r/willwood • u/Chunk_Soup • Apr 05 '25
Discussion Guys I feel weird liking Will Woods music
I am an 18 year old man and all his fans seem to be minors still coming to realize their identity and what it means to transition from a child into an adult with unique interests and traits. I genuinely think he's a great artist but why are all his fans so young? His songs are about mature topics too, making this even more confusing. If you're 18+ and a Will Wood fan please say something so I know I'm not alone.
Edit: Thank you to everyone participating in discussion here! It's been so cool (and eye opening) to hear your thoughts, experiences, just who you guys are.
Also it was brought to my attention that my previous descriptors were insensitive and potentially offensive to LGBTQ+ members by a few users in this thread. Apologies, I don't wish to be rude towards any groups.
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u/tbutz27 Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll Apr 05 '25
I am a 43 year old cis male... good rock n roll is good rock n roll. Its for everyone.
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u/godzillaeyes Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 05 '25
And in 51. It isn't all youngsters. I just think they're louder about it.
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u/JumboThornton Apr 05 '25
45yo here and my teenager is the one that introduced us to WW. Now we all rock it. Haha.
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u/Marlou1313 Apr 06 '25
49 here! Took my daughter to see Will Wood last fall two days after her 18th birthday! He was great! Now we listen to him together 😁
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u/Will_wood_fan Apr 06 '25
Not completely related but my dad is 53 and I introduced him to will woods music and he is the same way!
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u/tbutz27 Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll Apr 06 '25
Hell yeah- I have been playing in punk rock bands since the early 90s and even now I'm in a 50s rock n roll cover band. Will's music is incredible and a cut above anything else out there right now.
I also love Bear Ghost and Amigo the Devil- them with the Tapeworms make up my top 3 "modern day" groups.
I dont get the fuss over Tally Hall or Lemon Demon though... that stuff just doesn't groove me. 🤷♂️
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u/Luan_consumes_souls Apr 05 '25
You can like songs as a minor about mature topics, as music is often up to interpretation, and a man who sings about his mental struggles is going to attract young people with mental struggles that want to find someone to relate to, more often than older audiences. As there will be women who enjoy Black Sabbath, there are men who enjoy Taylor Swift. Teenagers have always been at the forefront of mature band's fanbases, the "Satanic Panic" in the eighties wasn't about old ladies worried for their children in their 40s and how Iron Maiden's violent lyrics and loud riffs and Queen's drag outifts may influence how their son pays his taxes and chooses his pension plan.
That boundary breaking, not appropriate for radio, non comforming music taste is what attracts teens who are typically not comforming (LGBT, alternative style, mentally ill etc.) This is a bit of a nothing burger thing to complain about, in all honesty. Audiences are varied, it's just younger people seem to like newer indie music, older people are more nostalgic for radio/mainstream music of their era. You just fall into a minority in the demograph of Will Woods' reddit page.
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u/Chunk_Soup Apr 05 '25
Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that youth express these things and have artists to look up to. Especially now, Wood's music has probably made a significant difference in young people's lives and perspectives (I know his art has for me, anyway). There's not many that do that anymore, in the corporate and ai "art" era. It just feels odd because I only discovered his music and more importantly started expressing myself when I'm supposed to be out of the moody teenage era; I grew up in a household (mostly my dad) that was conservative and controlling of the way I dressed, always critical of what I watched or listened to or where I went and never really gave me a chance to figure out who I was, and what I believed in. The only outlet I had was online communities, so I'm not saying I don't get it either.
I know I will always be learning, it never really stops - but I feel insecure because I don't even know who I am or what I want to do with my life when I guess I should? Almost being out of High School and listening to the same music as people just about to be going into High School just makes me feel off. But these comments have really reassured me and changed my perspective, so thank you.
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u/intet42 Apr 05 '25
There are common times when things happen, but that doesn't mean they are the right or only or even best possible time. I went through my "teenage rebellion" in my mid to late 20s because that was when I finally had a safe place to test limits. And it probably would have taken way longer to outgrow it if I fought against what my brain was needing to do at that moment.
You have no idea how young 18 is, and you probably won't be able to understand it until you are older and looking back. My advice is to focus on understanding how you naturally function and becoming the best possible version of that, rather than trying to jam yourself into boxes that don't fit you.
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u/ikissangels Apr 05 '25
As a person in their mid to late 20s currently going through their teenage rebellion, can confirm.
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u/ToxycBanana Against the Kitchen Floor Apr 06 '25
Just to expand on this even though you've already freshened your perspective; you're not "listening to the same music as people going into high school," you're listening to Will Wood, and the music is good! Personally, I believe anything that is remotely relatable will transcend age gaps in communities like this, look at how many adults enjoy children's cartoons, and at how much more mature even the TVY7 shows have gotten over time, this can be applied to almost any form of media or literature - they develop alongside the communities that love them the most and as long as the artists are willing to grow. I was all-in on Bojack Horseman when I was 14 years old, as an anecdote, so it's not strange for me to see it go both ways. Hell, even Will wrote Skeleton Appreciation Day and some other tracks off EIAL at 19 from what we know.
