Why Musicians Should Stop Wasting Time on Superfans
Marketing insights from Byron Sharp explain why musician should stop wasting time on superfans. Casual listeners drive lasting growth. Learn how top artists like Taylor Swift use this approach to expand their reach and impact.
by Mark Knight, Founder. of Major Labl Artist Club
When it comes to music marketing we’re stuck in the past. Our image of fans is centred on romantic images of the 70s ‘band-aids’ from films like Almost Famous. It’s time to snap out of the dream. Love it or hate it, the way we consume music has changed, and the data shows success is not driven by superfans.
Byron Sharp – How Brands Grow
Byron Sharp’s seminal book ‘How Brands Grow’ published in 2010 has become a marketeer’s bible. Sharp used data to challenge widely held industry beliefs about marketing effectiveness. In this article, we consider how Sharp’s principles of brand growth can equally apply to band growth, and whether changes to music consumption mean it’s time to rethink our approach to music marketing and fandom.
The context. Understanding music consumption
The IFPI’s Engaging with Music 2023 report examined how music listeners engaged with music across 26 of the world’s largest music markets. The report found an average of 20.7 hours were spent listening to music each week up from 20.1 hours in 2022. Respondents reported using 7+ different methods to engage with music. Unsurprisingly audio streaming (32%) was the most popular.
Subscription audio streaming is most popular among younger audiences. (62% 25-34 yrs old, vs 28% 55-64 yrs old). In the audio streaming landscape, Spotify remains dominant with a 31.7% global market share and 615m active monthly users including 239m paying subscribers. The Spotify catalogue currently contains over 100m tracks.
The shift from artists to songs
In the last 30 years, digital music access has largely replaced physical music ownership. The emergence of streaming services has changed our relationship with music. Gone are the days of queuing up outside Our Price to pick up a copy of a new album on launch day or popping into your local independent record shop to ask ‘What’s good?’.
Neither does this generation study sleeve notes to discover the names of producers, collaborators and co-writers. Music today is largely consumed blind, on the phone, tucked away in their pocket, even remembering the order or names of tracks isn’t important.
These changes have undoubtedly impacted our relationships with artists and changed fandom with a noticeable shift in focus from artists to songs.
Spotify data indicates that users listen to 30 to 100 times more individual tracks than artists each year. While this means more artists are reaching audiences, it’s becoming harder to cultivate loyal, repeat listeners. People are spreading their listening across a wider range of songs and artists.
If you’ve ever been surprised by the ‘Top’ songs in your Spotify Wrapped, it might be because the difference between your top 5 and top 100 streamed songs is just a few plays.
This brings us neatly back to Byron Sharp, his research concludes:
- Brands grow by reaching more buyers rather than by increasing loyalty.
- Increasing market penetration is crucial; most buyers are light users.
- Loyalty programs do not drive significant growth.
Growth from Penetration not loyalty
Could the same be true for music? While convention tells us the key to success is building and retaining loyal fans or fan clubs, now in the age of streaming, should our real focus for growth be recruiting the next listener?
Byron Sharp shows the potential gains from acquisition dwarf the potential gains from reducing defection. Or very simply it’s far easier for someone new to buy your product once than for the same person to buy it twice.
Data from Coca-Cola highlights this point. Whereby the average buyer is different from the typical buyer. This is because a few heavy users skewed the ‘average buyer’. In reality, half of all Coke buyers purchase only one or two cans or bottles per year. Very few buyers purchase around the ‘average’ of 12 times annually.
This isn’t just a quirk of Coca-Cola, it’s clear all brands, have many light buyers who purchase infrequently. Despite occasional purchases, these buyers are so numerous that they significantly contribute to overall sales. From Coca-Cola’s perspective, a heavy buyer is defined as anyone who purchases three or more cans or bottles of Coke annually. Even for a large brand like Coca-Cola, the market is dominated by very light buyers.
The Secret to Taylor Swift’s Success
Now let’s bring it back to music. What if we imagine ‘Taylor Swift’ as the Coca-Cola of music, the chart above could equally be applied to her. While the hardcore ‘Swifties’ represent the heavy buyers, her phenomenal success has ultimately been driven by ubiquitous penetration (light buyers). Most Spotify users have listened to her music at least once in the last 12 months. In this case, incremental reach, driven by one or two more streams is everything.
As a music marketer, it’s important to understand Byron Sharp’s law of ‘Buyer Moderation’. His research finds a natural tendency for extreme consumer behaviour (both high and low) to regress toward the mean over time. IE Just because they are a super fan this year, doesn’t mean they will be a superfan next year.
Implications for music marketing:
- Avoid Over-Focusing on Superfans: While it’s tempting to spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy on super-fans, expecting them to remain consistently loyal is unrealistic. Their engagement patterns are likely to moderate.
- Focus on Acquisition and Reach: Artists should focus on reaching a broad set of customers (including light buyers and potential buyers) rather than assuming that existing heavy buyers will always remain so. This approach will enable you to replace existing superfans when their interest inevitably wanes.
