Taylor Hawkins Untimely Death and Grieving His Loss as a Fan

Exploring the emotional bond between musicians and the fans who love and grieve them

Public domain

There are different types of love.

Most of us love our families and friends — people with whom we have personal connections, deep ties, and shared experiences — but is it possible to love someone you’ve never even met?

I say yes — that it is possible to love someone you’ve never actually met, and while it’s certainly a unique kind of love, it is no less real than the love we feel in the traditional sense. It’s just different.

Just as someone loves their parents differently than they love their friends, or their spouse, or their children, it is possible to experience a different type of love for someone you’ve never actually met.

In this particular context, I’m talking about the love felt between a fan and a musical artist. Most of us who love music are quick to say that we “love” our favorite musicians. On the surface, it may come across as a way of expressing extreme fondness for someone, but I believe the affection we feel goes deeper than we often realize.

I believe that it…