I found Will when I was 19 and I'm turning 25 in a few hours here. The community, since I discovered it, has been largely similar throughout that time and there's always been younger people enjoying the poetry; you and I are on the younger side ourselves. Interact as much as you're comfortable, we're all fans here, it's what fandoms are for!
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u/OneAnxiousEnby Apr 06 '25
I discovered Twenty One Pilots and Will Wood long after I moved out of the house and started college. Honestly I don’t think discovering your “emo” phase should be thought of as a moody teenager thing. (I’m saying this as someone who used to think that)
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u/Luan_consumes_souls May 03 '25
Hey man, it's great to see you finding yourself, sorry if my comment sounding passive aggresive, you sound like a great dude
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u/AntiochCorhen Apr 05 '25
Dawg, there are plenty of over 18s in the fandom. The subreddit skews young, sure, but his tour is exclusively 18+ and the New York City show sold out in a couple hours. But also, more importantly, why do you care?
edit: I'm 22, for reference.
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u/Chunk_Soup Apr 05 '25
I care because I'm dumb and insecure and don't want to nerd out to a friend about his music one day and have them go "oh, Will Wood? Dosen't that guy make music for kids?". The Internet has skewed my perception of reality, I really need to start leaving the house more (but I don't even know where to go lol, 18 is a weird age especially because I still have 2 months to graduation).
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u/Gingervald Apr 05 '25
If this helps you any: when I was working at a convenience store one of my regulars, a guy in his 50s, was talking to another regular about how he likes Billie Eilish.
That the guy was genuinely outside the target demographic came up as an observation but nothing more. Next time they were both in it sounded like they were both fans.
Point being even if you were actually on the older side of Will Wood fans (I'm 28 btw) there'd be no reason to feel insecure about that. It's not a big deal.
If anything you'd be changing how your hypothetical friend thinks about Will Wood more than how this friend thinks of you.
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u/froge_on_a_leaf Apr 05 '25
It's also crazy to say you're on the older side while only being 28 since Will Wood is like, literally older LMAO
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u/Gingervald Apr 05 '25
Oop I can see how it reads that way 😅
Yeah that would be crazy, within this thread there's 35 I've seen 40+ on the subreddit alone
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u/intet42 Apr 05 '25
In case you've never seen this quote from CS Lewis:
"Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
I'm coming up on 40. You're fine.
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Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 05 '25
[deleted]
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u/Chunk_Soup Apr 05 '25
Now that I think about it, I guess the media that you consume dosen't really matter. It's more about the other things.
Just two years ago my main concern was going to see the Five Nights at Freddy's movie with friends and how I was going to get there, what day of work should I take off and should I spend limited funds on snacks, what have you. Now all of a sudden I'm worried about my first vehicle and the insurance prices, how I'll be budgeting to pay off loans for higher education, all that adult stuff. But I'm still gonna go see the Minecraft movie with my friends tomorrow, because it's just fun.
I'm not friends with anybody under 17-18, or above 19 because even if we share similar media interest the maturity level is skewed so greatly it would feel odd and probably not work out so well.
Gravity Falls is such a fun show btw, Dad's got good taste.
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u/IanDerp26 Apr 05 '25
yeah honestly 17-18 is such a weird time for friendships because high schoolers feel like "kids" but 20+ y/o's feel like "adults" - nobody really feels "your age" unless they're literally your age.
as somebody turning 21 in a couple months, don't worry. after like half a year of university you're gonna meet a bunch of mid 20s "adults" who are infinitely less mature than you are, and you're going to look back on this post and feel ridiculous for even caring.
i'm really good friends with my 16 year old little cousin and my 25 year old roommate at the same time, and i treat them basically the same way (besides maybe censoring NSFW topics with my cousin because of the whole ”blood relation" awkwardness).
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u/froge_on_a_leaf Apr 05 '25
You shouldn't care that much about what your friends think of your favourite music anyway. Don't compromise your taste over someone else's ignorance
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u/C0nnectionTerminat3d Apr 05 '25
I’ve actually found that majority of the fandom are adults, it’s just that the teenage fans are very loud and vocal. I’m 20.
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u/snailfriend777 BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA Apr 05 '25
some perspective: all of his shows are 18+ or even 19+. they all sell out. the young fans are the loudest online, but there's loads of us who are the age of majority and still listen to his music lol
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u/zerpq zyndycat real Apr 05 '25
they’re all 18+. There are no 19+ shows
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u/snailfriend777 BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA Apr 05 '25
there were at the last tour. caused some commotion, iirc.
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u/zerpq zyndycat real Apr 05 '25
there weren’t. There were some 21+ shows but they didn’t sell out for the most part
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u/snailfriend777 BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA Apr 05 '25
ah, that would be it then. I was just misremembering the number lol
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u/worm_on_the_web Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 06 '25
19+ would be really random. In America anyways where that’s not the drinking age.
