When I first installed WordPress, I was on an endless quest for the perfect free theme out there for our band blog. The deciding factor for me came when I decided what I wanted from my layout. Any free theme out there can be a WordPress theme for musicians.

The key is obtaining a layout that will display your message and vision. Create some mock layouts on scratch paper, visit some artist websites you like and observe what attracts you to some of your favorite sites. The quest now begins with your concept. I created a list of free WordPress themes I found online that contain different layouts and endless possibilities.

Examine different layouts. Check out how some themes accentuate the header image better. This might be useful if you have some nice artwork to display on your site. Some themes have wider columns and can allow you to put your social network links, album display, and ads if you choose. Find themes also that have fonts and color schemes you like. These are customizable but when I first started. I tried to find one that didn’t require as much customization so I could focus on my message as soon as possible.

I will be adding some random themes here for musicians that want to get thinking on what kind of layouts fit their scheme. There is no right answer to this quest. Focus on a clean theme that is SEO friendly, easy to navigate, pleasing to your eyes, and is not too noisy looking. Remember, your search engine visibility relies on your message and not on your display: Your display should complement your content.

Setting up a band blog or artist website can be very easy with the large amount of free WordPress themes out there. I compiled a list of 3 of my favorite sites to check for free new themes and plugins.

• Smashing Magazine
• Weblog Tools Collection
• WordPress.org

Try and make a little list of things to look for in a theme that will maximize your artist exposure. For your music blog, decide how many columns you want and how you want to present your music and merchandise.

Some people prefer a simple theme over a magazine style theme because they want to display their message, instead of clutter. I enjoy just searching through the different styles and generating ideas of how to integrate my album cover, news articles, and music downloads. Be creative on your presentation.

Some themes are easier to customize if you prefer widgets. Adsense ready templates are also available for each artist to make some side ad revenue from Google.

To make life easier, I visit the author site of the WordPress theme and see how valuable the instructions are. Many authors are kind enough to provide step by step instruction on how to easily customize it. Enjoy your search and make your band stand out.