Human beings have always tended to fit in. To belong. To find a community where they could find like-minded individuals and thus their soul tribe as well. People with whom you could easily share your thoughts and have them appreciated or even be accepted without judgments and even invited to learn more. And then Boom!
We have the digital era, and it’s easier than ever to find friends or your soul-tribe. So this is where the whole fandom theory kicks in – the urge to find a group of like-minded individuals. So read on to find a list of the ten biggest fandoms in the World!
What is a Fandom
Before we begin and start to jot down THE biggest fandom in the world, let us begin with a very simple question. What are fandoms essentially?
A Fandom is nothing but a group of peers who follow or like or have an affinity towards certain artists or fictional characters or even pieces of art.
In the earlier days, it was difficult to find people with the same interest or hobbies as you unless you were actively looking for them in specific places.
For example, if you like baking, you would not find fellow bakers easily in your science class. Or maybe not even know about their existence unless you join special baking classes. But with the advent of the internet, this is no more a reality.
To find fellow baking enthusiasts, all you need to do is join a baking group on social media, say Facebook. And voilà! There you have it. A group of people liking the same thing as you. A fandom, if you might.
People who are followers or admirers of certain fictional worlds, characters or artists are known as fans of that particular artist or character. Sometimes fans also give special names to their groups based on their favorites. For example, Fans of the famous singer Taylor Swift are known as Swifties, after her name.
What Does a Fandom Represent
A very impertinent question. Fandoms can represent a lot of things. But the one major thing that they represent is Solidarity. Solidarity towards your favorite artists/stories/characters etc.
Fandoms also represent friendships and respect for the same art or people. Given that after the World has become digitized, geographical boundaries have gotten blurred.
What a person may have been watching in New York is now easily accessible in India. What a person says in Korean can easily be subtitled into English on platforms like YouTube. This is the reason why fandoms like K-pop have gained so much prominence over the years.
When we talk about the Biggest fandom in the World, we have to talk about K-pop. Korean Pop, a genre of Music, also known as “K-pop,” transcends and elevates above the boundaries of languages. It only places more prominence on the saying that “Music is beyond languages or barriers”. It is one of the most rising fandoms in the World.
Another reason why Fandoms are finding their way into the mainstream so much is because of the different streaming platforms. Video Platforms like YouTube or Netflix are now easily available throughout the World.
Plus, shows in different languages are also easily subtitled in English or even dubbed in various languages like Hindi, French, Chinese etc. Add social media to the mixture, our worlds are no more limited to our locality, but rather we could join any community in the World online.
This is what exactly gave rise to Fandoms. So join us as we attempt to jot down the Top 10 biggest fandom in the World:
Top 10 Biggest Fandom In The World
1. ARMY: BTS Fandom
Let us begin our list with the ultimate powerhouses when it comes to Fandoms – The BTS ARMY. ARMY is the official name of the fandom of the mega-popular K-pop boy band BTS.
Before we give you a detailed version of why the BTS Army are the biggest fandom in the world, let us tell you who BTS are. BTS is a seven-membered K-pop boy band from Korea. Consisting of seven members of all in their mid to late twenties, BTS is the biggest phenomenon in the world right now.
They debuted in 2013 with a Hip Hop song called “No More Dreams”. This K-pop group has broken barriers and have become the biggest boyband in the world. And their fandom ARMY has become the biggest fandom in the world.
BTS has won various accolades. In 2021 itself, this K-pop group broke a total of 13 Guinness Book Records.
The group is also the first Korean act to have the longest-running top 10 hit on the Billboard charts. The group has sold out stadium concert venues within minutes. For their last concert, they sold out the Wembley Stadium tour within 90 minutes!
The group was also invited to speak at the UNGA Sustainable Development Goals Moment with the President of South Korea. They delivered a speech at the General Assembly of the United nations and also were the first Korean group to perform in the United Nations.
The group has been brand ambassadors for some of the most renowned brands in the world. From Hyundai to Louis Vuitton, they have managed to sell out everything that they were associated with.
