With digital channels offering them increased access to their heroes, casual supporters and ‘stans’ alike are embracing novel ways of showing their devotion to celebs and sports teams. How are these passionate individuals forging new cultural tribes and changing expectations of fan interactions?

With the majority of live performance still out of the question due to social distancing measures, creators and fans have been looking for new ways to connect. Subscription platform Patreon, which lets fans pay artists directly for content, has grown to a billion-dollar company as a result.

In an era of super-fandom, the question is not whether to stan or not to stan, but whom to stan, and for how long. The intensity of fan devotion in the digital age is creating new opportunities for brands to activate hyper engaged communities – just don’t get on their bad side.

Spotify’s campaign promoting a free 30-day membership with the slogan ‘Dance like nobody’s paying’ has failed to hit the mark. Causing ripples among musicians and music listeners, it has fueled the discussion about how much artists are paid for their music by streaming giants in the US.