Alt Media
Music
Online Music Magazine
Case Study: Blues Today – Designing a Digital Archive for Chicago Blues Performance
Blues Today was created to become an online magazine and curated archive of Chicago blues performances, many of which were radiographed and preserved as part of the city’s cultural heritage. The project needed more than a website—it needed an editorial identity and archival soul.
With full creative control, I designed and developed a custom WordPress site that balances editorial clarity with visual depth. Every page was crafted to support a long-term vision: showcasing the richness of blues history and paving the way for future media, articles, and contributors.
My Role
Full WordPress website design and development
Conceptual branding and visual styling
Content strategy and article writing
SEO optimization across pages and posts
Structural planning for future growth as an online magazine
Creative Direction & Challenges
I was tasked with designing a digital home for historic Chicago blues performances that had been archived in radiograph form. There was no existing visual language to pull from—so I built one from the ground up.
The site needed to evoke respect for the past while remaining easy to navigate and scalable for future expansion. I leaned into a clean, modern layout with editorial-style typography, subtle blues-inspired tones, and space for visual and audio media.
Every section was constructed with searchability, longevity, and storytelling in mind.
Site Features & Structure
Homepage: Intro to the archive and project mission
Featured Articles: Original writing exploring the cultural context of Chicago blues
The Archive: Organized by performance with space for video, imagery, and liner notes
Blues Artists & History Pages: Room for future expansion into artist profiles and historical timelines
SEO-Ready Blog: Articles and posts built with search visibility in mind
Scalable CMS Design: Future-proofed for editorial contributors, events, and deeper content layers
Results & Reflection
Blues Today is more than a website—it’s the beginning of a living digital archive for Chicago blues. With a professional, content-forward structure and elegant brand identity, it’s positioned to grow into an authoritative destination for fans, scholars, and musicians alike.
I wrote every word, designed every page, and structured every piece of metadata. This is what I do best: turning vision into voice, and content into culture.
Visit the Site
Building a Publication, Archive, or Online Magazine?
Let’s create something lasting—something that honors the past while building for the future.