There are still a small contingent of people out there who will tell you that WordPress is limited in its abilities. That its focus on blogging exposes weaknesses in other areas. That you can’t build “real” websites with WordPress. And let’s not forget the old argument that WordPress sites “always look like WordPress sites”.

That argument is the reason in part for a new series of posts we will be publishing here on ManageWP, where we highlight how versatile WordPress can truly be. If you are considering WordPress as a web content platform, here we will demonstrate to you why it is a superb option. And if you are already a WordPress user, this post will give you inspiration as to what is possible.

With that said, let’s explore our top 10 pick of musicians using WordPress for their websites!

10. Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire is an indie rock band hailing from Montreal, Canada. Over the past 10 years or so they have carved out a niche with their unique  sound.

Their website is a rare beast in the music world – simple and minimalistic – perhaps a little reflective of the fact that they do things a little differently. There is no graphics-heavy interface here – just simple black text on white background.

9. Scissor Sisters

Meanwhile, Scissor Sisters would never be accused of being subtle or minimalistic.

Their site is an interesting showcase for static navigation – the top and bottom colored bars remain in place whilst you scroll down the page.

8. Katy Perry

This being Katy Perry’s site, you can expect a bit of color. The design follows a similar tack to that of the Scissor Sisters’ site, in that the vertical bars on either side of the main content remain in place as you scroll down the page.

7. They Might Be Giants

Out of all of the websites on this list, this is perhaps most representational of a standard blog design. A top navigation bar with a feature area below and then a simple content-left, sidebar-right layout is bread and butter in terms of WordPress design.

But when compared to all of the other sites, They Might Be Giants is the exception that proves the rule – WordPress can produce a huge variety of designs.

6. Wyclef Jean

Wyclef Jean’s site is the only one on the list to be hosted on WordPress.com – an unusual option, given that self-hosted WordPress is the weapon of choice for practically anyone who has the resources to utilize it.

Wyclef hasn’t held back in using all of the standard WordPress features – tags, a calendar, and even a blogroll. Old school WordPress at its best.

5. Lauryn Hill

After featuring Wyclef Jean, it only seems fair that we mention his ex-Fugees bandmate, Lauryn Hill. The sparse but colorful design of Lauryn’s site keeps the focus on her music, with audio and video links in the sidebar.

4. Mick Jagger

Whoever designed Mick Jagger’s page saw fit to paint it black (sorry, I couldn’t help myself). This is all moody graphics and text, in fitting with Mick’s unique style.

3. Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band are here to inject a little more color into proceedings, with their carnival-style design. This is a website in its truest form, with no blog to talk of. In fact, there are just three things to do – see the photos, hear the music, and get the merchandise. What more do you need?

2. Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz’ site is brilliantly designed, with a background image that changes periodically. For anyone who doubts the ability of WordPress to produce individualistic website designs, this is a great example of the possibilities.

1. Jay-Z

Jay-Z is one of the biggest recording artists of all time, with approximately 50 million albums sold worldwide. And his website is perhaps most reflective of WordPress’ capabilities in producing something truly unique.

Life + Times is a blog in the true sense of the word, with a collection of Jay-Z’s musings on everything from art to sports (and of course music). It’s design can serve as inspiration to anyone designing a blog.