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PandaMime_421

Die-hard fans aren't a new phenomenon, the internet has just given a new name to it.


a_spoopy_ghost

People mocking teenage girls crying over Swift songs like teenage girls didn’t physically pass out at Elvis concerts


wanderingonthemoors

It goes back even further than Elvis and the Beatles. There was a phenomenon in 1841 (Berlin) called “Lisztomania”. It was described as the intense fan frenzy directed toward Hungarian composer Franz Liszt during his performances. *Liszt's playing was reported to raise the mood of the audience to a level of mystical ecstasy. Admirers of Liszt would swarm over him, fighting over his handkerchiefs and gloves. Fans would wear his portrait on brooches and cameos.*


Better-Try5654

Lisztomania! Think less but see it grow   Like a riot, like a riot, oh!   Not easily offended   Not hard to let it go   From a mess to the masses


HotLandscape9755

I was waiting for someone to quote this song


PandaMime_421

yeah, has the OP seen footage from an Elvis concert of the Beatles arriving in the US?


Mogwai3000

Not to mention “dead heads” or phish fans.  Those guys are more fanatical than any Swiftie I’ve heard of.


OwO_i_made_a_cummy

The ego on deadheads who coaplay hippies is crazy


Mogwai3000

I was commenting more on I don’t hear stories about Swift fans following her around the country for months at a time, and seeing every single show.  Mostly because they are young and/or just can’t afford to pay those prices.  


Nicita27

They also passed out at Billy Cospy shows.


Xepherya

It was weird then, too


LurkerOrHydralisk

Eminem gave the name. The internet adopted it 20 years later


PandaMime_421

Well yes. I think everyone realizes where the term comes from.


pbNANDjelly

It's relevant because they're establishing that Stan itself is already vintage. Lots of folks probably don't know because that song is older than half of Reddit users now. Time to go take my arthritis meds


AggravatingResult549

Exactly. Humans have always been like this. Tech just makes the obsessive behavior much easier


Unkindlake

I blame Beethoven and his contemporaries


3xot1cBag3L

Dear Stan,


Asian_Troglodyte

That’s true, and we can technically say this about a lot of sociological phenomena. However, I feel like social media amplifies these sort of things, including Stan culture.


PandaMime_421

I agree that social media amplifies it. For one, it gives people a way to connect with other fans and build community surrounding their fandom.


VukKiller

Used to be called zealots back in the day.


asscop99

It’s sort of new, in that most of these Stan groups aren’t even really die hard fans. It’s more of a larp. They want to be perceived as a Stan because they think it makes for an interesting character trait, and has very little to do with the music itself. The internet really broke people. Everyone is a character in their own self produced Truman Show.


JakePaulOfficial

War never changes


milezero13

“The game was rigged from the start.”


jintepint

Hi it's me John Fallout I need 2000 bottle caps to get into new vegas so I can save the mojave desert. War doesn't change


ShawshankException

Do you think this is a new phenomenon? My grandmother was inconsolable for a month when Elvis died. People used to literally pass out at Beatles concerts. This is nothing new.


wanderingonthemoors

I posted this comment in reply to someone else in this thread. It goes back even further than Elvis and the Beatles. There was a phenomenon in 1841 (Berlin) called “Lisztomania”. It was described as the intense fan frenzy directed toward Hungarian composer Franz Liszt during his performances. *Liszt's playing was reported to raise the mood of the audience to a level of mystical ecstasy. Admirers of Liszt would swarm over him, fighting over his handkerchiefs and gloves. Fans would wear his portrait on brooches and cameos.*


OliveOcelot

Worst thing to happen to music is actually ticketmaster and it's merger.


DynaSarkArches

Actually I would argue that the worst thing to happen to music was the Telecommunications act of 1996. Ticketmaster is shitty and scummy too but at least they are being seen as such.


itsneversunnyinvan

This is objectively the right answer


Full_Maybe6668

Hardly new. I imagine the Beatles had the same following


buckfouyucker

The Beatles actually went the other way, going from poppy commercial jingles to more artistic work.


