Okay, a questions on what constitutes liking a band/artist.
 

Okay so, here's the example. Me and Coldplay. I personally only like about 5 songs out of their entire discography. I say, I like them...but I guess in reality, I don't really like them because the ratio of songs i like to the ones i dont is so high.

Do you think I like them? Or do I not really count as a fan?

If someone only like 5 songs out of Ayu's discography would you consider them a fan?

I wouldn't say that liking 5 songs from an artist that has released a ton of songs makes you a fan. It's like me and Maroon 5, I like about 3 or 4 songs, but definitely would not consider myself a fan. If an artist released only 10 songs and you like 5, then I would say you could probably say you're a fan, but I think that liking anything less than half of the songs doesn't make you a fan. I don't really think it's something anyone is going to fault you on either way, but that's just my personal opinion on the matter.

If a person only likes 5 songs, it's probably cos' he or she hasn't listened to the rest of Ayu's discography. =D In other words: impossible. XDD

But it depends on how much you like the songs. If 5 songs = enough to make you love them, maybe it's enough to make you a fan? But if it's 5 songs = like them but not that much, then eh, maybe not. XD I don't think the matter is purely quantitative in terms of songs. =D

why not? i'd say you are a fan, just not a massive fan

i say, if you are interested in listening to the albums of a artist/band that makes you a fan -- i mean, i get my hands on all of Kumi's albums, but only like a few songs from each (the upbeat ones) -- but i still consider myself a fan.

If the amount of disliked songs is much greater than the liked songs...eh. You also have to take into account whether you like the general style in the first place, and if the songs you happen to like are different from the norm. To me that indicates one not being a fan. :D

hmm... with me, I think that if you really like at least one album's worth of songs by an artist, you're a fan :D For example, I only have one album by Vanessa Carlton, but I absolutely LOVE it to death, so I consider myself a fan of hers xD

I'm like that with a lot of artists, Coldplay is one of them. I wouldn't say you're a fan, you just like some of it.

I'd say you're what's known as just a "casual fan". Do you like Violet Hill btw? <3

I don't think the percentage of songs you like/total songs the artist produced is necessarily the most important thing. There's also how much of those few particular songs you actually do like are really that awesome for you, and how much you'd listen to them compared to other artists you like. We should also consider the ability of those songs you like to resist overplaying and time (still be enjoyable after years).

I consider myself a Kylie fan (not a hardcore, or die-hard fan, but I look forward for her releases and I enjoy her work), even though, I think most of her albums have a lot of fillers, and I haven't even listened to close half her discography, but the songs I love from her, I really do love them VERY MUCH, and even will listen to some of them much more than certain songs from certain artists I enjoy most of their discographies entirely.

Another example: I LOOOOOOOOOOOVe hitomi very much. i'm a huge fan of her. I don't really care for her TK albums (which are over 4-5 albums) + I don't care that much for her LOVE CONCENT album (I like over 4-5 songs on it) and TRAVELER album (also over 4-5 songs I like), leaving barely 3 albums I really love to death (thermo plastic, huma rhythm and LOVE LIFE). However, even though it looks rather drastic, there are sooo many songs I love from her, and the ones I love, I love them sooo much, that I'm not afraid to consider myself a fan of her, and a good one. If i'd put the ammount of songs I like/I dislike or don't care, the ones I dislike or don't care would probably win, but it doesn't matter, because the quality of those I like outweighs a simple number of tracks.

You are a fan of those 5 tracks out of their whole library. Nothing wrong with that, it just means you appreciate them as artists, but you wouldn't go and see them live for example.

I would consider myself "appreciative" of a lot of J-pop artists for that same reason.

I wouldn't call it being a fan. If someone asks you, "Do you like Coldplay?" and you say, "Well, I like a few of their songs.. but not really." That doesn't make you sound like much of a fan at all, ya know? I think that goes for a lot of artists.


..Would you include them under "Music" on myspace? :swink

I dunno, I think you should say whatever you feel comfortable with. There are artists whom I only have 1 album from, but I still say that I'm a fan and love their stuff.

It seems like Coldplay are hit-and-miss with you, with emphasis on the miss.
I think that in order to count yourself as a fan, you'd have to like more than 5 songs out of their discography. I'd say that you'd fit in as a casual listener.

EDIT: I thought things over a bit. If you like the 5 songs and don't like the other, let's say, 30 songs, at all, then you're definitely not a fan. But if you like the 5 songs and you just haven't gotten around to listening their other songs yet, for whatever reason, you could be a fan in the makings.

Of course...NOT!
you have to like most of their songs to be a fan :)

if you like just 5 songs, then you casually like their music.

hmm...i decided personally, that i like the band, even if most of their stuff i dont like.

i consider myself a fan, even if the other fans don't think so. :)

You took the words right out of my mouth.

yeah i guess so.. its okay to like just 5 songs.. maybe in future u may like more songs from them ? A fan, but not a crazy one ~ :laugh

You'd consider yourself an "ardent devotee" (dictionary.com definition) of a band who's material you mostly don't like?

I think being a fan means you own at least one album. You can be a fan of those songs you like, but calling yourself a fan of the band is not accurate.

I think just liking the music means you like the music.
Investing actual money in the band,
or just fan-boying/girling out about them,
monitoring their news, downloading their albums,
cheering when they top the charts-
That's what makes a fan.