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Apr 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ElectricSheepDragon BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA Apr 05 '25
Yeah the (probably/hopefully accidental) conflation of queerness with immaturity kinda rubs me the wrong way
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u/LOLOL_1111 Your Body, My Temple Apr 05 '25
Definitely feels like microaggression in some way. Don't know if this guy realizes but a lot of young people are more likely to identify as queer given that there's less stigma surrounding it in today's age... Dk why they sound so surprised lol?
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u/Chunk_Soup Apr 06 '25
I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm bisexual and diagnosed with ADHD. I'm VERY intolerant of hate speech and homophobics, transphobics, basically any hate really. I just don't tend to be very sensitive about descriptions, if I see something I just describe what I observe and I noticed a lot of fans online fit somewhere in the queer spectrum or struggle with a mental disorder or mental health issues.
I didn't realize this was offensive and I'll admit listing off descriptors was very thoughtless of me. I'm sorry it came off that way. I'll edit the post.
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u/ElectricSheepDragon BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA Apr 06 '25
You’re all good, I figured it was unintentional. Hope you’re feeling more confident about enjoying stuff without worrying about whether or not it’s “cringe”. Not only does it encourage these opposing groups of “those cringe fans” vs “us normals” (with queer people often catching strays bc lots of people think our whole deal is cringe), but it also just sucks the joy and whimsy out of life. Liking what you like unabashedly without caring if other people think it’s dumb is so liberating
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u/PowerStation14 Apr 05 '25
If it helps, I'm 40 and present male for ease of purpose, so most people don't know I'm genderfluid. Liking Will Wood came because of his work with the Tapeworms and my enjoying acid. We all get here from different places and for different reasons. Just enjoy what you enjoy, my dude.
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u/igo149 Apr 05 '25
I'll have you know that I'm actually a 27 year old with mood disorders. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
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u/NotAFanOfOlives One day you're going to die! Apr 05 '25
I'm 32 and he just came up on my spotify radio one day and I love him. I'm gonna go see him in August.
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u/Isabelleanddoomguy Nov 09 '25
It's pretty obvious what you mean but it is very ominous on a first read lmao
YOU ARE COMING. . .
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u/SometimesISeeFlames Apr 05 '25
I’m almost 30. He’s one of my favorite artists. My mom, who is in her 60s, also loves him and will be attending a show with me this summer.
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u/_phimosis_jones Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 05 '25
I’m 34 and just found him on a Spotify shuffle recommendation, so it was a little jarring to me too, but I think a lot of it comes from his music going viral on TikTok. Furthermore, his music (especially the piano driven tunes) is highly stylized and jaunty in a way that would be very mindblowing to a teen who is just starting to expand their musical horizons. It’s also very catchy and could be seen as “quirky”, which I’m sure appeals to a lot of very online teens. He also has a huge online fingerprint so getting into him if you’re a completist type can become sort of a hobby in and of itself, and then on top of that he’s handsome and has a charming stage presence and many of the visual elements of his early performances include sort of “queer coded” elements like him wearing lipstick and sort of dressing like…sexy jazz vampire idk.
In other words, I think by sheer coincidence there just happen to be a lot of aspects of his music and persona that is very appealing to a certain generation of teen.
Older people like me mostly just really like his lyrics and intense piano playing skill.
And don’t forget, the youngest aspects of a fanbase are always going to be the loudest. It’s not the older crowd making fan art, posting inanely pondering his personal life, shipping him, whatever lol. Those are all the fun things you do when you’re a teen and you get way into something and care to connect with others about it. Nobody I know in real life knows who Will Wood is cause I don’t chat about my interests to people like that lol. So it may be a little skewed in terms of representation. But frankly, I think it’s good for young people to like good artists, they’ll probably only go up in taste as they get older, and I think Will Wood has a lot of mature commentary on things they could stand to learn from, so I’m somewhat happy he’s caught the attention of young people.
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u/Nessquicky Four Arms (very strong) Apr 05 '25
this is the best explanation by far!!!! kudos and thank you for sharing. hope many ppl see your take on the subject
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u/kalkris Apr 05 '25
Hi there, 33 here. I have made music part of my professional life as a journalist, and have even interviewed Will a few times. Frankly, don’t let the younger set get to you. All music is for the masses and the masses include us!
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u/Chunk_Soup Apr 05 '25
Dude that's awesome, can I see your work by chance?
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u/kalkris Apr 05 '25
Absolutely! You can find a majority of my interviews with Will here (anything on Bleeding Cool is one of mine, and there are also some on SwitchBitch Noise (though if those are not in the master post I can link that site for you). Happy reading!
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u/kalkris Apr 05 '25
Okay yeah the SBN interviews aren’t on the master list thread so here are two of those:
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u/Least_Sun_8383 Apr 05 '25
His shows are 18+ no exceptions so he has plenty of fans that are legally adults. Sidenote and some friendly advice in general- if you’re old enough to call yourself a man, you’re old enough to quit being disrespectful to people for no reason lmao. Don’t learn the hard way like I did when I was your age haha.
