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Who’s Your Favorite Artist?
Who’s Your Favorite Artist?,A guide to music’s biggest stans and what they stand for: BTS’s ARMY, Beyoncé’s Beyhive, Taylor Swift’s Swifties, Justin Bieber’s Beliebers, Cardi B’s Bardi Gang, Harry Styles’s Harries, Rihanna’s Navy, Britney Spears’s Britney Army, and more.

Who’s Your Favorite Artist?

Stans aren’t exactly known for being chill. These ultradedicated fans are either using their collective power for charity and activism — K-pop devotees once spammed police, who were looking for videos of protesters, with fan-cams — or they’re going to impressive (and sometimes unhinged) lengths to defend or promote their favorite artists. It’s all or nothing all the time. While it would be impossible to list every single musical standom under the sun, here’s a guide to help you better identify some of the major players right now. Proceed with caution.

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Phoebe Bridgers’s Pharbz




















The stan name: Stans began calling themselves Harajuku Barbiez after one of the rapper’s most famous alter egos. The shortened name, Barbz, caught on so much that even Nicki’s 2017 attempt to change it to “the Kingdom” failed.

Calling card(s): ?, a favorite of Nicki’s.

What they’re up to: Getting acquainted with her latest alter ego, “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” ahead of her upcoming album.

How far they’ll go: After a pop-culture commentator criticized her lyrics, Nicki herself commanded stans in a since-deleted tweet to “Go beat dat n – – – – – like he stole smthn.” He claimed that Barbz then leaked his address and phone number, sending so much hate that he started a GoFundMe to fight the “bullying.” At least two other times, Nicki’s tweets (or her likes) have similarly encouraged Barbz to attack her critics.

Likes: Sachin, the Barb who once did a mock job interview with Nicki on Instagram Live and told her to focus on getting her music done on time; the Nicki Minaj American flag; Ariana Grande, who Nicki famously declared runs pop.

Dislikes: Other rappers whom Nicki has beefed with, including Cardi B, Remy Ma, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, and many more.

Thank you for subscribing and supporting our journalism. If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this article in the March 27, 2023, issue of New York Magazine.

Want more stories like this one? Subscribe now to support our journalism and get unlimited access to our coverage. If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this article in the March 27, 2023, issue of New York Magazine.