{"id":25230,"date":"2024-03-14T14:39:34","date_gmt":"2024-03-14T18:39:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.customink.com\/?p=25230"},"modified":"2026-01-30T18:24:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T23:24:02","slug":"merch-booth-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/merch-booth-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"How Americans Promote Their Favorite Musicians"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--<p class=\"last-updated\">Last updated on January 30th, 2026 at 06:24 pm<\/p>--><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25231 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1024x236.png\" alt=\"Evolution of the Merch Booth Header\" width=\"1024\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1024x236.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-300x69.png 300w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-768x177.png 768w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1536x354.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-2048x473.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1920x443.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1680x388.png 1680w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1240x286.png 1240w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-860x198.png 860w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-680x157.png 680w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-500x115.png 500w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-400x92.png 400w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-250x58.png 250w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-200x46.png 200w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-100x23.png 100w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-76x18.png 76w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-50x12.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>How music fans support their favorite artists has evolved far beyond attending live shows and buying albums. Music enthusiasts express their admiration in many ways, from sporting branded merch to streaming tracks on repeat and following social media pages. But what types of music merch do fans want, and where do they want to buy it? Which platforms are they most interested in for listening to or watching their favorite musicians?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we\u2019ll explore these aspects of music fandom, highlighting how fans of various artists and genres show their support through merchandise, digital engagement, and live event attendance. Ready to explore the symphony of support that keeps the music industry vibrant? Let\u2019s hit play.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Metal, electronic, and lo-fi fans buy the most merch.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">K-pop fans spend the most on merch per month, averaging $35.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">K-pop fans are the most likely to buy third-party merch; metal fans are the least likely.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 in 3 music fans repeatedly stream an artist\u2019s music to show their support.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indie, metal, and country fans are the most likely to support their favorite artists by attending a show.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024 Merch Trends<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From metal to K-pop, we uncovered the types of merch different music fan communities prefer to buy in support of their favorite artists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25232 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends.png\" alt=\"Graph of music merch buying trends\" width=\"1600\" height=\"3874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends.png 1600w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-124x300.png 124w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-423x1024.png 423w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-768x1860.png 768w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-634x1536.png 634w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-846x2048.png 846w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-1240x3002.png 1240w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-860x2082.png 860w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-680x1646.png 680w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-500x1211.png 500w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-400x969.png 400w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-250x605.png 250w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-200x484.png 200w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-100x242.png 100w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-76x184.png 76w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends-50x121.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More metal fans purchased merch than any other music genre\u2019s fans in our study \u2014 40% of them, to be exact. Electronic and lo-fi fans followed, with 31% and 30% saying they buy artists\u2019 merch. But, when it came to how much fans have spent annually, K-pop enthusiasts stood out, averaging an impressive $418 in the past year. This finding tracks, given the growing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/k-pop-u-s-touring-business-booming-fandom-grows\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fervor of the K-pop fandom<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends.png\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Looking at yearly merch spending by favorite artists, BTS fans spent the most of all K-pop fans at $826 per year. Here\u2019s how that stacked up against other artists in terms of the top-spending fans of each genre annually:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends.png\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pop: Justin Bieber, $434<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Metal: Iron Maiden, $422<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rock: Arctic Monkeys, $395<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">R&amp;B: Usher, $348<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indie: Bon Iver, $346<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hip-Hop\/Rap: Kendrick Lamar, $329<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jazz: Billie Holiday, $269<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Country: Tim McGraw, $244<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Folk: Simon &amp; Garfunkel, $156<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Men and women were about equally as likely to buy merch to support their favorite artists: 46% of women and 44% of men. Looking at the generational distinctions, Gen X was most likely to do so (49%), followed closely by millennials at 46% and baby boomers at 43%. Gen Z fans were the least likely, with only 32% purchasing merchandise. Maybe younger fans support and engage with their favorite artists in other ways.