MUMI 299A

This course offers a comparative exploration of the fandoms of Beyoncé Knowles (the BeyHive) and Taylor Swift (the Swifties). Drawing on key concepts and theories from fandom studies, you will examine how music fan communities emerge, evolve, and are sustained over time. The course explores the strategies artists, managers, and fans use to cultivate engagement and foster community, including storytelling, identity formation, digital interaction, and audience development. Additional topics include fan labor, digital intimacy, fandom economies, gender and fandom, fan activism, and the role of fandoms in social and political change. Through case studies of Swifties and the BeyHive, you will investigate how successful fan communities create a sense of belonging, encourage participation, and inspire long-term loyalty.