Everyone’s talking about “super-serving superfans” but no one’s asking what’s the actual plan? Strategy isn’t slapping “digital” in front of a campaign—it’s understanding what your artist means to fans, and where they’re going long-term. If you’re still throwing spaghetti at TikTok and calling it a strategy, it’s time to read this.
A decade ago, we predicted how streaming would reshape music — and we were half-right. The industry embraced track-based strategy but ignored the need to build enduring artist brands. Now, labels lean on catalogue, artist development has stalled, and WHY data is more essential than ever. Time to rethink. #superfans
Most fans don’t even know deluxe boxsets exist. At Sound Effects, we believe they should be more than products, they should be moments. By combining fan insight, CRM, and The Superfan Engine, artists and managers can turn anniversary releases into participatory experiences that drive loyalty, revenue, and long-term fan connection.
CRM is having a comeback moment in music. But unless we shift the thinking behind it, we’re heading straight back into the same old traps of vanity metrics, one-way blasts, and shallow engagement. This article explores why CRM should be a relationship tool, not a reminder system, and how the Superfan Engine finally gets it right.
Super-serve the superfan? The phrase is overused, but the mission still matters. At Sound Effects, we don’t see superfans as a target to exploit — we see them as the spark for scale, culture, and momentum. This edition of The Superfan Formula redefines what it really means to energise your most passionate people.
The Superfan Engine was built to fix a problem: deep fan insight was too slow, too expensive, and too complicated. So we rolled qual, quant, segmentation, and activation into one powerful platform. Built for the music industry, it delivers emotional fan understanding and practical strategies…fast, affordable, and ready to scale.
Everyone’s obsessed with charging superfans more. But if you treat them like ATMs, don’t be surprised when the whole system crashes. Superfans aren’t cows to milk—they’re cultural nitro-glycerine. Handle with care and they’ll ignite everything. Keep squeezing, and they’ll walk. This isn’t a pricing challenge. It’s a strategy fail.
Everyone’s obsessed with charging superfans more. But if you treat them like ATMs, don’t be surprised when the whole system crashes. Superfans aren’t cows to milk, they’re cultural nitro-glycerine. Handle with care and they’ll ignite everything. Keep squeezing, and they’ll walk. This isn’t a pricing challenge. It’s a strategy fail.
A can of Coke doesn’t change its mind mid-campaign, shave its head, and move to a yurt in Muckle Flugga. But your artist might. That’s why music marketing isn’t about control, it’s about understanding. If you're still relying on TikTok trends and surface stats, you're not reading the map, you’re just chasing the weather.
This great piece by Mark Mulligan stirred thoughts about supremium - The fundamental concept of “supremium” risks being a cynical cash grab - squeezing more out of “superfans” already spending “70% more” than the rest. It’s strategically lazy just milking them rather than cultivating growth among casual & latent fans with potential but are yet to be fully engaged. The reality, its driven by the limited rights that record companies have control over, but risks negative affect on the artists brand and what happens across their wider career outside those limited rights.
Truly serving the fanatical isn't about relying on “supremium” tiers or 'exclusive' content for a small group. It’s about deepening the artist-fan connection across the board, through diverse revenue streams beyond streaming. Superfans want more than just early access or exclusive merch—they want a meaningful relationships.
Artist gotta take back control! At Sound Effects we focus on diversifying revenue streams - using attitudinal insights to help artists tap into incremental opportunities that go beyond the “supremium” model—building stronger, sustainable relationships with all fans.
Superfans may want something extra - shouldn't come at the expense of alienating the broader audience or leaving artists at the mercy of intermediaries.
