Theory of 1000 Fans

In 2008, Kevin Kelly put forth The Theory of 1000 Fans, which essentially posits that any creative needs only one thousand true fans in order to make a living. It is a theory that I think can provide artists with an attainable business goal that can radically shift their economic well-being. 

As defined by Kevin Kelly, a true fan is one who will buy anything that you produce. They will drive or fly for hours to hear you sing and purchase trinkets and shirts.

 In order to make the theory truly work (especially if you live in a major metropolitan area), you’ll need to meet two criteria. 1st you’ll need to produce enough work to profit $100 from each of these fans in order to produce $100,000 in profit. 2nd you’ll need to have a direct relationship with your fans, i.e you share no percentage with publishers, labels, or merchandize producers. 

While many of us dream of millions of fans screaming our songs, one thousand fans is a much more accessible number to reach for. That said, not every fan is a super fan who will drop $100 into your bucket every year. In order to accrue that many true fans, you’ll also have other circles of regular fans who might occasionally purchase something or more sporadic fans who check in on you once every few years. 

Cultivating 1000 fans is no joke. Even if you accrue one true fan per day, you’ll still require 3 years of fan-making in order to obtain a livable wage. That said, do not be discouraged. Instead, let the theory of 1000 fans guide you as you build out your fanbase. It is a recipe for success rather than stardom, for livability rather than fortune. But, I have found, that for many, it is the right place to begin.