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Buying-Trends.png\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to know more about what fans want from their favorite artists? Take a look below at the top merch types and features (including colors, fonts, and graphics) by music genre. Spoiler alert: black short-sleeved t-shirts are a winner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25233 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences.png\" alt=\"Chart of merch preferences by preferred music genre\" width=\"1600\" height=\"4224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences.png 1600w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-114x300.png 114w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-388x1024.png 388w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-768x2028.png 768w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-582x1536.png 582w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-776x2048.png 776w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-1240x3274.png 1240w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-860x2270.png 860w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-680x1795.png 680w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-500x1320.png 500w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-400x1056.png 400w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-250x660.png 250w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-200x528.png 200w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-100x264.png 100w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-76x201.png 76w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Merch-Preferences-50x132.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shopping Elsewhere for Merch<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These days, you don\u2019t have to show up at a concert to buy merch. Next, we examine which fans are most likely to shop elsewhere and why.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25234 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources.png\" alt=\"Graphic showing why music fans buy third party merch\" width=\"1600\" height=\"4668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources.png 1600w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-103x300.png 103w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-351x1024.png 351w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-768x2241.png 768w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-526x1536.png 526w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-702x2048.png 702w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-1240x3618.png 1240w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-860x2509.png 860w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-680x1984.png 680w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-500x1459.png 500w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-400x1167.png 400w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-250x729.png 250w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-200x584.png 200w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-100x292.png 100w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-76x222.png 76w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Alternative-Merch-Sources-50x146.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although they\u2019ve spent the most on merch (as we discovered in the last section), K-pop fans were the most likely to balk at high merch prices and buy merch from third-party vendors. But they\u2019re not alone; fans across genres expressed an overall preference for unofficial merch due to cost, design quality, and availability.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But metal fans disagreed \u2014 they were the least likely to buy third-party merch, perhaps valuing the authenticity of official merch or having more access to it due to attending more shows. They also own the most band t-shirts of any other music fan base.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Third-party merch draws in a broad spectrum of music lovers. Fans of Tame Impala, BTS, and Beyonc\u00e9 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">were the most likely to buy this unofficial merchandise. Maybe they were attracted by unique designs that resonated with them better or by the easier access or lower prices these items can offer.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a glance at the artists whose fans were most likely to buy third-party merch, listed by artist genre:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Metal: Slipknot<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indie: Bon Iver<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Folk: Bob Dylan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rock: Arctic Monkeys<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">K-Pop: BTS<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Country: Dolly Parton<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jazz: Ella Fitzgerald<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hip-Hop\/Rap: Jay-Z<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">R&amp;B: Usher<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pop: Beyonc\u00e9<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The likelihood of buying third-party merch also varied by certain demographics. Women (45%) were slightly more likely than men (40%) to opt for these alternatives. And although Gen Z was the generation least likely to buy music merch overall, they were the most likely to buy third-party merch (48%), followed by millennials (47%). These figures contrasted with 38% of Gen X and just 26% of baby boomers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These preferences suggest that many fans balance their desire to connect with their music idols with practical considerations around cost and quality.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other Avenues To Support Artists<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no shortage of ways to engage with musicians and support their art in this digital era. Let\u2019s see the most common methods among various fanbases, from social media to good old-fashioned concert attendance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25235 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch.png\" alt=\"Table of how fans support their favorite artists\" width=\"1600\" height=\"4666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch.png 1600w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-103x300.png 103w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-351x1024.png 351w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-768x2240.png 768w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-527x1536.png 527w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-702x2048.png 702w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-1240x3616.png 1240w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-860x2508.png 860w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-680x1983.png 680w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-500x1458.png 500w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-400x1167.png 400w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-250x729.png 250w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-200x583.png 200w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-100x292.png 100w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-76x222.png 76w, https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/More-Than-Merch-50x146.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two-thirds of music fans have supported their favorite artists by hitting play on their music over and over on streaming platforms, pointing to digital consumption as a means of backing musicians. Similarly, electronic and K-pop fans have repeatedly watched artists\u2019 music videos, adding a visual component.