by Dan O

It’s awe. Unfiltered direct adoration that has a difficult time expressing itself.

The listening life of a music fan is intense and mostly emotional. It’s going through a hard break up right as your favorite artist is putting out their breakup album. Finding a song that so accurately depicts the visceral carnage done to your passions, so much so, that the artist who made it takes a special place forever. No one else cried with you, helped you move through to the next stage. Anyone who cares about music has felt this, a lot of us care about music because it has done this for us time after time.

Addiction grows out of that feeling of relief. It’s tricky that way. My least favorite group of avid music lovers are blank check fanbases. Supporters who have fallen so deeply for their favorite artist that every move they make, every song they release is utterly and unquestionably legendary. Am I talking about Eminem fans? Nicki Minaj fans? Beyonce or Drake fans? The designation applies where it applies but it’s not just in the pop world I’ll tell you that. I remember speaking to Fatboi Sharif on State of The Game about how I didn’t like the way his music was being critiqued. He struck hard with Gandhi Loves Children and his singular delivery/writing style/approach made it easier to just thumbs up whatever he dropped afterward. The way we argue about our favorite Jay-Z era is good. It allows for evaluation and reevaluation of the music. This is the only way I know for music that isn’t current to avoid sitting on the shelf gathering dust. I wanted that vibrancy for Sharif.

One of the major problems I have with blank check fans is how condescending the positivity is for the artist. It creates a forcefield of appreciation that doesn’t allow for course correction. Artists need functional criticism to grow, new angles on work they have been staring in the face. “You’re a genius!” isn’t a new angle. It doesn’t actually help anyone. I want to be clear that I know why this happens. It’s awe. Unfiltered direct adoration that has a difficult time expressing itself.  The last time I approached any artist like this the pro wrestler Tatanka came for an autograph signing before Summer Slam. I was a child. I still didn’t like how it felt and decided not to be like that again.

Blank check fans have warped the very flow of the marketplace. If you see folks on your social media feed complaining about the bloated wealthy artists clearly on autopilot yet running music, blank check fans make that possible. They drive the algorithm and adore fighting with anyone who disagrees since it just keeps the discussion going on projects that deserve no shine.

I’m open to potential solutions to this issue because I only know of one. We are all going to have to ignore the trending topics and start new conversations. Stifle the tide soaking us to the bones. It will take patience and discipline. If you quote tweet with a sassy response you are keeping the focus in the wrong place. Mute, block, do what you have to do. The discussions we have about music are valuable. They help to drive the market. We need to stay conscious of that. The hardest truth is that if we want to avoid being blank check fans we are all going to have to stop lying. When your favorite artist drops their worst project we need to stay grounded in reality. It makes total sense if you love the artist so much that you value their worst project…but don’t front about where it fits in the discography.  Too many talented people are working hard to find their footing. If a slot in your listening life is taken up by music, please ensure the music is good. Not just made by someone who was good.