Magic Circles

Abstract

Despite technological change, two elements of the Beatles fan community remain stable: community and artistic expression. Fans want to communicate with fellow enthusiasts. In addition, fans want to contribute to that community, whether through fan fiction, fanzines, books, online discussion groups, YouTube channels, or podcasts. In the 1960s and 1970s, fans bonded primarily in person at record stores, concerts, and fan conventions. Desktop publishing and personal computers let fans design their own fanzines at lower cost. Then the internet changed how fans network and how they contribute to participatory culture. This chapter examines these trends and how fans today communicate with one another and ensure the Beatles’ legacy among younger generations. A survey of multigenerational fans and an interview with a video blogger further illustrate how fans connect today. Two forms of Henry Jenkins’s participatory culture will be applied to how technology has impacted Beatles fandom: affiliation and expression.