Sources:
- The IFPI’s Engaging with Music 2023
- Ehrenberg Bass Institute / Byron Sharp – How Brands Grow
- Social Shepherd
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Words: Mark Knight
Wow, this is horrible advice. Extremely self-serving for the product this writer is low-key selling.
99.99% of artists are not at Taylor Swift levels and exist in an alternate universe. Comparing artists to Coca Cola buyer habits (or to Taylor Swift) is like comparing apples and, well, coca cola.
Talk to any non-superstar artist of the past 20 years (even in the past 10) and every single one of them will tell you the path to sustained success is **focusing on deepening the connection with superfans.** Selling direct. Finding ways to monetize your “true fans.” Not trying to run faster in the hamster wheel of “growth” or rub of fractions of pennies together via streaming royalties.
Telling artists to ignore their superfans honestly has to win the award for the worst advice of 2024.
I normally would not comment, but this needs to have a fucking disclaimer on this piece.
Thanks for taking the time to read this Ari, hopefully I’ve addressed some of your concerns below. It’s clear you don’t understand my argument, and that’s down to the way it’s been expressed, so a lesson for me! Btw I’m not writing this to sell anything. Mark
Unless marketing has changed, the rule of thumb has been 80% of sales come from 20% of your customers. So for bands, you’re going to get most of your money from super fans who will come to your shows and buy your merch. You’re not going to get much money, or any money, from the occasional listener.
See my comment below 80:20 has been disproven!
Focusing beyond superfans is insightful and sheds light on how musicians can expand their reach strategically. As a law student, finding time for creative interests while managing academic demands is challenging, which is why I often rely on law assignment help to stay on track. This post highlights the importance of efficient time management and prioritizing growth, whether in music or academics.
The advice that musicians should stop focusing on superfans and instead aim for casual listeners to drive growth is, quite frankly, the worst advice ever given for several key reasons.
1. Misunderstanding the Nature of Fandom
Superfans are the lifeblood of any artist’s career. These are the listeners who not only buy music but also attend concerts, purchase merchandise, share the music with others, and generally provide a significant portion of an artist’s revenue. By dismissing superfans as a drain on time, this advice undermines the very foundation of what sustains an artist’s long-term success. Yes, casual listeners might make up the majority of streams, but superfans are the ones who build the deep, loyal community that an artist can rely on for career longevity. To claim that musicians should ignore superfans is to ignore the core of what makes musical success sustainable.
2. Ignoring the Importance of Fan Relationships
Marketing theories like Byron Sharp’s “How Brands Grow” might work for some industries, but they fail when applied to music. Music isn’t a product like Coke or toothpaste—it’s art that connects with people on a deeply emotional level. Superfans are emotionally invested in an artist’s journey, and their support goes far beyond a simple transaction. These fans bring authenticity and passion to the artist’s brand, which casual listeners are unlikely to replicate. The connection between artist and fan is not a one-time purchase; it’s a long-term relationship. Reducing music marketing to a numbers game, and treating fans as “light users” or “buyers,” strips away this vital human connection.
3. Casual Listeners Aren’t Enough to Sustain an Artist’s Career
Byron Sharp’s theories on customer acquisition and market penetration might be relevant to businesses selling mass-market products, but they’re misguided when applied to music. Casual listeners may increase an artist’s streams or chart position temporarily, but they are far less likely to provide the consistent support needed for an artist to thrive in the long term. If an artist’s career is based solely on reaching as many casual listeners as possible, they risk becoming just another name in a sea of content, with little real connection to their audience. A large number of fleeting, superficial listeners do not translate to ticket sales, merchandise, or a sustainable fanbase. Superfans, on the other hand, will keep coming back and spend money on all aspects of the artist’s work.
4. Focusing on Superfans Isn’t About Loyalty, It’s About Passion
The argument that “superfans will inevitably lose interest” is a defeatist attitude that fails to recognize that passionate fans are more likely to remain loyal over time than the casual listener who only tunes in when the artist is trending. Superfans are not static; they evolve with the artist, and their support can evolve into new avenues—like streaming, attending concerts, or promoting the artist’s work in their own social circles. By focusing on superfans, an artist can build a foundation of support that grows and diversifies over time. They aren’t just marketing to a group of “loyal” listeners—they are creating lifelong advocates for their music, who will stick with them through ups and downs.
5. Superfans Drive the Vital Metrics
Taylor Swift’s success doesn’t just come from reaching new casual listeners—it comes from her ability to maintain a rabid, engaged fanbase that consumes every aspect of her music and career. These superfans not only contribute to album sales and streams but also ensure a high level of engagement on social media, drive word-of-mouth marketing, and sell out stadiums. Ignoring superfans in favor of reaching broader, casual listeners would be like a brand ignoring its most enthusiastic customers to chase after those who might only buy once.
