News Review #1

Story Description

“The Reality of Teen-Run Stan Accounts” by Laur M. Jackson is a feature story in the culture section of online music magazine The Fader. The article spotlights the millennial fandom community on Twitter, nicknamed “stans” after an early 2000s Eminem song about a crazed fan. Stan accounts are an artist’s most faithful supporters. They track their every move, promote their music, combat naysayers, and — surprisingly to some — use their influence to comment on social issues. Also, the unconditional artist support is interwoven with the account owner’s social media persona; selfies and pap shots of their fave, tweets about college applications and concert footage. Stan culture, essentially, demonstrates that teens often make the best “e-strategists.”

Why I Chose This Story

I selected this story for a number of reasons. I came across this article because someone I follow on Twitter tweeted the link to the story, inviting their followers to read it because they were featured in it. The title of the article also caught my attention — I got the impression that I would read something enlightening, surprising, and at the very least relatable. Lastly, I identify with the content of the story because I have a stan account myself.

Social Media

The person I follow who is featured in the story pinned the link to their profile, which anyone can see when they visit her page. It currently has 54 retweets and 137 favorites, so I think it has gained decent traction. A lot of people have interacted with it and congratulated the user. As with anything on social media, I’m sure it will continue being shared, especially because it is so relevant to the community.