The term “Stan” finds it’s origin in a song written by Eminem for his 2000 release “The Marshall Mathers LP” in which a fan finds himself in distress when his letters aren’t answered by a superstar. His obsession tdrives him to kill himself and his pregnant girlfriend. Fast-forward 19 years and users of major social media platforms have adopted this caricature to describe a very passionate and dedicated fan. The Stan has made it his sole identity via the social media platforms to be an avid supporter of said artist. What sounds like innocent on the surface has made an atomic like impact on the musical landscape.
The rise of the Stan is equally dangerous for both indie and major label acts, as social media has been the standard for promotion and interactions between artists and fans. Over time, this kind of relationship forms a type of cast system. Certain fans get preferential treatment while the rest fight for scraps. The attention wouldn’t be a bad thing if it found its origins in the art itself, but unfortunately a critical insight of the fade out on track 3 or instrumentation on track 7 will not get you a like, follow, or a retweet and for this I blame the artist. Every artist deals with insecurities, but finding solace in users who make you feel better about yourself is weak. Fans supposed to artists better not happier with their reflection.
Fans are not encouraged to be fan of artists by way of art, but more so by way of celebrity. Since many fans desire the same level of attention this fan gets, they model the behavior of the Stan. It is very common for a Stan to change their handle to incorporate a part of the artist name in an attempt to unify themselves to them. They are very defensive and protective of the artist. The Stan takes personal offense of any criticism of the artist and often blends the line of critique and personal attacks. They are more defenders of a brand than the music.
What that can do to music is unprecended. In years passed, a fan would respond to a decline in quality by not purchasing, but the state of the Stan contributes a new notch to that metric, celebrity. If someone is buzz worthy they are profitable even if the music is dreadful. So artists could release what would be considered terrible music by anyone elses standards and still sell a great amount of records. Streaming doesn’t help matters much. The rise of Stan will only be a bigger problem as we find new ways to market products. Any fan of good music should be greatly concerned.
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