BTS, Taylor Swift and the influence of pop music fans
Swifties and the like have proven they can exert their influence for political and social change
A pop star's fandom can be hugely influential—and not just in the world of music. The biggest year of Taylor Swift's career has underlined that power, resulting in congressional action in the United States and politicians treating Swifties like a demographic to be targeted. But Swift's fandom is not unique. In recent years, we have seen the way large fandoms, especially those in the world of pop music, can exert genuine political or social influence, either at the direction of the star or on their own.
In the ARMY
Any discussion of modern pop-music fandom must begin with the BTS ARMY, the name for fans of the South Korean boy band BTS. ARMY stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth, and the group is known as being among the most passionate and organized groups of fans around today.
So what happens when these fan communities direct their efforts toward other causes? It can have a real impact, as we saw in 2020 after BTS donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter. Members of the ARMY subsequently launched a campaign dubbed #MatchAMillion to match the band's donation, and they raised $1 million in just over 24 hours. When the Dallas Police Department asked followers to submit "video of illegal activity" from protesters during Black Lives Matter demonstrations that year, K-pop fans flooded the department's iWatch Dallas app to the point that it went down due to "technical difficulties." K-pop fans also claimed to have registered for tickets to a Donald Trump rally in 2020 with no intention of attending in an attempt to sabotage the rally's turnout.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In 2018, fans of BTS formed an organization called One In An ARMY, which regularly organizes campaigns for non-profit organizations. Most recently, the group launched a campaign to donate to The Thurman Perry Foundation, which provides "direct giving, educational assistance, and advocacy to assist incarcerated women in returning to and rebuilding their lives."
The Swiftie demographic
Taylor Swift is one of the biggest artists on the planet today, and her fans, known as Swifties, are quite the powerful bloc in their own right.
Swift was largely an apolitical figure until 2018, when she endorsed two Democrats in Tennessee. She also endorsed President Biden in 2020, and after Swift encouraged fans to register to vote in September 2023, Vote.org received more than 35,000 registrations. There may be a limit to Swift's political influence considering the Tennessee senate candidate she backed in 2018, Phil Bredesen, handily lost his election. But it's possible her endorsement could have made a difference in a tighter contest. California Governor Gavin Newsom believes the singer will be a "profoundly powerful" figure in the 2024 election, and the New Jersey Monitor noted many politicians are going out of their way to appeal to Swift's fans, recognizing them as a "key demographic."
Recently, fans of both Swift and BTS have been organizing against far-right candidate Javier Milei in the presidential election in Argentina, where Swift was set to perform. Swifties are a "major hurdle" to Milei's election prospects, according to The New York Times, given Milei is relying on the youth vote in the Nov. 19 runoff. In 2022, a group called Army Help the Planet, which appealed to BTS fans, helped contribute to a historic number of young people registering to vote in the Brazilian presidential election that saw the defeat of incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, according to the MIT Technology Review.
But there is a dark side to this, as the might of fans can be used for abuse just as it can be used for charitable purposes. Swift fans have often harassed her perceived enemies en masse, and journalists have described receiving death threats for criticizing the singer.
So why is it that fans of pop music seem uniquely capable of making a difference and achieving their goals? For one, these fans' experience organizing to boost music on the charts and voting in online polls means there's often already an established network, involving fan websites and social media accounts, all of which can used for another purpose. The future might just belong to the stans.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Major League Baseball is facing an epidemic of pitcher's injuries
Under the Radar Many insiders are blaming the pitch clock for the rise in injuries — but the league is not so sure
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
8 movie musicals that prove the screen can share the stage
The Week Recommends The singing and dancing, bigger than life itself
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
2024 Mother's Day Gift Guide
The Week Recommends A present for every mom
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
How Taylor Swift changed copyright negotiations in music
under the radar The success of Taylor's Version rerecordings has put new pressure on record labels
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Pundits are mixed on the real possibility of Alex Garland's 'Civil War'
Talking Point Some say the film's events aren't that far from reality, but others are less convinced
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift's surprise double album: an event of 'world-shaking proportions'
Why Everyone's Talking About Fans are 'reeling' after The Tortured Poets Department is followed by The Anthology – 15 additional tracks
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Christina Sharpe, the influential author and intellectual who sees America as it is
The Explainer Sharpe reshapes words and concepts to better know Blackness and the United States
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Why Chechnya has banned music that is 'too fast or too slow'
Under The Radar Many Western pop songs – and Russian national anthem – fall foul of new rules to protect 'cultural heritage'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The birth of impressionism
The Explainer Now iconic, the style of art characterised by airy colors and undefined brushstrokes was criticised in its early days
By The Week UK Published
-
Best music albums: new releases of 2024
The Week Recommends A round-up of the best pop, dance, indie, classical and rock releases
By The Week UK Published