Got ARMY Right Behind Us
A rambling essay on the impact of a dedicated fanbase and why everyone should want one.
Fan culture has been a part of popular culture for decades. The images of screaming fans watching The Beatles in the 60s, the Star Trek conventions that began in the early 70s, bedroom walls lined with Star Wars posters in the 80s — it’s part of the entertainment industry, and some are just afraid to admit that.
In the late 90s and early 2000s, fandom went digital. Message boards were made where you could write your thoughts on the newest X-Files episode, or you could join a chat room to talk about the most recent single from N*sync. But in many ways, that put fans into bubbles. The general public (or GP as we call them in fandom speak), didn’t see that behind the scenes. They heard what was on the radio and accepted that as what’s “in,” along with whatever covered magazines and the AOL homepage. But the world has changed a lot since the new millennium began, and fan culture has changed with it. And it’s time for the GP to accept it for what it is — a major element of popular culture that helps keep the entertainment industry afloat. You don’t have to sign up for fansites anymore to engage in a siloed community, we’re right there on social media, claiming all the trending topics and setting viewership records. Because we can. And we’re part of active, engaged, connected communities that allow us to feel a part of something. And when we achieve things together as a fandom, we’re a part of something greater than ourselves. And that’s an amazing feeling.
People in the entertainment industry want to achieve success, and with that comes fans. You want there to be the people who will buy a ticket to your movie or your concert because it’s your art; purchase that magazine with your feature because it’s your words; or stream your music because you made it. Because that’s how you grow. That’s how the GP sees that you exist. You need that dedicated fan. They’re a catalyst. They’re reliable. They keep you going. And when you imagine standing on a stage with everyone cheering your name, maybe with a microphone or award in hand, you know that you’ll get there because of them. Not because of people who casually like what you do, but because of those who passionately love it.
In the music world especially, we have words assigned to fandoms and fan phenomenons like Beatlemania, Dead-Heads, Swifities, ARMY, etc. And if you asked those artists where their career would be without those people or those experiences, they’d be lying straight to your face if they said “the same place.” Because they know it’s the people with the posters, the multiple concert stubs, and the album collections, who got them to where they are. And those are the people who really, truly, genuinely love their art. They aren’t spending the money to go to your concerts to just check you out, but to hear you sing. To see you perform. To be surrounded by others who feel the same way about your music.
So where am I going with this? All of this is to say that people who question fandom activity, support, and engagement need to see the bigger picture. They need to understand that fans are doing exactly what is expected of them by definition. They’re enthusiastic and devoted meaning they want to support.
In regards to BTS and ARMY, yes, this fandom wants to see the band succeed amongst an industry that is filled with xenophobia, payola, toxic masculinity…you name it. But we also just really love the music the band puts out. It should not be hard to believe that as a BTS fan, I stream and buy their music, the same way that as a Marvel fan I buy a ticket to all the movies that end up topping the box office, or that I bought every Harry Potter book growing up. I’m a fan. I want to support what I enjoy, I want it to be in my life, so I engage with it in the appropriate ways I know how. The music industry is a twisted game and this band plays it right. No bundles, no gimmicks, just doing their thing within the limits of the system that so often works against them.
When something in pop culture achieves success time and time again, and that something has a known fanbase, that’s a lesson in the value of dedication. That’s not to say that GP interest is bad or it’s unwanted, it’s always so welcome! Because GP can turn into fan. No one just says “I’m going to be a fan of that” without actually checking it out first. So when BTS reach the top of the charts, the response shouldn’t be “ugh, it’s just because of the fans” but “this shows what fans can do.” It’s a message to media and publicists and artists themselves — build a fanbase. It’s not hard, it’s about engagement, respect, and creating content people genuinely like. It’s not unachievable, regular people have been doing it on the internet for quite some time now (i.e. Youtube and TikToK). No, ARMY can’t be replicated, but we can be an example of something really powerful that does not need to be questioned. Same way we don’t question the season ticket holders for the baseball teams or the gamers in line to buy the newest Final Fantasy. Give people a reason to buy or come back, and they will.
I’m proud to engage in fandom. I love that I connect in the online community, that I buy select merch that I like, that I go to events like concerts or conventions. Because it makes me happy. And in turn, it’s supporting the economy of the creators that are making me happy. Whether it be music, movies, TV, whatever — my engagement is responding to what the industry is giving me and wanting from me. I am aware of that. And if it leads to deserved success for the artists I admire, then that’s just the icing on the cake!
So I’m going to go stream my BTS playlist, maybe queue up a superhero movie later, and continue to look forward to when I can be back in concert seats and convention halls. Because this fan is ready to be out in the world again and do even more to show the GP, and all who question us, just how powerful fans can be.
