Hot97
Hot 97 is one of the most influential hip-hop and R&B radio brands in the world, serving as a cultural hub for music, news, talent, and community. The website plays a critical role in delivering breaking news, promoting on-air talent, and driving engagement through live listening, events, and editorial content.
The Challenge
Despite its strong brand recognition, the existing website struggled with core UX issues:
Overly dense layouts and inconsistent visual hierarchy
Navigation that made it difficult to discover key content
Pages designed from a graphic-first perspective, rather than user intent
Poor readability and scanning, especially on mobile
High cognitive load when browsing news, talent profiles, or articles
As a result, users were leaving the site before engaging deeply with content.
My Role & Approach
As a UI/UX Designer, I led the redesign from discovery through execution.
My approach included:
Conducting a UX audit to identify friction points and usability issues
Evaluating content structure, navigation patterns, and mobile behavior
Defining clearer user journeys for news consumption, talent discovery, and live listening
Simplifying layouts and introducing a strong visual hierarchy
Balancing Hot 97’s bold visual identity with clarity, consistency, and usability
The goal was not to “tone down” the brand, but to channel it through a more usable, content-first experience.
Result
The Hot 97 website redesign transformed a visually loud, UX-fragmented experience into a clear, engaging, and user-centered platform — allowing the brand’s content, talent, and voice to take center stage without sacrificing usability.