Alan Walker’s New Releases Reach a Tiny Fraction of His Fans. His New App Is Designed to Fix That

It’s no secret that artists are at the mercy of the algorithm when it comes to reaching fans online and through social media — but many acts report that new music and posts on platforms like Instagram and YouTube only reach a tiny fraction of their fan bases.

This issue is one experienced by Norwegian producer Alan Walker, whose manager, Gunnar Greve, tells Billboard that “when we release a new song, it reaches only 0.4 to 2% of our most active listeners. The same goes for YouTube — even fans who want to stay connected don’t always see the content. Editorial playlists and algorithmic feeds have started to replace organic discovery.”

This is despite the fact that Walker has roughly 10.4 million followers on Instagram alone and has clocked songs with millions, even billions, of streams.

“When I released ‘Faded’ in 2015,” Walker says of his biggest hit, “streaming was still in its early days. There was a sense of excitement, a new world opening up. But in the years since, the pace of the industry has exploded. Today, the landscape is crowded, noisy, and often overwhelming even for those of us with big followings and strong communities.”

Like many other artists, Walker has observed that “the connection between artists and fans is starting to slip. Not because people care less, but because the systems we rely on don’t prioritize or find space for meaningful content. The pressure to chase trends or fit into playlist algorithms often takes the spotlight away from creativity, experimentation and emotional connection. The reasons most of us got into music in the first place.”

To cut through this noise, Walker and Greve are preparing to launch World of Walker, a custom app and online community tailored for Walker’s millions of global fans.

Launching on Aug. 8, World of Walker will offer exclusive immersive fan experiences, access to premium content (including Walker’s entire music and video catalogs), behind-the-scenes material, exclusive weekly livestreams, direct chats and more. Users can also participate in community-driven projects, events and discussions. The app is free to join, and pre-registration is available now.

The way Walker and Greve see it, World of Walker will provide greater opportunity than most social platforms for everyone involved. “For one, we can speak freely, without worrying about algorithms or chasing virality,” says Walker. “I have a global, diverse fanbase with different interests, and this app gives each person the chance to build their own World of Walker. They can find their people, join conversations that matter and stay connected to what truly resonates with them. We also get better insight into what fans actually want, which means we can shape the platform based on real feedback, not guesswork.”

Greve says the goal is reaching 500,000 users within the first year, “but the most important thing is for people to be active and engaged within the app.” In terms of monetization, he adds that the business model has two layers.

“First, just having a direct line of communication with fans without relying on third-party platforms. This is a success in itself. But in the app, we’ll have a mix of activity-based experiences and monetization through a small premium model and an in-app store with both physical and digital items. If we create enough engagement and value, profitability will follow.”

While Walker and Greve acknowledge that not every artist has the resources to build such a platform, they hope their project will help the industry evolve “in a way that puts fans and artists at the center. Not just as tools for big corporations,” says Greve.

Ahead of the app’s August launch, fans will get the opportunity to join the world of Walker in real life when he plays the final show of his two-year Walkerworld Tour at SummerStage in New York’s Central Park on Saturday (May 31.) Walker reports playing for more than 500,000 people during the tour and says he’ll also be releasing new music this summer.

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