"A "4chan stan" isn't a phrase that immediately conjures a distinct image. 4chan is loosely associated with young men, and "stan" is a phrase that's been reclaimed by the girls and gays. Does she mean that the man in question is some kind of gooner? Someone who's into anime GIFs? Does she just mean someone who is online a lot? The rest of the song fails to answer these questions and evades reference to anything else internet-y, focusing instead on litigating receipts and affairs."
"It's a response, seemingly, to the fan response to Swift's image - that of someone who is uncool (compared to Megan, who most people would agree is cool). Lizzo's "STFU" off her most recent album, My Face Still Hurts From Smiling, is all about telling people online to be quiet. "Turn off every podcast mic in this motherfucker" is the opening lyric of the song; she goes on to scold people who "rage-bait for racists" or exhibit "fatherless behavior." It's not the first"
Lily Allen labels an ex "4chan stan" while other pejoratives highlight his flaws, but the phrase's meaning remains ambiguous between online subculture, fandom, or general internet use. Pop music increasingly incorporates online language and behavior as subject matter. Taylor Swift references fans' online talk, memes, and TikTok trends and frames a song as a response to fan interpretations of her public image. Lizzo's "STFU" commands online audiences to be quiet, opens with "Turn off every podcast mic in this motherfucker," and criticizes rage-baiting and "fatherless behavior." These songs translate internet dynamics into characterizations and moral judgments.
Read at Vulture
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]