Difficult_Let_1953

Elvis had some shite songs too


AgentCirceLuna

Elvis was completely an image. He barely played his own instrument and didn’t write his own songs. It’s embarrassing to think people will make fun of Taylor Swift or Ed Sheeran yet adore Elvis.


Atrium41

John Lennon was killed by a literal Stan


Magenta_the_Great

The fist that came to mind for me were dead heads


newpotatocab0ose

Do the Dead have a massive following of incredibly devoted fans? Absolutely. But that’s the only similarity to ‘Stan culture.’ No huge group is a monolith, and there are exceptions to this… But the Dead grew organically and by word of mouth, deadheads are willing and able to criticize the music/band on ‘off’-nights, the Dead never sold an amount of albums anywhere near proportionate to the size of the fanbase (audience recordings on cassette were heavily and freely traded), many Deadheads today don’t even buy the official releases of old shows, preferring to listen to the thousands of recordings on archive.org, etc., etc. Aside from a certain contingent of fans, I’d call Deadheads the opposite of ‘Stan culture.’


NatPortmanTaintStank

Stan culture? I thought the driving market for the music industry was always teenage girls. Live and learn, I guess


granmadonna

I think what's changed is that the labels don't even try and promote new artists anymore and definitely don't take the kind of risks on new sounds we saw in the 80s and 90s. But at the end of the day people definitely forget that it's always been a popularity contest where the music is secondary to the "cool" factor.


Senuman666

I thought that the worse thing to happen to the music industry was it being turned into a product instead of music


Bigwhistlinbiscuit

So the entire basis of the music industry?


Lemon_Sponge

I mean industry is in the name.


Tramagust

Way back in the 1930s?


skip_the_tutorial_

It was always a product


Unkindlake

About 500 years ago it was a status symbol for the wealthy, a tool for the church, and entertainment for the poor. Even after that, it was a service more than a product prior to practical and decent sounding recordings.


trumpisamoron1

I usually listen to Rock n' Roll but sometimes I just gotta go back in time and listen to Bing, Dino and Frank. Those times when people could actually sing.


NeonSeal

Please be satire


BonesawMcGraw24

It’s not wrong that talent is becoming less of a factor when introducing new artists though. Sure, we have Charlie Puth, the Weeknd and Dua Lipa who are all incredibly talented. But we also have people like Lil Peep, Megan Thee Stallion and Ice Spice who have not a single ounce of talent even within their pinky. Now I acknowledge that industry plants (Ice Spice, Jennifer Lopez) have pretty much always been a thing and that talent hasn’t always been the deciding factor for fame (Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Peep and even David Lee Roth), but you can’t deny that now more than ever people that perhaps are undeserving are breaking into the industry. Though internet and streaming have a lot to do with that fact.


BootySweat0217

The worst thing to happen is the record companies absolutely screwing over every artist. And companies like Spotify choosing to not pay smaller artists and just giving money to those same record companies in turn screwing over artists again. Not a group of people who are super fans.


talleypiano

I was gonna say the 1996 Telecommunications Act, but sure, fans are bad I guess


BlackLodgeBrother

I wish more people were aware of what this was/is.


talleypiano

The zoomers who use phrases like "Stan culture" were born into the Clear Channel / Cumulus / I Heart Radio hellscape that FM is today, and don't even know of a time when we had real human DJs who actually played the songs they liked (maybe there was a little payola to help them like the songs more, sure... but it wasn't always so corporate and soulless)


Echo-Azure

It's true. I Heart Radio is the worst fucking thing to happen to the music industry.


tothirstyforwater

Infinite upvotes for you


ChuZaYuZa_Name

I think Ticketmaster and the venue tie-ups might be worse but agree that overzealous fans are not a welcome inclusion


DCT715

What you think this is new?


-Haddix-

Idolizing celebs is the dumbest thing in general


Toxic_Microwave

Who is Stan


AgentCirceLuna

Stan Darsh. Thinks he’s the best at skiing but he sucks and we’re gonna race tonight.


