How to get your first 100 real fans

In 2013, Jack Conte of the band Pomplamoose put out a video that got around a million views on YouTube. It earned him roughly $150 in ad money. That gap between attention and support is why he went on to start Patreon.

It's also the most useful lesson for any artist starting out: views are not fans. A million people scrolling past your clip is worth less than a hundred people who'd notice if you stopped making music.

This guide is about finding those hundred people.

Why 100, not 1,000

You've probably heard of "1,000 true fans". It comes from a 2008 essay by Kevin Kelly, who argued that a creator doesn't need millions of fans to make a living, just about a thousand who'll buy anything they make, if each one supports them by around $100 a year. Kelly himself says the number is rough and could be off in either direction.

A thousand is a long way from zero, though. A hundred is a first milestone you can reach in months, and it's where the momentum starts.

Data on how listening actually works backs this up. When SoundCloud and MIDiA Research studied artists on SoundCloud's fan-powered royalties, they found that superfans made up under 2% of an audience but contributed 42% of income for artists who earned more under the system. A small number of people matter enormously.

What counts as a real fan

Let's define it so you can count it. A real fan is someone who:

1. you can reach directly: they're on your mailing list, subscribed to you, or follow you somewhere that tells them when you release, and
2. has shown up more than once: listened to two releases, came to a gig and then bought something, commented twice.

Followers you can't reach and one-off listeners don't count yet. That's fine. They're the people you're turning into fans.

Friends and family

Start with them. They'll listen first, share first and tell you honestly what they think. But don't count them in your hundred. You're looking for people who chose your music without knowing you.

Step 1: Own the connection

Social platforms decide who sees your posts. Your mailing list doesn't. Before you chase new listeners, set up somewhere to keep them.

An email list

• Pick a simple email tool and make one sign-up page.
• Give people a reason: an unreleased demo, a free download, first access to tickets.
• On Bandcamp you can require an email for free downloads, which turns a free track into a sign-up.
• Put the link everywhere: your bio, your track descriptions, a QR code at gigs.

Email from an artist people like gets opened. Benchmarks from MailerLite put average open rates for music newsletters at over 40%. No social platform gets your post in front of that share of your followers.

Follows that notify

Some follows actually reach people: Bandcamp followers get told about new releases, Spotify followers get your songs in Release Radar, and SoundCloud followers see your uploads in their feed. Ask for those follows specifically.

Step 2: Go where your 100 already are

Your first fans are already listening to music like yours. Your job is to show up where they are.

Fans of similar artists

Make a list of five artists at your level or a bit above who sound like you. Then look at who comments on their posts and tracks, which playlists they're on, and which blogs write about them. Those are your people.

Spend 20 minutes a day having real conversations there: replying to comments, sharing music you genuinely like, answering questions. Not "check out my track", just being a recognisable, likeable presence in the scene. When you do release something, people already know your name.

Your local scene

Live music is where casual listeners become fans. Coverage of Luminate's 2025 year-end report found that going to shows was superfans' number-one way of engaging with artists.

You don't need a tour. Open mic nights, support slots, a house show, a set at a friend's night. Every gig, have one way for people to stay in touch: a QR code to your mailing list, or even a paper sign-up sheet.

Collaborations and split bills

A collaboration introduces you to another artist's fans, and theirs to yours. So does sharing a bill, a split release or a playlist. Pick people you respect and whose audience overlaps with yours.

Step 3: Short-form video is the front door, not the home

Short videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts are one of the main ways people find new music. They're also one of the weakest connections: someone who watched 15 seconds of your hook has barely met you.

Use them to bring people to something you own:

• Post the song being made, the story behind a lyric, a live take in your bedroom. People connect to the person, not just the clip.
• Always give a next step: the full song, a pre-save, your mailing list.
• Reply to comments with video replies. It's the fastest way to turn a viewer into someone who remembers you.

Don't measure success in views. Measure it in how many people took the next step.

Step 4: Give people a moment to rally around

People like to be part of something. A release with a clear date and a reason to show up gives your early fans something to do together.

• Announce the date, and tell your list first.
• Ask for one specific thing: listen on the day, share it with one friend, come to the launch gig.
• Thank people by name afterwards.

That's the idea behind Dropkick. Every release gets a launch day, fans upvote it and can subscribe to hear about your next one, and the daily charts are ranked by real listener upvotes, never by payment. It turns "please stream my song" into something your first fans can actively help with, and you can see exactly who showed up.

Step 5: Keep them

Getting a fan once is hard. Keeping them is mostly about attention.

• Reply to everyone while you still can. It won't scale forever, but at a hundred fans it's your biggest advantage over famous artists.
• Email regularly but rarely, once a month or around releases, with something real: a demo, a story, early tickets. Write it like a letter, not an advert.
• Remember people. The person who's commented on every release deserves a thank-you, a shout-out or a free download code.
• Only start a Discord or community when fans ask for one. An empty server feels worse than no server.

Amanda Palmer's record-breaking Kickstarter in 2012 raised over $1.1 million from almost 25,000 backers. It's often told as an overnight success, but it rested on years of answering fans, playing small shows and staying in direct contact. The big moment came from thousands of small ones.

Your first 30 days

This week:

• Set up a mailing list and one sign-up page with a reason to join.
• Make your list of five similar artists and where their fans hang out.
• Message 10 to 20 people who've already engaged with your music, personally, to say thanks.

This month:

• Pick a release date and build towards it.
• Post two or three short videos about the song, each pointing to a next step.
• Play at least one gig or livestream, with a way to sign up.
• Do one collaboration, swap or shared bill with a peer.
• Send your first email, even if it's to 12 people.

How to know it's working

Forget follower counts for now. Track these instead, monthly:

• Mailing list and subscriber count: people you can reach.
• Repeat names: how many people engaged with two or more things you did.
• Saves and repeat listeners in your streaming stats.
• Where they are: cities that keep showing up are where to play next.

When you can name your hundred, you've done the hardest part. The next hundred come faster, because the first hundred bring them.

Quick answers

How many fans do you need to make a living from music? Kevin Kelly's rough answer was 1,000 true fans spending around $100 a year each. In practice it depends on what you sell and what it costs you, but the principle holds: a small, committed audience can sustain you.

Are friends and family fans? They're your first supporters, and they matter. But don't count them when you measure whether strangers are connecting with your music.

Is TikTok worth it for musicians? It's one of the best ways to be discovered. It's a weak way to keep people. Use it to send viewers somewhere you can reach them again.

How long does it take to get 100 fans? It varies widely, but with regular releases, gigs and real conversations, a few months is realistic. Consistency matters more than any single viral moment.