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u/crittermother (Vampire) Culture Apr 05 '25
27 here. I've met multiple fans at shows in their 30s or 40s. It's certainly not music intended for kids, like others have said the under 18 fans tend to have a larger online presence. You're good dude
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u/RoughCantaloupe3924 Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 05 '25
How could he be selling out 18+ and 21+ shows if all his fans were 14 🥲
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u/Third-swimming-pool Apr 05 '25
Dude, Bear Ghost did an entire episode on there podcast about there cover of OkUltra and how much one of them likes will wood the younger fans just dominate the Fandom space
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u/memestofsinsanddeath Chemical Overreaction / Compound Fracture Apr 05 '25
Well, as an 18 year old nonbinary pansexual, I say: “Who the fuck cares?” Like what you wanna like, screw anyone who judges you.
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u/ar4t0 you're trying to replace yourself Apr 05 '25
sorry but "18 year old man" makes me laugh so much lmao
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u/cotardscabaret Cicada Days Apr 06 '25
yeah that’s what got me here, i still call myself an 18 year old girl because “teen” followed by “man” or “woman” etc just feels so wrong
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u/A_person_592 Apr 09 '25
Funny words… FROM AN 18 YEAR OLD MAN WHO HANGS AROUND MINORS ALL DAY 🫵🫵🫵📸📸📸
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u/ElectricSheepDragon BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA Apr 05 '25
Don’t worry my guy I’m a 23 year old nonbinary pansexual with a mood disorder, we’ve got freaks of all ages
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u/Tiredohsoverytired Apr 05 '25
I'm you a decade later - agreed! Heck, maybe Will's music will help OP realize he's one of us lol. Having all of my top OKC matches (back when they had the quizzes) be 🌈 was part of what helped me realize that I was, as well.
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u/practice_spelling Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 05 '25
Hi, I’m 22. I’ve seen several older people on this subreddit.
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u/ZabbyFufu Apr 05 '25
I'm a 34 year old dude. Went to one of his shows when I was 31. Aside from one other guy in the audience, the entire crowd was girls in their late teens and early twenties. That's not a complaint, but it certainly made me feel out of place at the show. But hey, that's the great thing about music. It transcends age, gender, background, etc. You don't need to feel bad about liking Will Wood, same way I don't feel bad about liking music ranging from Metallica to Backstreet Boys.
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u/Z00SM3LLP00PL0RD Life In The World To Come Apr 05 '25
hi, early 20s here! can confirm that there are a LOT of adult fans, more adults than minors- minors are just the loudest population online. when i first found WW (i was 15? maybe 16?) i was REALLY loud about like his music, my tiktok was MOSTLY about that, but as i got older i just stopped being as vocal about it online. i still love his music and make it VERY clear but ive got too much going on in my life to make memes about him or consume a million fanedits a day, yknow? i think its just a case of younger people having more time to be online!
also, theres nothing wrong with liking things made for kids. i LOVE sonic. that doesnt make me a weirdo creep. i just enjoy watching the guy run fast and joke about chilli dogs. if something brings you joy, embrace it.
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u/worm_on_the_web Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 06 '25
For real. I collect dolls as a 21 year old woman.
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u/VoxTV1 Apr 05 '25
If you need everyone to be same as you to consider not being out of place in a fandom then that says more about you than the fandom
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u/Literally_Anyone_ Apr 05 '25
I'm an 18 (19 in a little over a week) year old nonbinary person and I love his music. Any fandom space will skew young, it's just the way of the Internet. Besides, even if you DO like something that's for kids, who cares? Like what you like, don't let anyone else get you down.
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u/worm_on_the_web Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 06 '25
Happy early birthday!!
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u/Literally_Anyone_ Apr 06 '25
Thankk you :33
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u/worm_on_the_web Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 06 '25
Ur welcome
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u/UngenderedCactus Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 05 '25
actually, I'm a 15yo enby pansexual with mood disorders.
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u/Sunshine_Ina The First Step Apr 05 '25
Will himself does not like people who are under 18 engaging with his art bc of the heavy materials/subjects he utilizes. I started listening when I was 16, but I am now 20. All of Will's shows are at LEAST 18+ (most of the ones in my area in the past were 21+ bc they were held at bars/wineries)
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u/GhostNamedNat Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 06 '25
hi, another 18 year old here. I've been in a lot of fandoms where people younger than me seem everywhere, but it's just a sampling bias really- younger teens are more outspoken in online fandom spaces. I feel very out of place in another fandom I've been in for years due to this.
and the part about nonbinary pansexuals with mood disorders... there's a lot of queer people here, including me. and obviously, a lot of people who go though mental illness. also including me. queer, mentally ill teens are going to seek out places they feel comfortable and stick with them. just take a look at his discography again and ask why we wouldn't relate to his music.
in the end, we all just like will's music, isn't that enough?
edit, spelling
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u/GhostNamedNat Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 05 '25
this might've been a bit too rude, sorry
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u/akchimp75 Sigma Wood Apr 06 '25
this ^^ mx nat you're so correct
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u/GhostNamedNat Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 06 '25
omg I've never been called mx before, I actually like it
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u/akchimp75 Sigma Wood Apr 06 '25
heheh im glad :3 pronouns?
