You’re wearing a band’s T-shirt, scrolling through TikTok or waiting for a concert to begin when someone asks you to name five songs. Suddenly, enjoying music isn’t enough. You have to prove you deserve to call yourself a fan.
In online music communities, gatekeeping has turned fandom into a competition over who knows the most lyrics or has followed an artist the longest. But you should be able to enjoy music without being forced to pass a loyalty test.
Since the early days of the internet, music fandom has been an important part of its culture. From fan-made websites dedicated to Korn and Britney Spears in the 2000s to Tumblr hashtags about Odd Future and Justin Bieber in the 2010s, and TikTok fan pages devoted to BTS and Billie Eilish in the 2020s, fandom has remained a key part of internet culture, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
However, over the past decade, online music fandom has become increasingly toxic, with gatekeeping emerging as a prominent issue. Across fans communities, forums and comment sections, fans often debate who is the “bigger” or more “real” fan, turning a shared love of music into a competition over knowledge, loyalty and authenticity.
For example, someone who is only familiar with Linkin Park’s music up to their 2003 sophomore album ,“Meteora,” might encounter a fan who loves every album in the band’s discography, including its 2024 reformation album “From Zero.” Similarly, someone who followed Paramore since the band’s 2005 debut, “All We Know is Falling,” may not see eye to eye with a younger fan who discovered them through the popularity of lead singer Hayley Williams’ 2026 solo tour.
But why should these differences matter? Music is subjective, and no fan is better or more authentic than another. Anyone who finds comfort in an artist’s music has the right to call themselves a fan. Whether they know only the biggest hits or can name every B-side and deep cut, their appreciation for the music is no less valid.
The infamous “name five songs” challenge has contributed to the growing toxicity surrounding music fandom. Does someone really need to name five songs to justify wearing a band T-shirt? Must they know an artist’s entire catalog to attend a concert or listening party? Absolutely not.
Amid the ongoing “LARPing” epidemic in full force, many people also seem to misunderstand the term’s meaning. “Larping,” short for live-action role-playing, is increasingly used online to describe people who adopt a particular persona. In music fandom, this can describe someone who pretends to be a superfan of a band like Deftones on social media for the aesthetic despite having little interest in the music. The term can certainly apply to someone who deliberately lies about their musical interests to impress others.
However, when it comes to truly being a fan, one doesn’t need to know more than a few songs. As long as someone truly enjoys the music for what it is, they are a fan.
To those who insist otherwise, the next time you see someone wearing a Deftones’ “Around the Fur” T-shirt, consider complimenting their shirt and moving on with your day. Better yet, ask them what their favorite song is. Even if their answer is a mainstream hit you consider overplayed, there is no reason to make them feel inferior for it. Believe me, putting a smile on someone’s face feels far better than contributing to the toxicity surrounding music fandom.
Music is meant to bring people together. Fan culture can create meaningful connections and give people a sense of community—and is most enjoyable when it’s free from the toxicity of self-proclaimed “know-it-alls.” In my own experience, building positive relationships and connecting with fans of all kinds have been far more rewarding than judging them.
I was reminded of this at American rapper Ken Carson’s 2026 Xperiment tour stop at the Barclays Center. I attended the concert alone after finding a reasonably priced ticket. Xaviersobased, my current favorite underground rapper, also delivered an equally lengthy opening set. Although my familiarity with Ken Carson’s music only dated back to 2021, I had a great time chatting with the fans in my section and enjoying the concert alongside them. Nobody quizzed me on my knowledge of his discography, and I did not need to prove that I belonged there. I was simply another fan enjoying a concert.
This is what music fandom should look like. Instead of creating hostility between fans, we should recognize that it’s not a competition. Music is meant to be enjoyed, regardless of how much or how little someone knows about an artist. At the end of the day, no one is better at enjoying music than anyone else.
Navan Anower is a writer for The Setonian’s Opinion section. He can be reached at navan.anower@student.shu.edu.
