Superfans turn T-pop into Thailand’s next big export

A new Thai pop export story is being written not only in recording studios, but in concert queues, fan-meeting halls, airport arrivals and shopping aisles.

As T-pop pushes further beyond Thailand, its biggest commercial force may no longer be the casual listener who streams a hit song once. It is the “superfan”, the committed supporter who buys tickets, collects merchandise, follows artists across borders, backs brand campaigns and keeps fandom activity moving long after a song goes viral.

That loyalty is now becoming central to the industry’s growth. SCB EIC expects combined revenue among T-pop labels to reach Bt11 billion in 2026 before rising to Bt13 billion by 2029, equal to average annual growth of about 5.8%.

The forecast places T-pop within a broader recovery of Thailand’s music industry, which returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 after Covid-19 disrupted concerts and live events.

The export potential is already visible. Thai pop has been gaining listeners across ASEAN, China and even Latin America, while some fans are travelling internationally to watch Thai artists perform.

Thai group BUS because of you i shine has begun its first Asian fan-con tour, reflecting how Thai idol culture is moving from domestic popularity into a more regional entertainment business.

SCB EIC said T-pop’s rise over the past four to five years has been supported by streaming platforms, social media virality, higher production standards and the popularity of Thai Boys’ Love and Girls’ Love series, which often help turn soundtrack performers into music stars.

Thai artists have also gained opportunities on major international stages such as Coachella and Summer Sonic, while global players have shown greater interest in Thailand’s music market.

Younger audiences are driving much of the shift. Data cited by SCB EIC showed that Thai songs’ share of domestic music streaming rose from 35% in 2021 to 50% in 2024.

Its consumer survey also found that 71% of respondents were listening to more T-pop, with the figure rising to 81% among Gen Z listeners.

Spotify’s RADAR Thailand playlist saw streams more than double between 2023 and 2024, while its listener base expanded to the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

That growing digital reach has helped Thai music travel faster than traditional export models, especially when short-form social media turns songs, dance moves and artist clips into viral content.

But the money is not coming from streaming alone. SCB EIC noted that average revenue per stream remains low, at around 0.01-0.36 baht per play, pushing artists and labels to build business models around deeper fan engagement rather than play counts alone.

That is where superfans change the economics. MIDiA Research data cited in the analysis found that superfans may account for only 1.9% of an artist’s listener base, yet can generate as much as 42% of artist revenue through fan funding, merchandise and special activities.

SCB EIC’s own survey also found that 86% of fans who support artists spend repeatedly across categories such as concert tickets, albums, photo books, merchandise and fan meetings.

The result is a fan economy that reaches far beyond record labels.

Concert organisers, venues, lighting and sound providers, ticketing platforms, advertising media, fandom-marketing agencies, food trucks, hotels, restaurants, retailers, airlines and public transport operators can all benefit when fan communities gather around artists.

Large T-pop concert rounds in Thailand increased from 37 in 2024 to 51 in 2025, while more than 30 had already been staged in the first half of 2026.

Brands are also following the fans. According to SCB EIC, 84% of fans buy products or services endorsed by artists they follow. That has turned artist presenters into sales engines for campaigns built around special packaging, photo cards, limited collections, fan-meeting privileges and lucky-fan activities.

Outdoor advertising, shopping-mall screens and transport ads also gain extra value when fans photograph, share and promote artist-linked campaigns online.

For Thailand, the opportunity is bigger than a few hit songs. T-pop has the chance to become a cultural export that sells music, live experiences, fashion, tourism, intellectual property and brand partnerships together.

SCB EIC said the industry has room to expand overseas, especially in ASEAN and East Asia, through international stages, foreign partnerships and stronger domestic fandoms.

The industry has already begun moving in that direction. Rapper MILLI has been cited as an example of a Thai artist gaining wider international recognition after joining South Korea’s Show Me The Money, while Thai labels are increasingly looking to co-production, foreign distribution and overseas partnerships as faster routes into new markets.

A major signal came from GMM Music’s strategic partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment Group and Tencent, under which the Chinese partners agreed to take a 10% stake in GMM Music through cash and a minority stake in JOOX Thailand, valuing the Thai music company at US$700 million.

GMM Music said the partnership would help expand Thai music into larger markets, including China, and create more opportunities around the fandom economy.

Still, turning T-pop into a lasting export industry will not be easy.

SCB EIC warned that Thai music faces intense competition from K-pop, foreign artists entering Thailand, new domestic labels, independent acts and actors or influencers moving into music.

K-pop remains a powerful benchmark, with strong fanbases, high purchasing power, larger capital reserves and mature international management networks.

Thailand’s advantages lie elsewhere: artists who are seen as natural and approachable, music that blends Thai pop identity with international production, and a strong crossover audience from Thai BL and GL content.

Those strengths can help T-pop compete, but SCB EIC said the industry still needs more internationally skilled behind-the-scenes professionals, including A&R managers, music-business specialists and copyright experts.

Capital is another constraint, especially for smaller labels and independent artists.

Developing an artist for international markets requires heavy upfront spending on training, production, marketing, touring and content, while returns can take years.

Thailand’s financial system also still offers limited support for using music copyrights and other intellectual property as collateral.

Government policy is beginning to address the gap. SCB EIC noted that Thailand has supported music through its soft-power agenda, including THACCA and the Creative Economy Agency’s Music Exchange project, which aims to help Thai artists reach international festivals while connecting local music businesses with foreign organisers.

The Creative Economy Agency has previously set out a “PUSH & PULL” strategy to send Thai artists to international stages and bring global festival organisers and industry decision-makers to Thailand.

The project was expected to support more than 70 performances by 48 Thai artists at 46 international festivals, reaching an estimated global audience of 34.9 million.

SCB EIC said Thailand would need four key upgrades if T-pop is to move faster into global markets: a clear music-industry strategy, better financial and tax support, a more connected music ecosystem, and stronger copyright and intellectual-property management.

It also suggested that Thailand develop more complete infrastructure for talent, studios, performance venues, export channels and licensing systems.

The challenge now is to turn fandom into a durable industry. T-pop already has young listeners, digital reach, a growing concert economy and fans willing to spend.

The next step is building the system around that energy, so Thai pop can move from viral entertainment to one of Thailand’s most promising cultural exports.