POP FANDOMS examines fan culture through an examination of pop culture archetypes across the US and Japan. Run like a graduate-style seminar, participants will examine these musics (and their fans) through deep listening exercises alongside readings from musicology, cultural studies, feminism, and critical theory.
In session one (“Goddesses”), we’ll explore American pop singers and their fan collectives, paying special attention to Beyonce's "Bee Hive," Taylor Swift's "Swifties," and Doja Cat's rejection of her own fan base. In session two (“Genders”), we’ll consider how masculinity and femininity figure in Japanese fan culture. In session three (“Gurus”), we’ll look at the fans who follow jam bands like the Grateful Dead with near-sacred reverence. Our work will culminate in a zine project featuring musicians that our participants think are worthy of attention.
In the age of the algorithmically determined playlist, this class encourages participants to listen to music with attention, awareness, and thought — and to reframe the community we can find through musicking as a form of self-discovery.
Led by Jillian Marshall, an educator, author, musician, and visual artist based in Brooklyn. Jillian holds a PhD in Musicology from Cornell University.