Identification in popular music: a netnographic exploration of online fan communities

Although fan identification has received a lot of attention in sport, there is little research on fan identity in reference to popular music. This study employed a netnographic methodology to observe online fan activities. These activities were categorised as behaviour characteristic of a casual, loyal, die hard or dysfunctional fan using the four fan levels proposed by Beaven and Laws (2007) to represent distinct levels of fan engagement in regard to concert attendees. Analysis of different fan level behaviours evident in discussion on Metallica’s online message board was contrasted with this rock fan typology. All four levels of fans were identified, dissimilar to previous studies that observed an absence of casual fans. It is suggested that the emergence of this fan level is due to an increase in internet usage, and may provide opportunity for marketers to gain an understanding of a large sub group of consumers at different levels of identification.