with the name change. When journalists complained about the difficulty of reporting on him, he relented and allowed them to refer to him as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince." When his contract expired in 2000, he reverted to his former and legal name, Prince. So his logo started to represent him without the use of his name. So audiences started to only know Prince by his logo and not use his name to associate him with things.

His merchandise only features the logo and no mention of his name to keep his identity covered and only people who listen to his music will understand the symbolisation he uses. Also he used the logo on his albums as a symbol to present himself.

• Overall, we can conclude that all artists have their own logos and motif’s based upon their own genres. They use them so we can easily distinguish them from other artists and it becomes personal to them. I will be using a motif and logo within my didgi-pack because it is seen as a convention to artists and is used for albums, posters and merchandise so they become well known and easy to recognise.

Rihanna’s motif.

Two-Door Cinema Club logo & Motif.Taylor Swift

Motif.

The Rolling Stone’s logo and motif known and used famously everywhere.