The Superfan Application Development
The Superfan Music Group Warner Music Group application is on its way to becoming a reality, with a more sophisticated version currently being tested by a selected group of users, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The app features Ed Sheeran as its first artist, having evolved from an earlier beta version initially available to some employees for testing in the spring.
Sheeran is currently “actively publishing” on the application’s development version, according to an WSJ interview with Atlantic Records’ CEO Elliot Grange.
The timeline for when other artists will join the application or WMG’s long-term plans for the platform remain uncertain, as noted by WSJ.
Sources tell MBW that Warner is still experimenting, leaving the specific format of the application and its launch date up in the air.
Last year, Warner Music Group’s CEO Robert Kyncl first revealed the company’s plans for the Superfan application during the Web Summit technology conference in Doha, Qatar.
“I have assembled an incredible team of technological talent from Google, Stripe, Instacart, and many other fantastic tech companies working on the Superfan application, enabling artists to connect directly with their superfans,” Kyncl stated at the time.
The initial beta version reportedly displayed an “Instagram feed solely of Ed Sheeran’s posts that users could like and comment on,” but it was characterized as “bare bones in both technology and content.” An WSJ report noted that Sheeran had provided extensive feedback on the original version.
Kyncl mentioned that the new Atlantic Records CEO, Grange, is now working closely with the tech team to enhance the product.
It appears the project is managed by WMG’s internal technical team, led by the company’s technology president, Ariel Bardin.
Growth of the Superfan Market
The emergence of the superfan market is prominent as music companies increasingly aim to monetize relationships between artists and their most dedicated fans.
Warner’s entry into the Superfan platform space follows the successful launch of Hybe’s Weverse, which achieved 150 million total global downloads in 2024.
According to the Global Fandom Trend Report, Weverse expanded its artist communities by 30% over the last year, reaching 162 artists in 2024, with its user base growing by an average of 19% across all continents.
Weverse attracted major international artists such as Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, and Conan Gray, in addition to its prominent K-Pop roster. The platform reported that artists shared approximately 206,000 posts in 2024, while fans created 370 million posts.
In December 2024, Weverse introduced premium membership tiers, costing between $2 and $4 per month for added benefits such as offline access to music and video streaming.
Competition is escalating with Kakao Entertainment, a significant player in the Korean entertainment sector and a rival to Hybe, which launched its own platform called Berriz last month.
Kakao, which holds a 40.28% stake in SM Entertainment, described Berriz as an “advanced global fan platform designed to revolutionize user experience.”
Universal Music Group is also signaling its focus on superfans.
In September 2024, UMG’s Executive Vice President, CFO, and COO Boyd Muir noted that “superfans, representing 20% to 30% of all music listeners, generate more than 70% of the recorded music revenue.”
During UMG’s earnings call in January 2024, CEO Sir Lucian Grainge announced that the company would focus on “enhancing the artist-fan relationship,” particularly through “superfan experiences and products.”
Spotify is also planning to roll out a Deluxe tier, which may include access to Superfan Clubs, according to CEO Daniel Ek.
Earlier this year, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino confirmed that his company is in talks with Spotify, Apple, and Amazon regarding access to presale tickets for Super-Premium subscribers.
Expanding Economy of Superfans
The market potential for monetizing superfans within recorded music was valued at Goldman Sachs at $4.5 billion in 2024.
Kyncl emphasized the necessity of developing a cross-platform solution for artists to engage with their most passionate fans, stating at last year’s Web Summit, “Music is everywhere. Artists want to work across platforms… They do not wish to optimize just one platform over another. Thus, a solution for Superfans must be cross-platform.”
In a conversation with WSJ about broader issues, Elliot Grange expressed his desire to secure higher compensation for Atlantic Records from streaming services. He pointed out that music consumers used to spend more money on physical formats such as vinyl, CDs, and cassettes, while now fans pay less than $15 a month for nearly all music.
“I find it ludicrous that AI-generated music or sleep playlists receive the same payment as Bruno Mars,” Grange told WSJ, stating, “This is akin to paying the same amount for a penthouse in New York as for terrible shoes in North Korea.”
Grange, who took over Atlantic Records on October 1, 2024, previously founded independent label projects at 10K, selling 51% of Warner shares for $102 million.
Warner Music Group is readying its superfan app – with help from Ed Sheeran