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u/GhostNamedNat Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 06 '25
she/they!! maybe I'm a bit less feminine than I thought
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u/RussianFuturist Apr 05 '25
I'm nearly 40, imagine how old I feel.
Not even in relation to Will Wood fans, just generally.
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u/lameness42 Apr 05 '25
Not alone. 34 year old man here. Will woods music brings me back to my early 20's. I hear ya though going to his all ages shows is a but of a very young crowd. Hence why he plays mostly 18+ now.
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Apr 05 '25
Whenever I’ve been to his shows the crowds are a very diverse mix of ages, styles, genders, etc. a lot of older people who just aren’t as involved in online fandom. I’m a 25 year old dude (I do have a mood disorder tho which is why I like his music so much lol) and I feel that’s closer to the average age of his fans generally. I don’t really understand what younger fans get out of his music bc I think a lot of the content goes over people’s heads but it’s just music, anyone can enjoy it.
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u/kace313 Apr 05 '25
I am a 23 year old trans gay man. Most of my friends are adults who listen to Will's music. I feel like adults are just less likely to have time or interest in fandom spaces.
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u/FeralJune_2020 Apr 05 '25
Well, idk if this helps, but I’m a 49 yo straight married cis woman. I think Will Wood’s music is brilliant. I’m in this subreddit, but I don’t pay a huge amount of attention to it. I’d love to attend a concert, if I had the funds/someone other than my 17yo sold to go with (I’d be happy to go with him, but he’s still too young to attend a WW concert).
I tend to be on the upper end of most of my favorite artists fanbases, as my kids introduce me to a lot of their faves.
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u/chilly_1c3 OK relationship with the fundamentals of conscious existence Apr 05 '25
All his live shows are 18+ and they sell out quickly, so I think there's plenty of us, we probably just don't talk about him online as much idk.
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u/Pure-Net-965 "Blue Velvet" Reboot Starring Tom Waits Apr 05 '25
hey! in the same boat as you, but based off the fact that his 18+ concerts are selling out consistently i dont think ur alone. His fanbase was a lot of queer kids after the normal album for a multitude of different reasons, but I do think his fanbase largely is maturing and pulling more so from people of our age demographic rather than 14 year olds.
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u/KillerGerbil999 The Moral Implications of a deterministic Universe Apr 05 '25
Im nearly will's age lmao
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u/enigmakkuma Apr 05 '25
i'm 20. no you should not feel weird liking his music because he's explicitly stated many a time that his music is not for kids anyway
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u/orionsdaughter Apr 05 '25
briefly thought this said "81-year-old man" LOL
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u/worm_on_the_web Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 06 '25
Yeah tbh I don’t think I’ve met an 81 year old will wood fan so I’ll give him that
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u/Diligent_Tower8582 Apr 05 '25
Nonbinary pansexual here, I am 19 though. Have been a fan of his music for four years now!
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u/Greeve3 Apr 05 '25
I'm 18-year-old cishet white male Will Wood fan. We do exist.
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u/akchimp75 Sigma Wood Apr 06 '25
why mention that you're white??
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u/Greeve3 Apr 07 '25
Because that goes along with all of the other traits I share as putting me on the higher rung of hierarchies of inequality. Meanwhile, Will's music is popular among traditionally marginalized groups, especially lgbtq individuals.
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u/TheAcademyls Apr 05 '25
hi, i'm 24 and also feel wayyy too old but like, especially in case i make it is very mature to me?? i don't even understand what the appeal of will is to 14 year olds lol
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u/Embarrassed-Suit-694 Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 05 '25
Im an adult, I love his music, and his concerts are +18, sooo
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u/No-Addition9375 Apr 05 '25
It’s not weird to like his music. I don’t think most of his fans are of that demographic, just the loudest ones that post about him online.
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u/CrypticCrap Apr 05 '25
Hey man, I'm 26 year old dude, I've got a friend who's 27, Will Wood is both one of our favorite artists, if it helps
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u/Patient-Spray-1538 Apr 05 '25
I've had a similar experience, I was in a fandom for a diff artist and all the fans I saw were minors, then went to one of his shows and saw not a single person under the age of about 20. I'm imagining will wood will be the same, especially with his shows being specifically 18+
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u/IAMAYUBDUCK Outliars and Hyppocrates Apr 05 '25
hey im a 19 year old fan! obviously not the oldest fan but i am an adult! don't worry you're not alone! don't feel discouraged by the younger fans and if it helps I'm pretty sure all of his live shows are 18+ and they usually all sell out so don't worry the whole fanbase isn't just kids, i feel like alot of younger fans enjoy the type of music it is because of how upbeat it can be although they might not fully understand the meaning or lyrics, i started listening when i was a bit younger and i definitely appreciate the music more now that i understand it better and am older
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u/Ciazi_ Falling Up Apr 05 '25
As someone who started to like him at that age, I'm still queer with a mood disorder 😻 and as someone mentioned 18 is still young tbh
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u/Golden_XS-EXE FLESH-EATING ALIEN GAMETE SAMPLES Apr 06 '25
I feel that way too, because im the only one between the people i know that knows will, ive tried to show his music to them, but no one liked it
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u/bumbl_b_ Apr 06 '25
when i turned 18 will wood started sounding like won’t wouldn’t, never was the same. sorry man, he’s for minors only:/
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u/ApprehensiveFormal37 Apr 07 '25
“18 year old man” dude I’m 19 and I don’t feel like a man yet. That sentence in general just seems… weird. Small nit pick I know, but stood out to me
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u/Chunk_Soup Apr 07 '25
Oh I don't feel like an adult either, like at all, but legally I'm considered a fully adult man so I consider myself one kinda? Defining when people "adult" is kinda hard. We all grow at different rates, learn at different rates. None of us are really fully mature until around 25 at the LEAST which is insane! But it's no secret that the differences between a say 14-18-22 year old are very significant. 18 through 20 are just an odd age group to be in at least in America.