Why Are They The Biggest Fandom In The World
It’s no easy feat to be known as the Biggest Fandom in the world, but the BTS fandom ARMY has managed to pull this feat time and again.
According to the well powerful BTS Fandom ARMY, the road to becoming the biggest fandom in the world wasn’t an easy one. Coming from a small company that was not very popular in Korea, BTS had to face a lot of setbacks.
The ARMY fan base has been very proactive in trying to make BTS’ mark on different social media channels.
Whether it be Facebook or Twitter, the BTS fandom ARMY has tried its best to keep the group on top of the Music as well as following social charts. Such is their dedication that they were even able to dethrone Justin Bieber’s record of Top Social Artist on the Billboards charts.
Apart from that, the BTS fandom ARMY has managed to put out massive birthday projects before the birthdays of the different members of the group. Whether it be putting V’s name on the Burj Khalifa or adopting forests under the member’s name, they have done it all. So it’s not shocking that BTS and the ARMY have a great partnership.
2. Marvel Zombies: Marvel Cinematic Universe Fandom
Another fandom that is in the race to become the biggest fandom in the world is that of Marvel Cinematic Universe or the MCU. The Marvel comics have been around for a long time, and generations of people have been their fans for years. They have a very extensive fanbase made up of people of different ages across different genres.
Marvel also has the biggest fandom in the world when it comes to Superhero movies. Superheroes like Iron Man, Spiderman, Captain America, Hulk are all the pallbearers of Marvel. Given how technology and VFX graphics have advanced, the superheroes look very realistic. Which comic fan wouldn’t like to see their comic books turn into reality?
Marvel movies have grossed over 100 million dollars at the box office.
Spider-Man No Way Home is the first pandemic era movie to have grossed $1 Billion in the worldwide box office. Such records show that it’s no surprise that they have the biggest fandom in the world.
3. Potterhead: Harry Potter Fandom
Another Fan-favorite when it comes to fantasy. Harry Potter books written by JK Rowling have garnered a special fanbase from people all around the world. It is a franchise that enjoys fans both in literary as well audio-visual mediums. The members of the fandom of Harry Potter is known as Potterhead.
The first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” was published in 1997. By the time the third Harry Potter book had been published, it had already become world-famous.
It is one of the most well-known book franchises in the world. So, of course, Movies have also been made based on fantasy book series.
Eight different movies have been made based on the seven books of the fantasy series. Harry Potter movies and books both have different fanbases.
Many online fantasy games plus tournaments are created based on the franchise, making it one of the biggest fandoms in the world. Fans of the series are fiercely loyal to the Harry Potter franchise.
The fandom has designated names for different groups of fans. For example, they call people who have never watched any harry potter movie or read any of the books “Muggles”.
Harry Potter has a way of transporting its audience to a magical wonderland. So no wonder it is one of the most popular fantasy series in the world. And not just that, but it also has the biggest fandom in the world when it comes to books.
4. Directioners: One Direction Fandom
Directioners are the followers of the British-Irish Boy band called One Direction. Starting in 2010, the boy band consisted of five members—namely, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
In March 2015, Zayn left the band to pursue solo activities. The band continued as a four-member group, finally going on a hiatus in December 2015.
The Most Loyal Fan Base
From 2011 to 2015, 1D released many albums and chart-topping hits. The group had an insane amount of fan following, and their fans came to be known as Directioners. The group enjoyed massive popularity. So much that even now, after so many years of their disbandment, the fans still hope for their reunion.
The group has a very loyal fanbase. Before their hiatus, One Direction had the biggest fandom in the world among boybands. But with their hiatus, the group has lost a lot of fans. The remaining Directioners still trend hashtags related to the band on Twitter.
5. SPN Family: The Supernatural Fandom
Supernatural is one of the most popular television shows. They also have one of the most popular fan bases on Tumblr.
Fans like the bonding between the characters, and the name of the fandom is SPN Family. SPN is also used as a short form of the name of the show.
The characters, Jared and Jensen, are loved by many fans. One of the biggest fandom in the world when it comes to community social media like Tumblr. The fandom credits the show to have risen from the bottom to the top of success.
