Topic: What about a background image?

As for the visual appearance of these pages, what if the background - instead of being plain and blank like now - would be a reproduction of an album illustration, or some fantasy painting (anything "related" and appropriate to the idiom of prog), but in a "washed", faded version, so that it doesn't interfere with reading the text? Of course, the image can change within a certain period of time and be replaced by another.

Interesting idea! It would have to work with light/dark mode (probably different images would be needed), and it should not interfere with cover art. Difficult to find good images that look elegant, but don't distract too much ...

Within this context, check out this painting: https://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/jean-delville/the-treasures-of-satan/

Or this one: http://rijksmuseumamsterdam.blogspot.com/2012/01/dado-massacre-of-innocents-large-farm.html

Or some of these: http://www.ljuba.fr/en/1963-1970-oil-on-canvas/

These are quite interesting, but not much connected to music. I'd rather use cover artwork :-)

In that regard, I'd like to suggest this album cover illustration: https://telepathyband.bandcamp.com/album/12-areas

Well, there are many album covers that would make for good illustrations, but it would be strange to use them for the entire site.

Using background images is tricky - it usually looks unprofessional/amateurish, and it can drag down the browser rendering performance significantly. Do you know of any websites that have implemented it well, Svetonio?

I'd rather try to use album covers in a meaningful way ...

Frankly I prefer the plain background.

RYM are spearheading the use of cover art on the release page:

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/yes/mirror-to-the-sky/

At the time of writing this, they are underlining the main heading of the page (the release name) with the top colors from the cover art. They're also using them on the page, at least in dark mode.

I was planning to do the same, independently of them, but now when I do it will look like I'm copying them ;-)

That's basically what Apple does in their iPhone music app. When you view an album in the app, all the colors of the text and background match the cover art's with a blurred version of the cover art at the top.

Not a bad idea really, actually. If implemented correctly, it looks really cool.

Yes, but difficult to get right, and it only works on release pages.

@Mike I'm positive I once came across on a prog-related web page with a backdrop image that was "washed", but I can't place it now.

I mean I'm liking the plain site right now.

I think other features bar be easier and more useful to implement, like s recommendations feature.

In the abstract, using some kind of cover art sounds good. In fact, I use Plex Media Server for my music collection, and they provide both the album cover when playing the music, as well as optional additional art that's shown washed-out in the background when interacting with the console.

But I don't think any of that is really appropriate here. This site is pretty information-heavy, and imposing a background behind that is going to interfere with the readability of the text.

In the past year or so I only remember seeing one website which still uses background images, check it out: https://www.pedrosena.com/ :-)

Ha! It's like going back to 1999 and Geocities :)

Hey, what do you think of a backdrop image with the sky? https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-painted-watercolor-pastel-sky-background_13294954.htm#query=sky%20background&position=12&from_view=keyword&track=ais