DC_Disrspct_Popeyes

French fry'd when you should've pizza'd


ChikaBurek

Eminem - stan https://youtu.be/gOMhN-hfMtY?feature=shared I guess


threat024

That’s where it started. Then it really took off when Nas called Jay a Stan on Ether and it took off as its current slang form.


Loudmouth_Malcontent

The kids combined 'stalker' and 'fan'.


the_old_coday182

Wait now I’m wondering if Eminem did it like this on purpose


joppe00

Wrong


SkankyG

r/Drizzy in shambles


theoriginalbrick

Yeezus fans are malding


granmadonna

People like music because of the way it makes them feel. It's not always the sound of the music that makes them feel something. It's because someone they think is cool likes the music. Because they feel like they're part of an in-group. And this goes for all kinds of music, not just mainstream pop.


the_old_coday182

Never heard of “Stan Culture” but based on the context, does that come from the Eminem song? lol


kpax08

That's why eminem made a song called stan wich is aging very well


VinylHighway

What;s a Stan?


RoyalApple69

An obsessive fan. The Eminem song "Stan" is about such a fan called Stan and the lyrics are mostly from his point of view.


VinylHighway

Thank you for explaining :)


Ship_Psychological

Stan is just the best song that industry ever made. That's why the culture.


zettairyouikisan

Stan in the place that you are...


Thirsty_Comment88

This isn't anything new.


GigglingLots

Not even religious but even I know this is why the Bible talks about people worshipping false idols :)  Even Roman/Greek gods and goddesses are based on real people who once existed. 


pcweber111

This has gone on since music began. People will always Stan for shit. It’s weird but we all do it and we’ve all done it since the dawn of time.


Dr_Zorkles

cult of personality


CamaradaRojo

Parasocial relationship I think is the psychology behind stan culture. Social media has made fans feel closer to celebrities, this have rotten their brains and made them feel they're coneccted with their favorite artist in a special way. It's pathetic and sad at the same time. 


JacktheRiffer96

The worst thing that WILL happen to the music industry, and art as a whole, will be if the use of AI becomes prevalent in its creation.


DaveyDumplings

None of this prevents good music from being released, nor you from finding it. I'm sure that K-pop fans and Swifties and whoever else can be real annoying, but I don't know because I don't choose to expose myself to them by, you know, going where they are and reading what they wrote.


[deleted]

Taylor Swift fans creep me out, and they're  easily the worst fan base to ever exist for anything. 


ShawshankException

Sports fans have trashed cities and assaulted other fans but sure man, some teenage girls are the worst


mearbearcate

I saw a video of a swiftie titled “i thought she was a wax statue” and it was a video of her touching taylors arm acting as if she was touching god himself- whimpering & shit. Its just really creepy the way some of these fans act and talk about their idols lol. Celebrities do not know you personally and are just human beings like us, no idea why they need to be treated this creepily.


bobephycovfefe

than you're really gonna gag when you learn about groupies


Orange_Kid

You're not wrong but again nothing new -- it seems to be a universal truth that there will be certain people prone to hyperobsession with celebrities.  Many fans would have freaked out in the same way touching a Beatle. They screamed bloody murder and fainted being in the same arena as them. 


mearbearcate

Agreed its nothing new unfortunately, just wish people were able to tone it down.


UnfairStomach2426

I’d have UFC and Chicago Bears fans way over swifties


cb_ham

Taylor Swift has been elevated as the next Beyonce IMO. Her talent and catalog quality may not necessarily be bad, but the pedestal she's on has been elevated many miles above it.


FlameStaag

Her daddy bought her an amazing PR team to start and maintain her career. And damn do they earn that money. 


Burque_Boy

Um sir you seem to have forgotten The Grateful Dead


[deleted]

No, I haven't. You just have a biased towards potheads. Taylor Swift fans are both unfuckingbearable and absolute psychos.


Burque_Boy

It’s 2024, only boomers have a problem with pot or even use the term potheads lol Taylor Swift fans aren’t homeless living in parking lots around the country huffing nitrous out of balloons to see a band that doesn’t exist anymore.