The SPN family are very inviting to new members, and no wonder they have one of the most renowned fandoms in the world. The cast and the crew of the show are known to be very friendly and humble. They are also known as J2M standing for Jared, Jensen and Misha.
6. Warsies: Star Wars Fandom
The Star Wars family is, no doubt, one of the biggest fandom in the world. The franchise is one of the oldest fantasy and mythological series.
It was started by George Lucas in 1976, consisting of novels, movies, toys, comic books, video games etc.
It incorporates themes ranging across a wide range from Mythology to political symbology or even religious symbolism. You can easily find all of these themes in the Star Wars Franchise.
No wonder they have become a cultural symbol to all things related to space and fantasy. This is the reason why Star Wars also has one of the oldest fandoms in the world.
On several occasions, the fandom also remains divided on whether something is canon or not. Action Figures and Toys are a huge part of the Star Wars universe. Many people collect action figures and toys from this series.
Given the popularity of the movies, Star Wars has the biggest fandom in the world when it comes to anything related to Sci-fi.
7. Thronies: The Game Of Thrones Fandom
Game of Thrones has been adapted from the book series called “A Song of Fire and Ice” written by George R.R Martin.
Even though the show ended a long time ago, fans still engage in the discourse around it. It’s normal to see memes, reaction videos, Fanfiction written around the series.
The characters of the show are still iconic. The actors of the show are known by the characters that have played the specific roles. This is a reason why it has been in the race to have become the biggest fandom in the world of television series.
The book series is also very well-developed and has a very extensive plotline. Fans all over the world remain loyal to this series.
8. Whovians: Doctor Who Fandom
Doctor Who is also among the cult classic TV shows. The plot of the TV show revolves around a Doctor Who, a time traveler belonging to a species of creatures known as the Time-Lords.
The Doctor Who series is owned and developed by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The intriguing plotline of the series has grabbed the interest and hearts of many people all over the world. This is why it is also known for having the biggest fandom in the world.
The Doctor Who fans in the United Kingdom have started the Doctor Who Appreciation Society (DWAS) since the late 1970s. It is a society for the intensive fanbase of the tv series. This provides the fandom with a safe space to connect over the series and the movies.
9. Bronies: My Little Pony Fandom
When it comes to animated television shows, My Little Pony has the biggest fandom in the world. The animated television show is based on “My Little Pony” toys created by Hasbro.
The audience intended for the toy brand was the kids and their parents. But after the fourth iteration of the brand, the animated television show gained an unexpected Fan base of Male audiences of the ages 13-35.
To acknowledge the older audience, Hasbro and the crew have coined the term “Brony,” which is a combination of Bro and Pony.
The show crew members and the company were all very surprised by the unanticipated audience.
10. Phandoms: Dan And Phil Fandom
Daniel James Howell and Philip Michael Lester are two very famous British YouTubers. They have their separate channel and also have a joint gaming channel known as “DanAndPhilGAMES”.
They usually collab on each others’ videos and also have scripted or cameo appearances too. Their most famous annual YouTube series is “Phil is not on fire”.
They have appeared on various television shows, radio programs, conventions, etc. Their fandom is known as “Phandom” and is considered to be one of the most eccentric fandoms. Not to deny, they are also on the list of the top 10 biggest fandoms in the world.
Notable Mentions
Apart from the above mentioned top 10 list of the biggest fandom in the world, there are a few more that deserve mention.
With high-speed internet now being easily available, Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc., have gained prominence.
Shows like FRIENDS have gained snowballed popularity. The show friends had started in 1994, but the cast had a reunion in 2020.
The popularity of the show led the makers of the show to produce a special reunion episode after 16 years since the show ended! So when it comes to a television show, you can easily trust FRIENDS to have the biggest fandom in the world.
Another fandom that needs to be mentioned is the Otakus or the Anime lovers.
This fandom is no doubt the biggest in the world. Since It is so extensive, it is hard to mention just a single category. Hence, fans of the whole animated Japanese television series make up the greatest fan bases in the world.
Last Updated on by Saket Kumar
