1) A hit counter
Is it 1998? Why do you need one? Many clients want some way to track their visitors or see how many unique visits they have. Do them a favor and don’t use a CGI or visible hot counter. The world uses invisible tracking now. Google analytics is free and incredibly useful. Give them access to that. Educate your client if this is a problem. You’re the web designer.
2) Black backgrounds
Black backgrounds can be pulled off really only by professional designers. If you are one, great for you, if not, stick to white or a brighter color. And for the love of God, don’t place a dark text on a dark background. Use your common sense. Educate your client if this is a problem. You’re the web designer.
3) Background Music
If I want to listen to music, I have my own, and I have my own player. Visitors to a website are there for a reason. To find what they are looking for. Do not intrude on that. Your job is to make that information available and present it in the most appealing way. You are a web designer, not a DJ. If Im listening to music while browsing, I don’t want yours overlaid. It’s very annoying....