I’m not ashamed to admit that I am a boy band fanatic. In the late 80’s I was a loyal “Block Head”, which was a title given to New Kids On The Block fans. Every square inch of my bedroom was plastered with posters of Joey McIntyre.  I also had every piece of merchandise on the market and never missed a tour.  A little extreme I know, but keep in mind I was twelve years old at the time.

I did anything just to get a glimpse into the lives of the New Kids. I wanted that personal connection, but to get it I had to watch MTV around the clock, set every VCR in the house to record videos and TV appearances, beg my parents for concert tickets, and pick up every copy of Teen Beat at the local grocery store. For someone like me, an all-or-nothing girl, this cycle became expensive and exhausting. After a few years in, my parents were over it and not interested in taking out a loan just to continue supporting my boy band obsession. Right as the fan-fatigue set in, New Kids on the Block broke up and I had to file all my fond memories away.

In the late 90’s I fell victim to another boy band, the Backstreet Boys.  This time around I did not plaster pictures all over my wall, I did however, drop out of college one semester and follow them on tour across multiple states. But as a very busy and broke college student, this obsession couldn’t last quite as long. (Before you think I should seek help, know that I returned the following semester and did eventually earn my degree.)

To be a fan before social media you had your work cut out for you. You couldn’t download that one song you liked; you had to purchase the whole album after waiting in line for hours at the Virgin Mega Store. You couldn’t follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter; you had to literally get in your car and drive across the country going from show to show.  You couldn’t go to their website to find out about appearances; you had to be in the right place at the right time. To meet your favorite band you had to win tickets on the radio and spend your entire day glued to the phone, dialing in.

Because of social media, you no longer have to jump through all these hoops to stay connected to your favorite celebrities. Social Media made being a fan more engaging, fun and exciting!

Top reasons why being a fan in the age of Social Media is better:

Many celebrities manage their own social media accounts so they seem within reach.

You can directly communicate with them.

Celebrities tend to share more on social media.

You get rare glimpses into their daily lives.

There is more of a personal connection.

You get the latest updates regarding album releases, tours, sneak previews and appearances.

It feels like a friendship, not a fan-ship, which is perfect for the pseudo-stalker like me.

You get to be in a network with thousands of other people who are just as fanatical as you. This alone makes you feel less crazy.

You can directly influence them.

And so, so long to not being the 25^th caller or the lucky girl whose name was pulled from Joey’s hat.  Thanks to social media I was able to get my automatic newsfeed, which scored a meet and greet when New Kids on the Block reunited a few years ago.  Getting to meet them was so much more than just taking a picture and getting a hug; it was an unforgettable life experience – and one that was worth the twenty-five year wait.

By Holly Rust

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