Artist Logos and Artist Branding

Artist logos are an easily identifiable image which can be associated with a specific artist. Logos are commonly used in the music industry for well established brands but also in the business world for advertising and marketing. The purpose of the logo, although in different industries, is exactly the same. It is an image, a shape, a colour that is identified and immediately corresponds to a certain band, solo artist, company or anything at that matter. Here are some examples of logos that are globally renowned.

Some of the most well known bands in the world create an image over time. Often they use this image as the logo. It is something that can be shown to somebody and them knowing what the image represents. 

Having done some internet research, here is some information on the Rolling Stones Logo. The information was gained at icons.org.uk

'The big red mouth with its protruding tongue has been the official logo of the longest-serving rock-and-roll band in the world since 1971. It was the work of London graphic designer John Pasche, and first appeared on the inner sleeve and label of the Stones’ album of that year,Sticky Fingers, following the foundation of their own record label, Rolling Stones Records.

Famous throughout the world, the logo combines the various elements of the band’s image. It is at once an insolent tongue stuck out at authority and a lustful panting tongue, as well as standing of course for the legendary mouth of Mick Jagger. Pasche recalls that the inspiration came from an image of the Hindu goddess Kali. He was paid the princely sum of £50 for his work at the time, but received the generous supplement of an extra £200 a couple of years later, in acknowledgement of the success of the design.

The group themselves now own the copyright, but in 2006, Pasche sold the original artwork for the logo for £400,000'. 

Logos can be completely random but can also have sentimental value for the artist. Here, the logo has been carefully thought over and has taken a lot of time to produce.  

By Richard