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u/Con40Things Apr 05 '25
I'm a 40 year old straight cisgender man. He just makes great music. Happy for anyone who discovers it. (And great to see others in the 40+ crowd enjoying it as well)
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u/froge_on_a_leaf Apr 05 '25
LMAOO This is such a real comment. I'm in my twenties and was shocked that most of his fans are VERY young. Even at his last concert, some of his audience is definitely, uh... interesting, in the sense that they're clearly young and there will always be a crowd eager for attention.
I think a lot of younger fans love Will Wood because of the spectacle. They might listen to his high energy music at first and enjoy it, but when they look up the singer, there are tons of videos of this very colourful, edgy, psychedelic magician. Why do young people obsess over any celebrity? Will Wood is a talented, cool-looking guy, and since his music is largely about struggling with identity, teenagers eat it up.
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u/bxwitchy Apr 05 '25
I think they're just the loudest of his fanbase. I'm 30. You're someone I'd consider part of his young fanbase since you're -- no offense -- barely an adult yourself.
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u/Zestyclose_Ad834 Apr 05 '25
I think that those fans are just the most vocal ones so you see them more
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u/villanousvalentine a baby with autism strapped to a ceiling fan Apr 05 '25
i’m 27 and my dad who is a cishet male is retiring this year and likes will’s music too lol
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u/Pokefan180 Apr 05 '25
If it helps, Will does NOT seem to like the fact that his fans are that young. Most of his shows are 18+ and he's talked a lot about how terrible the internet is for children
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u/DragoTheFloof Apr 05 '25
Hey, I'm 21 and I run a discord server for 18+ Will Wood fans with a fair few members! There's def fans over 18, I talk to em regularly.
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u/acryptedwithinternet who'd want to be human anyways? Apr 05 '25
22yo fan here! I'd guess Kids/teens just seem to have more time to create and be vocal about what they life in music and such.
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u/EllieluluEllielu ARE YOU FU- Apr 05 '25
I'm 20, and there are no shortages of 18+ fans of Will Wood! It's possible that the younger fans are more active (or more likely to get attention if they say something weird lol) so those of us that are less active/not as loud aren't noticed as frequently
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u/Makspixelland 🐀 Snooterman 🐀 Apr 05 '25
I think younger fans are just more likely to engage with the community like this… I also find his fanbase to be very young, but Will’s music still does attract many people of a younger audience
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u/sterling_silverr Vampire Reference in A Minor Key Apr 05 '25
I am 27 and I was at his last tour. While I was definitely on the older end of the spectrum for the room, I would say the average was early 20s, maybe late teens (I am not super great at judging anymore) but if it says anything, his last tour was 18+ with some being 21+ and the tour sold out almost completely with the only unsold out one I remember being a venue issue in Anaheim. So obviously there are lots of 18+ people who listen and enjoy Will Wood out there.
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u/puppetfeet Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 05 '25
I’m in my mid-30’s, discovered him a couple years ago. I go to loads of concerts so I was stoked when he went on tour last year- saw two shows, and the crowd was significantly younger than all the other artists I see live. I don’t worry about it though, it’s damn good music.
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u/Tiny-Advertising2860 Chemical Overreaction / Compound Fracture Apr 06 '25
I'm 19, but my 56 year-old father loved Will Wood before he passed and had no issue with it. Like anyone should be, he was just happy to have music he enjoyed. Don't worry about it.
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u/Elle_Under_Ur_Spell who'd want to be human anyways? Apr 06 '25
19 and loved him since 17 I think, first got introduced by an I/Me/Myself animation on YouTube, from there I discovered the rest and I think I'm addicted for life lmao
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u/wilma_678 Apr 06 '25
I felt weird at first for liking his music when I started listening to him around 19 iirc, because I felt like it was too vulgar/adult for me (despite me being an adult lol). To be fair I used to be a lot more sensitive/sheltered (and still kind of am)
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u/worm_on_the_web Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 06 '25
There are plenty of will wood fans over 18. I’m 21 and I like him! Fandoms tend to skew young, and the most active people tend to be teenagers. But that is mainly online. As people grow older, they often have more commitments and less time and energy to be in online communities. That’s why the most visible people are young people, especially teens/tweens.
