Best Song ever - forever

Exploring how young adults give meaning to their life-long music fandom

Bibliographic Data

ID21981932
AuthorsSimone Driessen (0000-0001-8195-0072, Erasmus University Rotterdam), Veerle Van Mil (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
Year2024
Volume14
Issue1
Pages21-37
Publication date2024-03-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueIASPM Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2079-3871 • E-ISSN: 2079-3871
PublisherInternational Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5429/2079-3871(2024)v14i1.3en
OpenAlexW4392913197
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited16

This study explores how aging One Direction and Taylor Swift fans continue their fandom in(to) adulthood. Drawing on interviews with 23 female fans, this article examines what happens if one actively pursues fandom after youth. Despite having multiple solo-careers to keep track of, or adjusting to new (Swift-)‘eras’, ‘aging pop fandom’ seems to go beyond the music: Results demonstrate that these young aging fans consider themselves ‘life-long fans’, having been fans for such a long time. Additionally, their current fandom is about friendships and belonging to a community (particularly prevalent during the pandemic) and illustrative of how they as young fans developed (media) skills vital to one’s current career. What this study reveals is that whether it’s through (re-)listening to music, attending concerts or themed club-nights, pop music fandom forms a soundtrack to their process of aging

Art · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Music History and Culture

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Open DOIOpen Access