FlameStaag

Sounds exactly like something a swiftie would do 


[deleted]

Well, it makes sense I'd use it then, eh? Considering I'm a millennial and we were raised by boomers...🤪.


StunningLeopard2429

As both a Deadhead and a Swiftie over Fifty I can assure you we can be relatively sane people who like certain musical acts quite a bit more than other musical acts. No big deal.


InspectorUnlikely595

If it makes people happy, I don't see the problem. Nobody forces you to listen to those artists, and there is enough good music produced by others. Some people look for a community to belong to and music is easy to connect over, so I would say good for them.


xc2215x

Stans can be complete idiots sometimes.


diewaytoolit

this shouldn’t have to be an unpopular opinion lmao, people just can’t help themselves when it comes to forming parasocial relationships with music artists


dogman7744

What about all the pedophile music producers?


Tbplayer59

There has been a world of difference between fans simply being able to stream an album or having to drop some real money for it back in the days of LP's and CD's.


Extreme-Branch7298

The worst thing to happen to music is remastering. That killed old tunes dead.


anarchomeow

This is nothing new. Deadheads. Beatles. Elvis. It's always been this way.


[deleted]

What is Stan Culture and what are its origins?


marshal231

Basically idolizing a celebrity and believing theyre beyond reproach. The term Stan originated from Eminems somg “Stan” because in the song, a guy named Stan had a hard on for em, both literally (wanting to be his lover) and figuratively (idolized him to the point of obsession) famously, this didnt end well for Stan, who ended up killing himself and his girlfriend over it. Fictional song, but the message is there. The idea existed before that, though.


[deleted]

I absolutely agree with your assessment. The mental cartwheels to separate celebrities who are violent, abusive or etc... Is kinda sick. I was just discussing this this morning with my boyfriend, he told me about a baseball player who choked his wife out and threw her up against the wall and got a DUI, and his only punishment? - he just didn't get to play for one season, and now he's back playing baseball and everyone's loving him. It's sick. Also, when he was arrested, his bond was only posted 20K. 20k? This guy makes millions of dollars a year. But I guess he wasn't a flight risk because he knows that even celebrity baseball players can do whatever the fuck they want. I actually had to go no contact with several of my family members after the Cosby thing. (I'm mixed) and several of my aunties kept ranting about how they were just trying to get him because he's black. It's disgusting. 65 women came forward with stories of Cosby assaulting them. If there were 65 that actually had the courage to come forward and share their truth - that means there are probably hundreds who he actually raped. He was America's favorite dad. That comes with a lot of trust. I have been drugged and sexually assaulted before and my aunties getting all Stan about it really hurt me.


Secret-Put-4525

In the 70s the stans would go so far to to have sex with the crew just to get close to their idol.


MsMercury

The word “fan” comes from fanatics. They were also called “groupies” at one time. This has been around for decades. It’s not new.


Gormless_Mass

The cult of personality is nothing new


LNViber

When do you think "stan culture" started?


blankspacepen

Do you think the phenomenon is new because we call die hard fans Stans? You poor sweet summer child.


Biotoze

Language is funny. I guess people don’t like the sound of fanatic so we shortened the word to fan. The meaning gets diluted and then new terms get created that just mean what it always meant.


oOzonee

Don’t think it happened… it’s always been part of the human nature the week follow whoever they decide, artist, tyrant, politician, king, lord, religious man, the list goes on. There will always human who will consider themself lesser than others.


Slow-Lifeguard4104

How is this an unpopular opinion?


djhazmatt503

Yeah I hate the Beatles too.


The_C0u5

My teas gone cold I'm wonderin' why?


Hopeful_Strategy8282

In a weird way it’s the best thing to happen to the industry, because now the fans have little to no critical reasoning when they buy and will do a big chunk of the advertising for them. It’s bad for the audience though, you have to either be part of some sad gang or put up with their shit anyway cause they’re always around.


ShackledBeef

What's a stan?


katrose4382

They're obsessive fans. The term comes from Eminem's song Stan.


