I have a newfound respect for Pitchfork. It wasn’t always the case. As someone who focuses on black alt music, I’ve always felt that the site tended more towards bland, white indie rock dudes. That said, I’m damn impressed by the “cover” story treatment they gave my favorite cybergirl Janelle Monae on the eve (relatively speaking) of the release of her sophomore album, The Electric Lady.
What’s so stunning about this treatment is that the site has appropriated what I’d expect to be a tablet -like feel and transferred it to the Web site: the full screen, the video running alongside the copy: It kinda reminds me of the animations that Fast Company frequently uses on the table versions of the magazines.
Of course, this is all about stickiness and getting people to spend time on the site. Interestingly, the experience isn’t as robust on the iPad.
It remains to be seen if this is the leading edge of a wave of the future, particularly in a site’s efforts to monetize traffic and viewers. Initial impression: Bawse move, i.e., it says leadership.
You can check out the Janelle Monae cover story on Pitchfork here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.