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Musicians can also find a sea of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbesbusinesscouncil\/2023\/09\/22\/utilizing-social-media-in-the-music-industry\/?sh=4650cfba1ac3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fan support on social media<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where metal, rock, and folk enthusiasts often express their fandom by liking artists\u2019 Facebook pages. Meanwhile, country fans have preferred to show support in one of the most time-honored ways: attending live shows. There\u2019s nothing like a live performance to connect with and support musicians.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Future of Artist Merch and Fan Engagement<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The digital age has made the bond between fans and their favorite artists stronger and more multifaceted than ever before. From the tangible connection of merchandise to the digital engagement of streaming and social media interaction, fans have many avenues to connect and show their support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official merch prices have many music fans across genres turning to third-party merch for its affordability, quality, and unique designs. Meanwhile, repeated song streaming has taken over attending live shows as the top method for supporting musical artists in other ways. This evolution has changed how we consume music as well as how we contribute to the success and longevity of our favorite artists.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Methodology<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We surveyed 1,000 American music listeners about their merch-buying preferences. Among them, 49% were men, 50% were women, and 1% were nonbinary or nonconforming. Additionally, 9% were baby boomers, 27% were Gen X, 50% were millennials, and 13% were Gen Z. For preferred genre analysis, respondents could choose up to three of their favorite genres; 62% selected rock, 54% pop, 32% hip-hop\/rap, 21% country, 19% R&amp;B, 18% indie, 14% electronic, 14% classical, 11% jazz, 10% folk, 7% lo-fi, and 6% K-pop. For preferred artists, respondents were allowed to select as many as they wanted, but we only analyzed artists that were supported by at least 5% of our respondents.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About Custom Ink<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Custom Ink has been helping teams, businesses, schools, and families create <a href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/products\/apparel\/857\">custom apparel<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/products\/promotional-products\/218\">promo products<\/a> for over 25 years. Whether you&#8217;re designing <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/products\/t-shirts\/4\">custom t-shirts<\/a> for a company event, <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/products\/sweatshirts\/hoodies\/71\">hoodies<\/a> for your sports team, <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/products\/sweatshirts\/13\">sweatshirts<\/a> for a family reunion, or <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/products\/hats\/1\">custom hats<\/a> for your business, our <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/ndx\">free online design lab and t-shirt designer<\/a> makes it simple to bring your vision to life. Upload your own artwork, add text, or start with one of our templates\u2014no design experience needed. Every order includes free shipping on standard delivery, and our team is available 7 days a week to help with any questions.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fair Use Statement<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re captivated by the ways music fans support their favorite artists and wish to share these insights, feel free to spread the word for any noncommercial use. We only ask that you provide a link back to this page, ensuring your audience can access our full findings and methodology.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How music fans support their favorite artists has evolved far beyond attending live shows and buying albums. Music enthusiasts express their admiration in many ways, from sporting branded merch to streaming tracks on repeat and following social media pages. But what types of music merch do fans want, and where do they want to buy it? Which platforms are they most interested in for listening to or watching their favorite musicians? In this article, we\u2019ll explore these aspects of music fandom, highlighting how fans of various artists and genres show their support through merchandise, digital engagement, and live event attendance. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-customink-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Americans Promote Their Favorite Musicians - Custom Ink Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore music fan communities\u2019 music merch-buying trends, which fans are the most supportive, and how they support artists beyond the merch booth.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/merch-booth-trends\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Americans Promote Their Favorite Musicians - Custom Ink Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore music fan communities\u2019 music merch-buying trends, which fans are the most supportive, and how they support artists beyond the merch booth.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/merch-booth-trends\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Custom Ink Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/customink\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-14T18:39:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T23:24:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.customink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1024x236.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Stephanie Martinez\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@customink\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@customink\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Stephanie Martinez\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.customink.com\\\/blog\\\/merch-booth-trends\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.customink.com\\\/blog\\\/merch-booth-trends\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Stephanie Martinez\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.customink.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ec67247acc4ac4c44d4f84a82a8e5358\"},\"headline\":\"How Americans Promote Their Favorite Musicians\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-14T18:39:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-30T23:24:02+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.customink.com\\\/blog\\\/merch-booth-trends\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1281,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.customink.com\\\/blog\\\/merch-booth-trends\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.customink.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/Evolution-of-the-Merch-Booth-Header-1024x236.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Custom Ink News &amp; 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