Music’s influence on society grows every day with new music being created and classics that keep their reign over our hearts. This means that throughout one person’s life they will see the rise of many musicians. How do so many of these artists get their stardom? Is it luck, talent, or some other variable entirely? This “other variable” is something not many people think about, but it is actually a huge catalyst in our society that shapes trends and success in our world. And this variable is fangirls.
Yes, I know, you’re probably thinking, “No way, not fangirls. You mean those crowds of women who obsess over musicians? How can they be influential to the trends of music throughout history?”
Well, let me tell you: because these women really know how to make a mark in society. From The Beatles, to Elvis, to Taylor Swift, we are shown throughout history how fangirls have influenced music.
If it wasn’t for fangirls, most of your favorite artists wouldn’t have even had their claim to fame, and this isn’t a rare principle. Musicians all over the world can contest that the music industry would be nothing without the devotion of fangirls.
They don’t only affect who becomes famous, they also have a huge influence on the economy. Just think back to this summer when Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour was in full swing, and the economic boom that happened because of Swifties and how that affected both the life of cities and trends of our society.
If we go back to The Beatles, who, fun fact, celebrated the anniversary of Abbey Road on Sept. 26, they would never have made it where they did if it wasn’t for fangirls. Girls stood in lines for hours to see them, whether that meant actually seeing them perform or just to get a glance of them.
Sure, the actions of these women may sound a little overzealous at times, but mostly, they’re just devoted fans.
Even though these women have changed the music industry time and time again, they are still looked down upon. This is nothing new — women being excited about something and the world not wanting to see that has been a phenomenon forever.
The stigmas placed on fangirls — that they are insane and obsessive — has been ingrained into our society since the 1900s. In the 1920s, if a woman was overexcited or behaving in ways unfathomable to men, they were sent to psychological institutions so that they could get their emotions situated. This is truly why fangirls are important, not because of money or fame, but the fact that now women can be unabashedly excited about something.
As a woman who got to go to The Eras Tour and experience what it is like to be surrounded by fangirls for three-plus hours, I will say that the comfort of that environment was breathtaking. There was no judgment for being excited to sing the songs, wear the outfits, or trade bracelets.
Juliet Stouffer
Juliet Stouffer is a sophomore. She has been writing since the age of five, creating many short stories and picture books, but it wasn’t until 5th grade when she finally wrote her first full chapter book. In her spare time, she is part of the Writers’ Guild, the Film Production Society, and Concert Board. On the side, Juliet hosts radio show, “Starchild Radio”, alongside her roommate.