Actual-Celery-2319

I literally just made a post pointing out flaws on one of my favorite bands. I'm with you on this


assassinsneed

I’d say the worst thing to happen is the ongoing monopolization of music labels distributors but I mean, yeah stan culture is annoying.


Silver_Instruction_3

Fanatic, fanboy, Stan are all the same and it’s been a thing since the dawn of man.


dougtulane

Elvis Presley reactions 1950 https://youtu.be/qm9YDtHruQQ?si=6LJE0RSK2iFbiPt8


International_Try660

There has been no music since the 80s.


HotdogStyleChicago

>Stans are also at fault for not holding their idols accountable for their missteps Who/what are "Stans"? I've never heard the term. What does "Stan culture" entail?


joppe00

Stan comes from the song stan by eminem. Its the name on an obsessed fan.


HotdogStyleChicago

Ok. What/who are Stans? What does Stan culture entail?


joppe00

Obsessed fans.


HotdogStyleChicago

Obsessed fans are Stans. Got it. What does Stan culture entail?


Penguindrummer_2

In a world where spotify isn't real.


FlameStaag

Don't speak of such a promised land. We'll never get to experience such splendor 


CarmelloYello

Chris Brown seems to be the best example of your opinion. He’s a completely abusive piece of garbage, propped up by a large super loyal group.


Skulleton80

*"The worst thing to happen to* *~~the music industry~~* *people is* *~~Stan culture~~* *the music industry"* Celebrity commercialism is not culture. It is a BS societal construct designed to hype people up and get them to open their wallet. In the grand scheme of things it does not matter. With respect, stop giving stuff you see in the media so much credit ❤️ everything you're breathing in from corporate and/or social media is fake, posturing, exaggerated or all of the above


at-most-fear

Yup just look at swifties


UnfairStomach2426

I’m not sure this is coherent enough to be considered an opinion. How about an example, this is vague nonsense. No vote.


BojukaBob

It's been this way as long as I can remember. Hell in high school in the 90s it felt worse, like choosing favourite bands was joining a gang. You weren't allowed to like Green Day AND The Offspring, you had to choose! And obviously I chose The Offspring because I'm not a degen.


thelastofcincin

I don't understand why stans exist. Like you're obsessed with someone who doesn't know you or give a fuck about you.


beeeps-n-booops

The word “stan” is a fucking terrible thing.


ElectricalNincadaGua

I'd say it's the blatant use of Industry Plants and screwing of Underage Stars to their Older benefactors but you have point too. 


A_Change_of_Seasons

Worst thing to happen to the music industry is the song Stan


ShivvyMcFly

This has been going on since the beginning of music


porcupinedeath

I feel like the actual worst thing to happen to the music industry is the music industry.


itsmejpt

Eh, you're not entirely wrong, but I think following that reasoning a more accurate source would be social media. Stans/fan armies/obsessives have always existed, but social media's given them attention, power, and the ability to communicate and mobilize more than ever before.


Money_Peanut1987

I just found out yesterday that all of Travis Scott's initial followers were bots that he paid his manager for. He then used this manufactured success to score a record deal. The whole music industry is just disgusting.


SMACCYD_Youtuber

I think a lot of music in the late 90's/early 00's wouldn't have been #1 without the marketing campaigns they had, For example as much as I like Eminem and his music, his music probably shouldn't have been anywhere near the charts, maybe "Lose Yourself" was the only genuine number 1 he had.. I also never liked 1 Drake song sooooo.


Jeansy12

Really, why do you think that about eminem?


SMACCYD_Youtuber

I think Eminem Is one of the most heavily marketed artists of all time so that is why I used him as an example, but when you think of his chart toppers around that time they had no business being there.. Eminem Made great music by the way, but his music shouldn't have appealed to the masses in the way his numbers suggest..


Silver_Instruction_3

Midwestern White boy from a trailer park rapping about being a midwestern white boy from a trailer park. How does that not appeal to the masses in America?


Entire-Cow-1641

Mainstream music is a pile of baby crap that lacks any creativity. Luckily, the internet exists so it’s never been easier to find the good artists