The Rise Of The Superfan: 7 ways to leverage in-store music with superfans

My name is Adesh Deosaran and I’m a superfan. I’ve been a superfan since I discovered that music excited me more than anything else. I do all of the superfan things; I buy all of the records, I go to the shows, I buy the t-shirts, I read all of the articles, buy the books, engage with the artists, and join online communities to connect with other superfans, I’ve organized and promoted music events for artists I love, I’ve designed album art for them, I had an online music magazine to showcase the music I love and connect with other fans.

Things are a little different these days, and how I practice my superfandom has changed, but I’m no less music-obsessed.

One of the things that’s changed is access. The pre-internet superfan could not connect with the artists they loved directly. Today, there’s a strong possibility that Drake will see your comment on his post, and if the artist you’re into isn’t a global mega-star, they may even repost the story you tagged them in.

Access to the artists is one thing, but access to the greater superfan community can be incredibly rewarding. Through reaction videos, TikToks, reviews, dance routines, or the classic obsessive reposting of artist images, superfans become the center of online communities and achieve authority status. As a community leader, you become an uncredited part of the artist’s hype machine.

The superfan, a term once used to describe that friend who wouldn’t shut up about their favorite artist, is now, thanks to data, a legitimate category and encapsulates a much broader segment of the population. We’re no strangers to super fandom around here; it’s what we do for a living. As an old-school superfan, I can tell you that there are more of us now than there used to be. It’s easier to find music and information about artists and connect with them than ever.

According to Luminate and Goldman Sachs, the age of the superfan has arrived, and businesses are taking note. 15% of the general population of music listeners in the U.S. identify as superfans. The superfan is incredibly loyal and ravenous; if you can feed their hunger for the things they obsess about, they’ll also offer that loyalty to you.

We’re also very picky; we’re out if you can’t provide authenticity around our precious artists. Unlikely partnerships can do more harm than good in some cases. Some artists, like Lana Del Ray, can do anything from pretending to be a server at Waffle House to being the new face of Skims. Other artists must be more guarded about their brand and be very selective about who they collaborate with.

Businesses can capitalize on superfans by working with their favorite artists on limited edition merch, sponsoring events, promoting their music in social media posts, and creating unique experiences centered around the artist. Superfans are fine lining up around the block, paying a little extra, telling everyone they know, and returning for the next round of goods. Remember, if they love you, they’re instantly a part of your street team.

How to leverage in-store music with superfans

Get to know your customers

All businesses understand their customer demographic, but does that include their music taste profile? Ask your customers who their favorite artists are regularly.

Understand your brand’s ethos and the music that aligns with it.
Superfans value authenticity, and it’s important to know if the music you select will truly reflect your brand message and the artists’. If your brand is light and airy, but you suddenly start playing artists that are dark and heavy, your customers and the artist’s superfans will feel that disconnect.

Encourage music discovery

A hungry superfan is never satisfied with just one artist, so playlisting other artists they also like alongside artists they might like based on their tastes opens the door for music discovery. The superfan will offer their loyalty to your brand in exchange for showing them their new favorite song.

It’s all about the vibe

We tend to think of superfans as being obsessed with specific artists, but they can also be hyper-dedicated to a certain vibe. House music fans, for example, tend to love the sound of house music more than they love a specific artist. The same goes for people who love music festivals; it’s more about the vibe than anything else.

Think about the numbers

Artists like Taylor Swift or Billie Eilish have the undeniable power to draw attention to your brand, but the downside is that everyone plays their music. While artists like Swift have billions of plays, other great artists with millions of plays have their share of superfans. Remember, one of the key aspects of the superfan is that they discover music before their friends do, so very often, the music they’re obsessed with has yet to have the most impressive play counts.

Tie it all together

If you’ve got your in-store music in tune with your customer base, track the songs that are working best and find ways to collaborate with those artists on social media or IRL.

Embrace your inner superfan

Superfans are attracted to other superfans, so share music with them on your platforms and let them know you’re one of the tribe. If you need suggestions, let’s look at the data from your stores and identify some key artists and tracks. Talk to us about creating and maintaining a Spotify profile for your brand so you can share your superfandom with everyone.

If you’d like to get in touch with your customer’s superfan side, start with your in-store music and chat with us about the next steps.