Can fans & artists be business partners? Why fans are the new stakeholders in the music industry
One line from episode 15 of Suchwita (the YouTube talk show hosted by BTS’ SUGA) caught my attention. When describing the relationship between BTS and ARMY, SUGA said: “We’re not just fans and artists anymore. We’re more like just partners now.”
The kind of partnership SUGA was referring to was not of commercial nature. There’s a deep and genuine bond between the group & their fans marked by mutual support that resulted in admirable milestones.
However, in my research regarding the influence of fandom culture on Intellectual Property strategies, I’ve noticed how fans are increasingly influencing marketing, IP, and overall business strategies and practices from music companies, such as:
- Labels appropriate fandom practices as marketing strategies (for example, HYBE promoting official streaming parties after BTS fans popularized them);
- Industry niches benchmark from competitors known for fan-centric practices (for example, North American pop music emulating K-pop practices);
- Artists and fans become collaborators (for example, Grimes allowing fans to use her voice for AI-generated music in exchange for a profit share);
- Fans directly and proactively interfere in companies’ IP strategies and protection (for example, BTS fans’ surveillance of unauthorized use of BTS’s IP);
- And many other practices.
Is it a stretch to see fans as stakeholders in the music industry?
I don’t think so.
As of 2023, fans are becoming the most desired asset in the marketing strategies of entertainment companies. But the relationship between fandom and the music industry is not one-sided. Fans are also wiser and more empowered than ever. The music industry is bound to fail it it treats fandom as a passive asset that can be managed unilaterally.
Fans want music, concerts, and merch, but they also want to be heard, understood, and credited when credit is due.
I think we’ll be seeing more things like fandom-led strategies happening in “official” spaces from labels and music companies, co-management of IP between fans & companies, and overall collaborations between fans and companies in the future.
I’m an attorney, writer, researcher, and a coolhunter/consultant working on the intersection of creative, Intellectual Property Law, and communication services.
If you’re interested in the impact of fandom culture on the music industry and especially in business & Intellectual Property strategies, please consider checking out my work:
▪ Interview for the podcast Stroke of Genius by IPO Education Foundation — Episode “The BTS Effect”: https://lnkd.in/dEhXAmDm;
▪ “Branding as a Tool for Protection of Intellectual Property Rights: BTS and ARMY as a Case Study”, published in Vol. 1 of Rhizomatic Revolution Review | The R³ Journal: https://lnkd.in/dJHJdHy9;
▪ “How the boy band BTS is using IP to build its
legacy”, published in World Intellectual Property Organization — WIPO Magazine, Issue 1/2022: https://lnkd.in/dgSrmFxG;
▪“K-pop fandom & their Intellectual Property expertise”, published on KPOP ETF website: https://lnkd.in/dD7BhQYy;
▪This Medium blog! And also my LinkedIn page.
If you’re interested in my consultancy and writing services, I can be reached through 3Três Consultoria e Criação (Consulting & Creative).
