Why the masses love the art of Shitposting

The music we listen to undoubtedly shapes our identity. Music embeds itself as the soundtrack accompanying our lived experiences, and acts as the bridge that allows us to reconcile our vast range of emotions.

Whether it be teenage weirdness, monumental occasions, struggles with mental health or grappling with the complexity of relationships, music is the force that voids the isolation felt in these moments. It’s intangible, but effective. What sometimes is lost however, is the link from one avid listener, to the many others that also find themselves deeply resonating with similar music.

The development of Facebook Shitposting groups has been on the rise, and indie music fans have taken the plunge into Shitposting by creating rapidly growing ecosystems in support of their favourite artists. With indie music fans congregating to privately made Facebook groups, the platform to share heart-warming personal stories about interactions with their favourite artists and engage with humorous memes has reached new heights.

One group that has found success in fostering social interaction between fans is Spacey Jane Thrillposting. Founded by Jake and Aaron McMillan to support the Western Australian band Spacey Jane, the two brothers embarked on creating the page to create a fun environment for followers of the band.

“Aaron started the group before we went to see them [at a show],” Jake says.

“I think he decided it would be fun to run Thrillposting together… It’s always more fun when you’re doing it as a team thing.”

The dedicated group’s activity consists of fan made memes, and has been rapidly rising since its inception in January 2019, with now over 5,300 members.

“I always thought it would be more fun to take it as a meme group.”

To Spacey Jane, being the subject of a Shitposting page is a compliment, and a marker of their upward trajectory as a band.

Drummer Kieran Lama says that the band found out about the fan made group all together, and embraced the gesture with excitement.

“It felt as though someone starting a Shitposting group about us was another step towards ‘making it’,” he says.

With the underlying purpose of having fun achieved within the group, the influx of members has allowed the fun to continue on a wider spectrum. The group has broadened its scope from memes to also encapsulate news updates, concert photos, personal stories, merch, special vinyl packages and covers.

Spacey Jane fan Adelyn Hoser shares that whilst being a newer member of the group, she still feels a strong sense of acceptance and connection with posts and other members.

“I gravitate towards the memes and personal stories,” she says.

“It’s nice hearing things that fellow fans or the band has done for others. It’s also good after a stressful day to see some memes about music that I enjoy.”

For the page admins, being in their final year of high school has posed challenges when balancing studies and having to moderate, approve posts and accept member requests. However, the reception towards the group has proven rewarding.

“I’ve gotten a couple of messages about how much [people] love the group and how much it means to them, which is so heart-warming,” Jake says.

Similarly, Thrillposting has been equally validating for the band. “I think it’s super reassuring to know that people care about the music and about us as people too,” Kieran says.

Thrillposting has generated a new sense of belonging, where those who were once strangers have found a shared space to strengthen their social connection.

“Recently someone got sent two CDs instead of the one they ordered and they posted [saying] that they would give it away to someone in the group,” member Adelyn Hoser says.

“They ended up sending it to a person in the group with a lovely message, which is the best thing about these groups.”

With Instagram fan pages being the new normal, Shitposting marks new territory for fan interaction and engagement.

“I used to run a few Instagram fan pages years ago, but with [them] it’s what the account creator wants to post all the time with little interaction with followers,” Jake says.

“Everyone gets to contribute something [on Facebook], and I personally think it’s much better seeing your content mixed with everyone else’s ideas. It’s got more of a collaborative feel.”

Privatised Facebook groups allow for a more niche form of engagement that allows fan communication to be centralised, allowing it to flourish in ways never before possible.

“I think it’s feeling that this is all our secret club, there’s a bit of exclusivity to it,” adds drummer Kieran.

Sharing a similar sentiment, Adelyn believes Thrillposting’s qualities give it an upper hand over Instagram.

“On Instagram only one person can post and everyone else is resigned to commenting. There is more versatility with the Facebook group.”

Thrillposting has harnessed a distinctive intimacy, with the enthusiasm of members being a striking characteristic of the group.

“[The group] is always active so… it’s fresh in regards to content… it just stands out on its own with everyone contributing something,” says page creator Jake.

To Spacey Jane, the frequent activity of the page has amplified their confidence about their musical endeavours and brings a revived eagerness to engage with reviews and feedback.

“It has made us feel excited to see people react and write about our music,” Kieran adds.  

“The immediate support when the album came out was a massive deal.”

The camaraderie through affectionate and humorous interactions circulating in Thrillposting has managed to translate on a face-to-face level. Kieran has observed that the overall community atmosphere at the band’s shows, and even more significantly in large cities has been influenced by the existing connections within the group.

Meaning and sentimental value has been found in all corners of Thrillposting, as the band has not only used the group for entertainment and validation, but as a way to acquaint themselves with fans.

“There are definitely certain names I’ve seen around the group for a very long time now, and it makes me appreciate the dedication and support of our fans that much more,” explains Kieran.

Conversely, fans like Adelyn have relished in the quirky content disseminated in the group, but have also taken a liking to the way it has enabled them to further connect to the personalities of the band members.

“It is great that the band members are in the group because… [it] adds to the authentic feel of the group as a fan base,” says Adelyn.

“It’s more the nuances of the band members…  [It] makes them seem more like everyday people rather than a member of a famous band.”

Thrillposting has demonstrated how a fan club can modernise and revolutionise itself without losing the element of friendliness and acceptance that give it an edge.

“I really do see it that way, especially with the band posting tutorials and [giving us] early access,” Jake says.

Investing in the online zeitgeist has been valuable for the many involved in Spacey Jane Thrillposting. The space has cemented a supportive culture and network that has catapulted fandom into friendship.

“The best thing about the group is seeing… the sense of community the group brings about between everyone and the band… It’s so cool to see people making friends,” shares Jake.

The Shitposting page is now a haven for uplifting content, preposterous memes and vivacious communication between fans, who are now given the opportunity to be united by both their similarities and differences.

Music is subliminally littered into our lives, whether we that’s what we intend for it to do. Facebook Shitposting pages, like Thrillposting elevate the way we connect to music, and pieces together the missing puzzle of the listening process.

Kieran Lama would also like to pass on the message to Spacey Jane fans that, “shitposting is all I know,” and “Spacey Jane would never ever evade taxes or misinform the ATO for financial gain.” 😉

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