Smilerz. Little Monsters. Beliebers.  Fanatics. Call them whatever you want, these are just some of the names fans of pop stars call themselves.  There is more to being a fan then simply listening to an artists’ music.  Being a fan implies a sense of loyalty to a specific musician.  With today’s media, it is more important than ever for pop stars to keep their fans’ dedication.  The articles in this section will explore the relationship between star and fans, looking at how stars maintain their fan base through media and their public image.  Who knows, you might even become a fan yourself.

Parody and Music Videos:  Is it a “Bad Romance”?

This essay looks at how parodies mimic and affect the original artist, song, or music video. Most significantly, it explores the ways in which parodies allow fans to interact with artists and the ways they create new relationships and fan bases. The article gives a definition parodies, as well as satires, and focuses on two parodies to illustrate claims, “Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”:  LittleKuriboh’s “Leather Pants” and “Bad Romance:  Women’s Suffrage.” Bringing forth the Social Function of Humor, this essay shows that parodies are a means of participating in fan culture and creating connections, all for laughs.

“Wrecking” Hannah’s Image and Racking Up Success: A Look at Miley Cyrus

Focusing on the newly formed identity of Miley Cyrus, this essay centers on the backlash and criticism of this star who has recently risen in popularity.  It demonstrates how Cyrus has changed fan bases, from the young Hannah Montana to the controversial, slut-shamed Miley. Overall this piece asserts that Cyrus’s crazy antics have formed an image that keeps her in the public eye and keeps her fan base growing every day. Her provocative persona has given her monetary success in the music business and her fans are an integral part of this achievement.

Stepping outside the boundaries of the United States, this essay discusses the aim of British musicians in gaining large fan bases and becoming popular in America. It asserts that these artists feel they have truly made it when people in the United States know who they are. The piece takes a look at the crazy girl fan bases of One Direction and the Beatles to show that the mold around which pop artists must fit is the boy band targeting young women or teenage girls. Male British artists aim to gain fans through the ultimate heartthrob image.

Lady Gaga, Social Media and the Fanbase Phenomenon.

In the age of social media and up-to-the-minute updates, connecting to one’s fans is easier and more important than ever.  This essay takes an analytic look at how Lady Gaga uses social media to form a more personal relationship with her fans.  Whether it is her on-stage persona or off-stage persona, she uses media to keep her fans up-to-date and interested in what she does.  The essay also shows how this connection helps Gaga’s fans stay loyal to her, providing a safe-haven for them.