6. The Fallacy of “Light Buyers” and Music Streaming
The notion that musicians should focus on “acquisition” and reaching light users sounds great in theory but doesn’t hold up in practice. For one, light listeners are, by definition, less invested and less likely to pay for premium content. While it’s true that music is now consumed differently, that doesn’t mean musicians should throw out the idea of cultivating deep relationships with their fans. If anything, digital platforms offer more opportunities to connect with superfans than ever before—whether through social media, direct-to-fan platforms, or exclusive content.
Furthermore, relying on casual listeners to sustain your career is a risky strategy. The music industry is saturated, and casual listeners are notoriously fickle—they’ll jump to the next trending artist or song in a heartbeat. Relying solely on them for growth is like trying to build a house on sand. Superfans provide the firm foundation that casual listeners are built on top of. Without superfans, an artist risks fading into obscurity as soon as the next viral trend emerges.
7. The Artist’s Vision
Ultimately, this advice diminishes the importance of an artist’s unique vision and voice. Music is an expression of self, not a mass-market product. Superfans understand and appreciate the nuances of that vision. They are the ones who stay with an artist through different phases of their career, from breakthroughs to creative shifts. Casual listeners, however, are less likely to stay engaged through a more mature or experimental phase. By focusing on these “light users,” musicians may end up diluting their art to chase trends or fleeting attention, at the expense of their authentic creative journey.
Conclusion: The Dangers of Chasing Quantity Over Quality
In conclusion, while reaching a broad audience can be important, the advice to focus on casual listeners over superfans ignores the reality of how artists actually grow and sustain their careers. Superfans are not just about loyalty—they are passionate advocates, the core supporters who provide the foundation for everything from concerts to merchandise to the continued success of an artist. Disregarding this group in favor of chasing “light buyers” is not just bad marketing—it’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes music truly thrive. For artists to have lasting success, they need both the wide reach and the deeply engaged base of superfans who fuel their journey.
It seems some readers have taken this article a bit too literally! To clarify, this article isn’t saying fans aren’t important or that you shouldn’t try to create them. Instead, it offers an alternative perspective designed to provoke thoughtful, constructive discussion. After all, some of the most innovative ideas come from looking beyond your industry to see how others tackle similar challenges.
To be clear, I’m not equating Taylor Swift to Coca-Cola. Of course, music is emotional and deeply personal. The comparison focuses on growth strategies and the importance of reaching new audiences. Every brand and band has a long tail of casual fans, and ignoring this reality would be a mistake. This doesn’t mean hardcore fans—like the Swifties—are less important; it simply highlights the value of bringing new people into the fold.
While music and soda are fundamentally different, the underlying challenges are similar. Both aim to create an amazing product, connect with audiences, and generate sustainable growth. Good marketing, at its core, is about meeting the needs of your audience.
As the saying goes, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If you’re an independent artist struggling to attract and retain fans, thinking outside the box and experimenting with new approaches might yield better outcomes.
This article is really about balancing your efforts. If you’re a new artist, how should you divide your time and resources between retaining fans and attracting new ones? I’m not suggesting you abandon retention altogether—that would be unwise. But if all your efforts go into CRM email campaigns, you risk wasting your time and money. Research shows that retaining fans is particularly challenging for smaller artists, as loyalty tends to grow naturally as your audience expands. It’s also worth noting that fan engagement often changes with life stages—jobs, families, and other commitments can diminish passion over time. If you focus solely on retention without recruiting new fans, your fanbase may dwindle.
One commenter mentioned the 80/20 rule, which is a great example of a widely accepted fallacy. Replace 80 with 50, and you’re closer to the truth. Blindly adhering to such rules can perpetuate ineffective strategies.
In the original version of this article, I touched on the evolving nature of fandom. The YouTube Culture & Trends Report 2024 highlights this shift: 65% of Gen Z identify as creators, and 8% consider themselves “Professional Fans,” earning money from their fan-related activities. This evolution means fans are no longer passive consumers—they are active participants who can help artists attract new fans. Professional fans, in particular, are driving this flywheel of engagement. It’s worth considering how you can equip these fans with the content and tools they need to amplify your reach.
Thanks for reading!
– Mark
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I’ve tried to address your challenges below. I apologise for not being clearer with my argument!
So to summarize, it seems next to impossible to “get over” without a multipronged approach in today’s digital music industry. Though difficult to monetize, the casual listener is the most prevalent. Monetization is only through the artist getting their songs’ metadata registered in all the databases to maximize the minimal remuneration from streaming. Next will be the nurturing of the casual listener into casual fans, who will listen intentionally. These casual fans are the ones who can be nurtured into Super Fans who will begin to support the artist financially. Through this same group of casually listening people there is now also the potential to capture “Professional Fans” (a.k.a. influencers) who themselves have sufficient following to influence the movement of more casual listeners and therefore potential Casual Fans and subsequently Super Fans into the sphere of the artist.