Stan Wars: The Death of Critique

Graphic by: Téa Sklar

Writing this, I hope that others remember this moment from 2019, when Ariana Grande made headlines for a series of now-deleted tweets calling out critics and journalists, including one that read “everybody that works at them blogs will realize how unfulfilled they are.” The truth is, music artists shouldn’t be shielded from criticism. Journalists and critics have a vital role in offering their opinions–even if the opinions are not always flattering. 

This incident was just the start of a larger conversation about the tense relationship between music artists and the media. When fans treat any critique as an attack, who can we look to to offer honest opinions about art? Can thoughtful criticism be separated from fandom outrage? In the social media era, where loyalty often trumps reason, can we even have a conversation about music without it becoming a battlefield?

After the release of Chappell Roan’s The Subway in July, the Swiftologist, a popular music reviewer and content creator, called the single “really boring.” Immediately, all of her stans came to her defense, even going as far as sending him death threats. In fact, Justin Tranter, a writer for Roan, piled on the attacks, saying, “What do we have to do to stop my fellow homosexuals from thinking that they are music critics just because they’re gay and have a phone? You know nothing about a song. You know nothing about this industry. Just be a fan.” Criticism is no longer about the work itself. Now, it’s read as a personal attack. 

And this is not an isolated incident. Critics of Taylor Swift’s Folklore were doxxed by Swifties, showing how intense stans become when their beloved artist gets challenged. But how did this switch happen? Well, for starters, it’s abundantly clear that we no longer prioritize hard-hitting journalism. Podcasts like Therapuss, Las Culturistas, and Call Her Daddy increasingly prioritize entertaining interviews where they fangirl over their guest celebrities rather than ask them questions that challenge them. This reflects a broader shift in media consumption: there is a growing demand for personality, access, and drama, as opposed to criticism. And the rise of social media means that artists no longer need a middleman–the critic–who was once the connector between artists and fans. Today, artists can take to social media to connect with their fanbase and even select interviewers who won’t ask the uncomfortable questions. 

It feels as if fandom loyalty often outweighs reasoned analysis. Criticism, once used as a tool for conversation and reflection, is now interpreted as a personal attack, ceasing nuanced decisions. Stan culture is changing the very way we discuss art, narrowing the space for critical thinking. Now, the power has shifted to the fans, who have turned into the gatekeepers of taste and judgment. 

Stan culture hasn’t just changed how we talk about art–it has narrowed the space for critical thinking, shifting the power to fans, who have become the gatekeepers of taste and judgment. If we can’t separate critique from outrage, our very ability to thoughtfully engage with culture suffers, leaving us to see culture as battlegrounds, not opinions to consider.