Which band has the world’s most dedicated fanbase? It’s a question we’re out to answer this week, as we launch a new poll to ascertain who has the most loyal following.
You can vote now to help decide which band has the most fervent fans. In the meantime, we spoke to some key figures at some of the world’s biggest fan clubs about their dedication to their cause, and why they think they’re the most devoted to their heroes.
Paramore
Answered by Bradley Gardiner & Jordan Pringle, @ParamoreENG
Size Of Fanbase – The Parafamily is massive with over 20.2 million likes on Facebook and nearly 1.5 million followers on Twitter.
Demographic – There are also Paramore fan bases from all around the world – England, USA, France, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Sweden, Jamaica, Chile and Philippines. I’d say all ages love Paramore but especially teenagers between 14 and 19. If I had to pick I would say more females listen to Paramore.
The Most Obsessive Fan We’ve Met – The most obsessive and dedicated Paramore fan is a girl called Scarlett who runs a fan site on Twitter called @HayleyWonline which has 38,500 followers and it is one of the largest Paramore fan sites. Scarlett says her mind is filled with Paramore. She’s a huge fan and Hayley Williams is one of her role models in life.
Made by NickyToons
To Us, Being A Paramore Fan Means… – It’s just a way of life. I personally don’t know what I would do without Paramore. Paramore is a part of me and a part of every other fan. We all have three role models that we look up too and aspire to be like. It just means so much to all of us because we have united not only as friends, but as a family. We have come together because of our love and passion for music that the band has created. For Paramore, that must be amazing for them to see us all together as a family – the Parafamily.
Our Fanbase Is The Most Dedicated Because… – Our family is so strong and united that no matter what we will love and cherish our band’s music, past, present and future. With over 20 million members of the Parafamily, we will love Paramore and gain more members for years to come.
Paramore’s current social network stats, via musicmetric.com
[A note on the data: Read the right hand column for the total number of fans, friends, and followers. The middle two columns represent new fans on each platform, and the percentage increase or decrease between those new fans from the last week compared to the week before. The “change” column is a little misleading.]
Muse
Answered by Anaëlle Martinez, @musearmy
Size Of Fanbase – There are 1800 MuseArmy fans on twitter.
Demographic – They are from everywhere: Asia, Europe, South America and Australia and America. There is no age limit on being a Muse fan.
The Most Obsessive Fan I’ve Met – I think the most obsessive fans are those who tattoo themselves with the name of the band or the face of the band members. It’s kind of crazy.
To Us, Being A Muse Fan Means… – Being a Muse fan is about sharing all the passion and love we have for the music and particularly for the band Muse. We all love rock music as well as classical music, and the band make a mixture of the two. There is a huge solidarity and respect between us Musers.
Our Fanbase Is The Most Dedicated Because… – Our fanbase is the most dedicated because we believe in a lot of values like respect and peace, and we also act like a big family who happen to have the same interest: the band Muse.
Muse’s current social network standing, via musicmetric.com
Ed Sheeran
Answered by Becky Simmonds, @sheeranators
Size Of Fanbase – Thousands. The Sheeranators Twitter itself currently stands at 2,732. We are very proud of him. From the way Ed’s gigs sell out within the first hour of the tickets being released to the way he’s been stalked by fans shows his fanbase is pretty mental!
Demographic – Many of them seem to be from London, where Ed originally started doing open mics. However, in the last few months, the fanbase in the USA, Germany and Ireland has grown. Age-wise, amongst the Sheeranators the main ages range from 14-23. We have a lot of females – Mr. Sheeran seems to have become very popular with the ladies. However, the boys who are out there are just as dedicated.
The Most Obsessive Fan We’ve Met – I met my best mate Jonny through Sheeranators back when only 15 of us would log on to ask Ed questions through Ustream, and we’ve talked ever since. He got the same tattoo as Ed has (the paw print), he’s traveled to London from Wales to see Ed and is going back in October. He’s pretty much a stalker. I’m also a pretty scary Ed fan. I have his birthday on my calendar.