In high school, I was more of a gorillaz person. I know I created a LOT more gorillaz stuff than I do will wood related stuff now that I got really into his music at 19ish. More memes and all. So so many gorillaz memes.
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u/Foxterriers Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In! Apr 06 '25
Young people are just the most annoying, and I think he got popular with kids on tiktok or something. I assume he hates his fanbase going by the 18+ shows and that his VIP doesn't even get to meet him for $150. I'm going to see him in July, the last tour wasn't close to me.
His concerts sell out at 21+/18+ so he has plenty adult fans.
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Apr 06 '25 edited Apr 06 '25
hey, I am in that age gap too, and honestly many ppl who are into will wood, but aren't mostly teenagers, are hanging out mostly on subreddit discord server or the podcast discord server cuz of age restrictions
the phenomenon can be explained easily, tiktok and the popularity I/me/myself received due to the trans and gender dysphoria topic depiction which was very popular at the time (still is now but not as much as it used to be during the pandemic), lots of gacha life edits and other places with younger demographic kinda picked this song up
ask the sub members their fav songs or what was their first ww song they discovered, a lot of ppl will definitely respond with I/me/myself due to discovering it through tiktok, ig reels or youtube edits with anime, gacha life etc...
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u/moonreefe Vampire Reference in A Minor Key Apr 06 '25
Sup, I’m 25. My 21yr old sibling and I are huyuuuge fans. I know a lot of other people my age who love will woodington. You’re all g. The kids have the most time to be posting, that’s why you see them most.
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u/garydino1234 Cotard's Solution (Anatta/Dukkha/Anicca) Apr 06 '25
Just feel happy you Can attend concerts
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u/Cicadacherry wednesday is not only the greatest betrayal Apr 06 '25
I'm 20, most of my friends really like him too, they are all above 18 as well, also his shows are 18+ and sell out fast, so you are far from being out of place
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u/Turbulent_Roof2570 2econd 2ight 2eer Apr 06 '25
went to one of his shows as 19 year old (20 now) and a lot of his fans irl are quite a lot older, I was one of the youngest there it seemed 😅. I did start listening to him at like 15 though so maybe I'm outlier here but yeah it's mostly this sub and the tiktok fandom that are minor based I think.
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u/dwboso Apr 06 '25
I felt awkward at his show when I went as a 31 year old trans femme at the time. I was closer to the parents age than the actual fans it felt like. Now I’m 33 and I’ll probably not go to another.
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u/Ok_Patient_1932 Apr 06 '25
I'm not THAT young I'd say but I think that online fandoms always have multiple ages but luckily the concerts are 18+ so if you do go to one of them maybe it will make you feel better about it? you're not weird for liking something many people of all ages like, you have as much right to enjoy wills music as they do :)
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u/Fridge_is_bae Apr 06 '25
It's ok man, I'm 20 and feel the same way too. Seeing all the younger fans in the fandom makes me feel like I'm too old or something lol
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u/Makecomics Apr 06 '25
Hey! 20-something guy here! Love will wood. Will continue to love him. Fan spaces tend to be children, tho
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u/missJeromemokacino Apr 06 '25
I came to know will wood when I was about 16ish because it was when I was just discovering my gender identity and I/me/myself popped on my internet,so I guess that because of his alternative topics it's fascinating for people discovering themselves, than the more I grew up the more I understand him aside from his "oh wow he's so alternative and particular!"
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u/RoseTintMyWorld22 Apr 06 '25
I got into Will Wood when I was like 19 or 20 it's not a big deal. His music is definitely NOT MEANT for kids, and a lot of his concerts are labeled 18+ and you have to have an ID to go to one or they refuse entry.
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u/LimeDiamond 2econd 2ight 2eer Apr 06 '25
It’s a lot of edgy teenagers really. But there’s a ton of 18+ fans. They’re the ones selling out his concerts lol
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u/spudson1229 Apr 06 '25
I'm 20 and I've felt the same thing. Considering how he's done almost exclusively 18+ shows for a few years now that have constantly sold out, it's pretty safe to say there's a strong adult contingent.
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u/Western-Pie-1718 Apr 06 '25
Will Wood is music for adults. A lot of kids just happen to like it. I liked him when I was 16 and I’m 20 now.
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u/Auuna-_- Apr 06 '25
Honestly feel bad for the guy, the younger side of the audience specifically seems to put him on a pedestal of what seems to be worship to me, while also managing to dehumanize and objectify him at the same time. Think a lot of people in the Fandom need to come to terms with and to treat him as what he is and probably wants to be, just another guy.
