The most iconic brands in the dance music industry
An artist’s branding is the personality they show to the world, influencing public opinion and either making or breaking their success. Having a strong brand enables artists to instantly be recognizable around the world, whether for the right or wrong reasons. Not only must the brand itself be strong, it must be implemented effectively to ensure maximum impact. This includes consistent implementation of branding across all materials. One of the best ways to improve your own strategy is to learn from the success of others. We’ve put together a list of some of the most iconic artist brands in the electronic music industry.
deadmau5
One of the most iconic logos in the music industry as a whole is undoubtedly deadmau5’s mau5 head. This branding is reflected in every aspect of his branding, from his logo to his album covers, from his visuals to his own mau5 head worn on stage. Over his many years as an artist, the logo has continuously grown in influence, and now makes him instantly recognizable to audiences. Undoubtedly, it is the simplicity yet uniqueness of this branding that makes it so effective.
Swedish House Mafia
Three dots have always been the focal point of Swedish House Mafia’s branding throughout the years, and have proven to be an integral part of secretive hints around upcoming announcements. While their logo has been developed over the years, including a change in font following their reunion at Ultra Music Festival, their branding has remained easily recognizable. The power of their logo was proven when the hints prior to Ultra showed various company logos printed in groups of three on posters, and people instantly knew that the posters were a Swedish House Mafia reference. To be able to be recognizable without even displaying your their logo really does demonstrate the influence of the Swedish trio’s branding.
Martin Garrix
Since its redesign, Martin Garrix’s logo has become an integral part of his visual show. The simplistic ‘+x’ logo is highly effective, serving as the inspiration for much of Garrix’s visuals. Instantly recognizable by many, this branding is consistent across all of his channels and has become a huge aspect of his persona. This change in branding completely revitalized his image at the time, as the font used for his previous logo had begun to appear outdated. His current logo appears much more clean and recognizable, promoting a positive image for his brand.
Marshmello
Another artist whose headgear represents their branding is the mysterious Marshmello. His marshmallow shaped helmet has become a phenomenon within the electronic music industry, and has seen him go from strength to strength. His logo illustrates the design of his helmet and his cartoon style appearance is reflected in all of his visuals on and off stage. The marshmallow shaped helmet has become his trademark, and has made him one of the most recognizable artists in the industry.
Don Diablo
With his easily recognizable Hexagon logo, Don Diablo is certainly one of the artists with the most effective branding. The logo is reflected across his merchandise, live show visuals, and his cover artwork. The continuity of the branding has undoubtedly played a huge part in its widespread success, having been consistently reinforced throughout all messaging both on and off stage. Simplistic yet effective, the symbolism is easily recognizable and has given Don Diablo’s branding even more strength.
Daft Punk
Perhaps one of the most iconic brands the music industry has ever seen, Daft Punk have built an empire through their unique persona. With their easily recognizable robot helmets forming the basis for their brand, the French duo have become a household name around the world. Undoubtedly, their branding has played a huge part in this widespread success, and will continue to make an impact on the music industry as a whole.
Knife Party
Australian duo Knife Party definitely have one of the most recognizable brands in the music industry. Well thought-out to the last detail, the logo reflects the name, with jagged edges and a menacing appearance. Simple yet effective, the branding mirrors the style of the duo, and gives potential fans an insight into their persona. Like many electronic artists, Knife Party’s promotional material always centres around a black and white colour scheme.
Justice
French duo Justice are easily recognizable through their unique cross symbolism, a logo which has become integral to their branding. The logo can be seen featured in the majority of their album cover artworks, and instantly serves as a point of recognition for audiences. Their unique branding has undoubtedly been one of the key aspects in driving their worldwide success.
Axwell Λ Ingrosso
2/3 of Swedish House Mafia, Axwell Λ Ingrosso have also displayed iconic branding during their time as a duo. Their branding revolves around the Λ symbol, which is featured across all of their media, including their live performances. This symbol has proven to be a powerful brand, building the foundation for Axwell Λ Ingrosso as a duo, and is now instantly recognizable within the electronic music community.
Each of these examples have been lifted to stardom with the help of solid branding. Each completely unique with its own story, the brands of each of these artists has become an integral aspect of who they are. Simplicity is key, proving to have a much bigger effect on audiences than complex branding. Combine simplicity with a strong core message and you will be left with an effective brand that generates a response from your audience and spreads your persona around the world. If you are not happy with your current branding, nothing is set in stone, it may be time for you to undergo a full rebrand. While a daunting prospect, rebranding is a great way to freshen your image and develop your persona.