Stan Culture: The Bane or Boon of The Music Industry?

Stan culture has taken the music world by storm in recent decades, with fans showing their unbridled devotion and admiration for their favourite artistes in new and innovative ways. This dedicated group of fans, known as ‘Stans,’ are not just passive listeners, but active participants in the music industry. In this article, we will examine the significance of stan culture to music, and how it is influencing the industry as a whole.

First and foremost, the origin of the word ‘Stan’ comes from the 2000 released song bearing the same name by American rapper Eminem; who in the song, described the actions of a fan who had taken his admiration for the rapper to insane levels.

Stan culture refers to the intense and obsessive fandom surrounding a particular celebrity, public figure, or entertainment franchise and has since existed in every functional music industry across the world. When we look at Africa you have the notable ones like WizKid FC, Sark Nation, 30 BG, Outsiders, Shatta Movement and a host of others. In the West we have the likes of the Beyhive, and in Asia we have the likes of the K-pop Armys. It is important to note that, Stan culture has the power to make or break an artiste’s career. With the rise of social media, stans have a platform to amplify their love and support for their idols, driving sales and chart performance. For example, Taylor Swift’s reputation was significantly enhanced by her dedicated stan base, who used Twitter and other platforms to promote her music and defend her image especially during her fallout with rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West). This led to a massive commercial success for an album she released, which broke multiple records and dominated charts for weeks. While there are both positive and negative effects of Stan culture, scientists noted that, all the psychological implications are negative. It is said to develop parasocial relationships, affect identity and self-esteem, confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance, online harassment and toxic behavior, emotional volatility, and loss of perspective.

Furthermore, Stans are also instrumental in shaping an artiste’s creative direction. Through social media, they can provide direct feedback and request new content from their favourite musicians. This not only keeps artistes in touch with their fans, but also gives them valuable insights into what their audience wants to hear. For instance, towards the end of 2022, a fan recorded a video of a DJ mixing Beyoncé’s ‘Cuff It’ off her ‘Renaissance’ album; which went viral and prompted a release of another version of the song. Ariana Grande’s fans (known as “Arianators”) have been vocal about their preferences for certain music styles and themes, which has influenced the singer’s decision-making in the studio. Bringing it home to Africa, we see how the respective fanbases of the three most prominent names in Afrobeats; WizKid, Davido and Burna Boy, keep their favourite artistes on their toes.

Additionally, Stan culture has created new and exciting opportunities for music discovery. With fans constantly sharing their favourite artistes and tracks, music lovers are exposed to a diverse array of sounds and styles, beyond what mainstream radio and media outlets may promote. This has resulted in the emergence of new genres and subcultures, such as K-pop, which has gained a huge following thanks to the efforts of stans on social media.

It can then be concluded that, Stan culture is a crucial component of the modern music industry, with a significant impact on an artiste’s success and influence. Fans are no longer just passive consumers of music, but active participants who are shaping the future of the industry. However, while Stan culture has undoubtedly had a profound impact on the music industry, it is not without its drawbacks. The overzealous and often aggressive behaviour of some Stans can be detrimental to both the artistes they claim to support and the industry as a whole.

One of the major issues with Stan culture is the toxic and hostile atmosphere it can create. With fans fiercely competing for their favourite artistes’ attention and validation, tensions can run high, leading to online bullying and harassment of both artistes and other fans. This can have a profound impact on an artiste’s mental health and well-being, leading to burnout and, in some cases, a complete exit from the industry. For example, the intense pressure and criticism that follows being a public figure with a large Stan-base, has led to artistes like SZA and Halsey to speak out about the toll it has taken on their mental health.

In the Nigerian music industry, the fanbases WizKid FC, 30 BG and Outsiders go at each other constantly on the micro-blogging app Twitter. A recent spate of that is the aftermath of Burna Boy losing out on winning a Grammy at the 2022 awards ceremony. A cross-section of the other opposing fanbases went as far as fabricating a screenshot of an Instagram post allegedly made by Diddy taunting the former, which was then carried by recognized media outlets like TMZ as “real news.”

Another problem with Stan culture is that it can lead to a homogenization of the music industry. With fans pushing for their favourite artistes to receive recognition and awards, the industry can become dominated by a small number of artistes, stifling diversity and innovation. Evidence of this is also the Beyhive expressing their displeasure at the Grammys for Beyoncé loosing out on the ‘Album of the Year’ award. This can lead to a situation where the same type of music is being produced and consumed, resulting in a monotonous and predictable music landscape.

Moreover, Stan culture can also harm the image and reputation of the music industry as a whole. The aggressive and often unethical tactics used by some Stans, such as online harassment and vote-rigging, can give the industry a negative reputation and deter new talent from entering the scene. Additionally, the excessive focus on commercial success, driven by Stan culture, can also result in a commodification of music, reducing it to nothing more than a product to be sold.

Finally, another disturbing development is how some of these Stans glorify the artistes they idolize. Making it seem like artistes are beyond reproach or being flawed. What happened to calling out a fellow human being for doing wrong? I guess in the eyes of Stans, the answer to that is dissentient.

In conclusion, while Stan culture has certainly had a positive impact on the music industry, it is important to acknowledge and address its negative effects. The overzealous and often aggressive behaviour of some Stans can be damaging to both artistes and the industry as a whole, and it is imperative that we work towards creating a more positive and inclusive music community. So the next time you see a Twitter account dedicated to your favourite artiste, don’t dismiss it as just another fandom. Instead, recognize the power and potential of Stan culture, and its role in shaping the music we love.