Warner Music Group is launching a “superfan” app.
Because if streaming won’t pay the bills, maybe the fans will.
Superfans–the music industry buzzword du jour.
If you had to take a drink every time you heard the word “superfan,” you’d be in a bad way pretty quick after asking any music exec what the future of the industry depends on.
More perks. More exclusives. More monetization.
Sell more to the people who “care” most.
But upstream of all this thrash in redesigning the music business is a question—
What exactly is a superfan, anyway?
The whole strategy assumes we know.
That we can clearly define them, easily find them, and build for them at scale.
But most “superfan” thinking is just surface-level.
A customer profile in a premium tier of a streaming service.
A row in a spreadsheet highlighting the highest LTV.
It’s mostly talk about monetizing proximity to an artist, dressed up as helping fans elevate their experience, and deepen their relationship.
But a True Fan isn’t just a high spender.
They’re a high believer.
What’s missing from music industry conversations about “superfans” is exactly the clarity that builders and creators also need:
Superfans–true fans–they don’t show up just because there’s a launch.
They show up because they see your work as part of their story.
They don’t just cheer from the sidelines.
They participate.
They see your work as a reflection of who they are—or who they’re becoming.
They aren’t passively watching.
They’re insisting the work continue.
Not out of fandom. Out of belief.
True Fans don’t need a VIP badge.
They need to feel like they’re in the room.
The music industry wants to monetize superfans.
I’d argue there’s more work to be done in defining who this precious population is in the first place. And to what degree this population self-identifies this way, let alone has the money to spend.
But creators? Builders? Leaders and entrepreneurs?
Our job is to discern who our true fans are with more focus.
To tell the difference between someone who will simply take our time–and someone who will amplify our time.
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