Fanception and Musical Fan Activity on YouTube
Everyone is a fan of something, whether it be musicians, sports teams, popular culture icons, or social media stars. This chapter adapts a concept from a blockbuster movie called Inception to develop the theory of fanception, a phenomenon in which a person develops their own fandom within an already established group of fans. It provides examples of how fans’ musical user-generated content on the popular video streaming site YouTube contribute to musical learning and virtual communities. YouTube has provided a site for people to create musical Harry Potter puppet shows, one-person a cappella homages to popular commercial artists, and massive virtual choirs organized by contemporary composers. By understanding the practices within fandoms that affect the way people create content through social media, educators may be able to develop curricula and projects that help students create within the classroom, thus equipping them with the skills to be lifelong music makers and content creators.