When Pop Fandom Becomes a Force for Good with AJR’s Adam Met
2/10/20261 hr 1 min
Fanbases are some of the most powerful forces on the planet.
They show up. They buy the tickets. They travel across countries and time zones. They memorize lyrics, study interviews, hunt for Easter eggs, and turn the smallest detail into an entire universe of meaning. They collaborate, they organize, and they care deeply.
Fan communities are savvy. They are smart. And when they are invited in, they create extraordinary momentum.
Adam Met, best known as the “A” of indie-pop band AJR, believes that this kind of energy can extend far beyond concerts or comm...
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First 90 secondsAdam Met· Guest0:00
Two albums ago, we didn't release a track list. Instead, we took our track list, we cut it up into 36 jigsaw puzzle pieces, and shot the jigsaw puzzle pieces out across the internet. Our fans had to work together across the world in order to put together this jigsaw puzzle. They posted it, and that post got more pickup than pretty much anything that we ever posted.
Simon Sinek· Host0:22
And it wasn't even your post, it was their post.
Adam Met· Guest0:24
It was their post.
Simon Sinek· Host0:25
That, that- It gave them ownership over the music- So your fans- ...
Adam Met· Guest0:28
over the album ...
Simon Sinek· Host0:28
posted the set list to all the other fans.
Adam Met· Guest0:30
Correct.
Simon Sinek· Host0:31
That is beautiful. It's good to be back in New York City. There's something about this place, the rhythm, the chaos, bagels that actually taste the way bagels are supposed to taste, and the chance to hang out with cool New York City kids, like my guest, Adam Met. Then we skip to the good part. Ah. Adam is the A of indie pop band AJR. Here we go. So put your best face on. Everybody raise the roof. He's also a climate activist, founder of the non-profit Planet Reimagined, an adjunct professor at Columbia University- When writing this book ... and the author of best-selling book Amplify.
Adam Met· Guest1:09
People become fans.
Simon Sinek· Host1:10
There's no doubt that Adam is a very busy person. He's also very educated. He has a PhD, after all. But it's the education he got from inside the music industry that's particularly fascinating. More specifically, how he's applying what he's learned from making pop music to develop strategies