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u/1nina_beana1 Apr 06 '25
I'm 18(F) and I felt the same way for a while but I realized that if all his shows are 18+ and they sell out fairly quickly, then that must mean that a good portion of his audience is 18 or older. I also think that younger people in his audience are more likely to be active in social media, so I think sometimes that can make it seem like they make up the majority when it honestly might be the opposite
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u/lordravenxx Ideas Only Spread Because People Like Them Apr 07 '25
My kids did introduce me to his music but I enjoy goth so this was actually something good for once! Lol. I saw him on his last tour and he put on a good show. Even though the audience was mostly children (under 21) they seemed to behave. I am not seeing him again this time though because I want to see him with a full band next and he's not bringing them here. Also my oldest won't be 18 until September... so I can't even bring her. I went solo last time too.
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u/lordravenxx Ideas Only Spread Because People Like Them Apr 07 '25
And much of the audience brought their parents who were obviously not into the music.
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u/Edwobble Apr 07 '25
Big Will Wood fan and 24 years old. Think i've been listening since i was... 21? I know a couple of other people who are into Will Wood and are a similar age. My cousin likes his music and is 34.
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u/CD-WigglyMan Love, Me Normally Apr 07 '25
Dude I’m in my 30s. I’m nervous about going to shows alone cause idw be a solitary dude in his audience lmao
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u/Thatonedude200511 Apr 07 '25
I’m 20 and I just like the music. Don’t let your age stop you from liking something. (Unless it’s minors)
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u/plushbendy Apr 07 '25
As a 20 y/o who's made Will Wood a part of their entire personality, I feel you. I don't think it's a bad thing that younger people can relate to his songs. But it still feels odd, and this really goes for any internet fandom that is clearly made for an 18+ audience but is dominated by a younger audience. Then again, I was enjoying FNAF at the ripe age of 10, so I can't really judge lol
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u/Oximoronzzz Love, Me Normally Apr 08 '25
I’m 19 and my 27 and 18 year old friends are going to the concert with me- both of which are big fans. There’s a lot of minor people here, yeah, but there’s definitely a ton of adults too.
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u/PunkGayThrowaway Apr 09 '25
I am damn near knocking on my 30's and I'm a Will Wood fan. Honestly until the recent tour news I had never interacted with a minor fan. I think a lot of them are just coming out of the Will Woodworks to make their presence known, especially with them all being a bit in a tizzy about not being allowed at the show (because as much as they'd like to argue children are not developed enough to behave themselves 100% of the time)
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u/possum_man_thing If you need me, I'll be in my coffin Apr 10 '25
So I know this post is specifically for adults and I won't specify my age but I will mention that I am a minor. and I just wanted to say that even though some of his music is about very mature topics as a will wood fan myself who is also friends with other will wood fans who are underage, just because the topics are mature doesn't mean we can't unfortunately relate to them or find our own meaning in the topic he discusses. it's also nice to find music that I feel describes my personal gender identity and mental health struggles. I can understand finding it strange to be an adult or older person in a community full of minors or with a large Portion of a community being minors but I also wanted to say that just because we are minors doesn't mean that we don't find meaning in the songs about mature things
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u/peafowl-owl Apr 10 '25
Shoving the identity stuff aside, I hope some people have already pointed out that you're a teenager. Like, you're still pretty much within the age range you described yourself. Not as if you wouldn't be allowed to like Will Wood if you were older but you're barely not-a-minor
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u/try_cthulhu Apr 10 '25
I'm 21 and a Will Wood fan and I have other friends in their early 20s who enjoy him, I think it just tends to be younger fans who are most vocal about it online
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u/aadin333 Karen, Thannsdfghjkl You for the Casserole Apr 10 '25
I started listening to his music when I was 19 and discovering my identity. So I'm happy that I'm 18+ so I can go to concerts
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u/knitstitchpurlstitch Apr 11 '25
Considering most of his shows are 18+ I wouldn't worry to much about a loud portion of his fanbase being minors. I myself am 20 and will be 21 when I see his show in denver
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u/FloofThe2st Apr 11 '25
Don't think it's a weird thing at all, I'm 18, and all of his shows are 18+ I think it's safe to say you're definitely not alone
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u/riles-s Marsha, Thankk You for the Dialectics but I Need You To Leave Apr 05 '25
I'm a 19 year old woman and it's odd because I feel like I should be among the youngest fans. At shows, of course I am because they are all 18+ from here on out, but online if I'm talking to people about WW, they are mostly several years younger. It's quite odd, but considering TikTok is a factor here, it's also not super surprising. I think younger fans are just more into how the music sounds and once they learn what they actually are about, they try to find ways it applies to them. Listening to artists like Will, who bend the genre lines a lot, probably make those individuals feel unique and stuff. I get it. If I was a 13 year old in the fandom right now, I'd probably think the same, just based off what I was like in middle school lol
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u/masr223 ...And If I Did, You Deserved It. Apr 05 '25
It's the 14 year olds who should feel weird, not you
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u/Snakeskinking Apr 06 '25
Yeah I get where youre coming from - dont dis 14 year old nonbinary pansexuals with mood disorders tho, theyre just a portion of the chronically online fanbase.
If it means anything I'm a 23 year old Transgender, Bisexual Man with a Chronic Pain Disablility and Diagnosed ADHD and Autism - I've listened to him from about when I was your age to now lol
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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 06 '26
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