To Us, Being An Ed Sheeran Fan Means… – It’s a huge thing to us fans. Sheeranators has given us the chance to all come together and support something we love, and make friends. I’ve met some of the best people through my love of Ed Sheeran. It’s given a lot of us some hope, as well, since Ed made it from nothing because he put the work in. It’s also given some of us a bit of an escape from reality. I know that sounds very cliché, but sometimes it’s nice to get away from reality and just sit and Tweet other Ed fans for a while.
Our Fanbase Is The Most Dedicated Because… – Well we got #happybirthdayed trending in about three minuets! We love Ed with all our hearts. So many people have come together through Sheeranators and I’ve watched some brilliant people get together and do all sorts of Ed-related stuff. Also, the uproar that’s caused when someone disses Ed – they go crazy! On September 12, 2011, the day Ed’s debut album came out, they were mental – they actually froze my Twitter for hours!
Ed Sheeran’s current social network standing, via musicmetric.com
Black Veil Brides
Answered by Kristina Bučková Švárna, blackveilbrides.cz
Size Of Fanbase – It’s really quite hard to say. Black Veil Brides went on tour with Murderdolls a year ago, then they came back to play the same venues to sell them out! You can definitely say that their fanbase, BVB Army, is growing really fast!
Demographic – Going to Black Veil Brides’ concerts and seeing the audience, it’s quite easy to say that most of the BVB Army members are teenagers or kids in their early twenties. However, as they’re inspired by such bands as Kiss, Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses they also have quite large number of older fans that love 70’s, early 80’s rock and glam metal.
The Most Obsessive Fan I’ve Met – I, as a Street Team Coordinator, have personally met a lot of fans who have their walls covered with Black Veil Brides posters, collecting Black Veil Brides tee-shirts and other Black Veil Brides merch so it’s quite hard to say. Maybe I am just lucky but I never really met a massively obsessive fan!
To Us, Being A Black Veil Brides Fan Means… – I can only talk for myself, but I think most of the BVB fans will share a similar story. Black Veil Brides’ message targets teenagers who are laughed at and bullied. Andy Biersack was bullied himself, so he knows what it feels like to be ridiculed and wants his music to make kids stand up for themselves.
Being a BVB Army member and a Street Team Coordinator means sharing my story, hearing life stories of other BVB fans, helping them find a strength in who they are, stand up for themselves and fight for what they love.
Our Fanbase Is The Most Dedicated Because… – I think that our Facebook talks for itself! I am super proud of Czech fans, especially our Street Team members! We actively participate in our own, as well as international fan projects.
Black Veil Brides’ current social network standing, via musicmetric.com
Two Door Cinema Club
Answered by Alice Kroupeev, The Basement People
Size Of Fanbase – We’ve got a great Facebook group running, which is something like nearly 200 people, though I think the number of really active and devoted members is smaller.
Demographic – I think that the term ‘fan-girls’ applies to us Basement People, as a lot of us are girls, but I think that guys also enjoy joining the fan-group for a bit of banter. The age ranges from about 11 to 24.
The Most Obsessive Fan I’ve Met – I know of a few girls within the group who are exceptionally devoted. They’ve taken time off from college/uni and traveled to other countries to see TDCC shows and festivals. Personally, I couldn’t say I’ve done anything quite this devoted for Two Door, but I think that within my group of friends I’m considered a bit of an obsessed fan-girl of Two Door – t’s kind of my thing.
To Us, Being A Two Door Cinema Club Fan Means… – One thing I find with the Basement people is that we are very devoted fanbase, but not a ‘hysterical’ fanbase. Yes, a lot and our walls are covered with photos of Two Door (I have created a whole section of photos from when I met Two Door at the NME acoustic session, best time of my life meeting the Two Door guys) and we all Tweet Alex, Sam and Kev ten zillion times a day and celebrate their birthdays with more excitement than if it were our own birthdays. But I don’t think that there is a malicious undertone to our devotion, and we are not obsessed in an unhealthy way.
Our Fanbase Is The Most Dedicated Because… – We support each other within the fan-group, we’re like a family. We’re a proper community; everyone knows each other and meets up at gigs. We’ve gotten together on many occasions to do stuff for the band: photo montages, videos, a fan site. And we love everyone and everything related to Two Door. We know who all of their incredible guitar technicians and lighting designers are and try to bring them sweets/baked goods before the gigs.
Two Door Cinema Club’s current social network standing, via musicmetric.com