Super Fans: The Future of the Music Industry

Who are super fans? They're the fans who want to connect on a deeper level with recording artists—and are willing to pay for it. And while records are no longer sold like they used to be, artists now have the technology to connect to their audiences directly and build their base, one super fan at a time. Benji Rogers, founder of PledgeMusic, travels to SXSW to explore this topic directly with artists and industry experts.

In this short documentary, copresented by PledgeMusic, Benji talks to Kevin Wortis, director of label services at Girlie Action Marketing; San Fermin, an up-and-coming Brooklyn-based band engaging with fans through Twitter; professors (and brothers) Jay and Chandler Coyle from Music Geek Services and Berklee College of Music; and Nicole Atkins, an established artist who found out she had more fans than she ever knew, when she turned to direct-to-fan platforms to fund her new record. It's a brave new world for artists and fans. Find out how they're using it to build long-lasting and career-sustaining relationships.