Abstract:

A colourful and thought provoking study on why people become fans, and the social and cultural currency to be gained from fandom, 'The Future Fan' project maps three stages in the evolution of the music fan. From niche interest treated with suspicion by media and ignored by brands, through to acceptance and celebration by brands and media alike, integration into the knowledge economy and a realisation that, today, we are all fans. Our study explores the increased power offered by social media to fan communities. To create their own eco-systems, codes of behavior and unique cultures, to the point that relationships between community members are now as important (and complex) as relationships between fan and fan object (i.e. the band/artist).