At Music Ally’s NEXT conference, industry experts shared valuable insights on identifying fan subcultures in a tech-driven world. During a panel discussion led by Music Ally’s COO, Patrick Ross, George James, CEO of Be-hookd, emphasized the importance of staying ahead of trends, noting: “our job is to get ahead of trends – how do we jump in and accelerate them? We look really closely at Spotify saves. And we can see if we can drive traffic to Spotify and getting ahead of trends on Reels. We love [“drop platform”] Laylo – we’ve seen it drive a lot of signups.” This approach highlights the need for artists and their teams to be proactive in engaging with their fans and leveraging platforms like Spotify and Reels to drive growth.
Aaron Bogucki of Big Cookie pointed out that fans are often the ones creating their own subcultures around an artist, and recommends using customer relationship management (CRM) tools to gather data and understand fan values. As he stated, “use your CRM to do surveys… you can get a lot of data if you just ask for it. We look at value pillars – what do fans value … and how that aligns with the artists?” By doing so, artists can gain a deeper understanding of their fanbase and create more meaningful connections.
Eliza Jedlinska of Karta also stressed the importance of combining different data sets to identify fan subcultures. She explained that by pairing platform analytics with cultural context, they can gain a better understanding of fan needs. As she noted, “platform analytics need to be paired with culture context. We look at things like avatar styling, UCG sales, time spent on games – and that leads us somewhere.” This approach has proven successful, with Karta’s Nicki Minaj Roblox shop selling over 400 items and some of their Roblox stores generating seven-figure revenues.
Susannah Garrard of Nettwerk Music Group agreed that the intersection of user-generated content (UGC) and niche fandom is a key area of focus. However, she emphasized that this requires a genuine understanding of the fans and their values. As she said, “it all starts with the artist’s narrative and brand. Art augments social issues ad we look at social discourse around topics – so thats where we can see potential new fans.” By understanding the artist’s brand and narrative, they can create experiences that resonate with fans, both online and offline.
Later, Matt Urmy, co-founder and CEO of Artist Growth, highlighted the challenges of navigating the vast amounts of data surrounding artist projects. As he put it, “when data is disaggregated and unstructured, you’re f*cked.” He believes that platforms like Artist Growth will become increasingly important in the future, serving as the “plumbing” between businesses on artist projects and enabling AI platforms to work together seamlessly.
