Nearly two years ago, Target was rethinking how to best serve superfans in everything from books and toys to sports and music. “One of the things we started to stick to was the idea that everyone is a fan of something, from Bluey to the Beatles and everything in between,” recalls Cassandra Jones, senior vice president of merchandising.
This thread led to a rebrand in late 2025 and the launch of Target’s strategic merchandising initiative Fun 101 (previously known as Hardlines). “The idea was that we were the beginning of all this fun and that we were here to serve everyone, not just the experts and the people who have access…Our guests are everywhere.”
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Jones explains that a key element of Fun 101 is its focus on community over product, noting that for most music fans, the experience of releasing a new album begins before they even set foot in the store. “I like to say community starts with lining up before you even walk in the door,” she says. “When you actually stand in line with people who are into the same thing as you and share that experience, you walk away with more than a Pink Album.”
And once fans step inside, the focus continues to be on fostering a direct connection to the in-store experience, from midnight openings and release parties to artist meet-and-greets. As Jones says, her “music-obsessed” team watches exactly how to give fans what they want. “They go to concerts. They see people lining up for concerts. They look at record stores. They go to places where fans are. And that’s the intersection between records selling well, but fans wanting to attend.” What do artists get besides increased sales? “We have deep expertise that most artists want to connect with: who their fans are and what experiences resonate with them.”
Last year, Target partnered with Kate Eye on the release of the Beautiful Chaos EP due to the group’s desire to connect with local fans while on tour. “We said, ‘Okay, we’re going to make stops in Chicago and Minneapolis, and we’ll make time for you.’ And it happened really quickly. It wasn’t months of planning, it was the ability to say, ‘We always have a line to the target.’ Target not only created an exclusive collection of tour merchandise in select U.S. cities near tour stops, but also hosted two in-store meet-and-greets with the group.
Noah Kahan recently stopped by Target’s Soho store in New York City after releasing his latest album, The Great Divide. The Billboard 200 chart-topping set was available on various versions of vinyl, including a Target limited edition in the “Morning Mist” colorway with two bonus live tracks.
And while Fun 101 is built around fostering connections, that doesn’t negate the role vinyl has played and continues to play in fandom, especially among the more tangible and collectible Gen Z and Millennial demographics. According to the retailer, more than 70% of Target’s music sales in 2025 came from exclusive releases on vinyl and CD.
This approach can be applied to more than just physical music. Take a look at Taylor Swift’s official The Eras tour book, released exclusively on Black Friday 2024. It sold nearly 1 million copies in the first week alone. And in 2025, with the release of Swift’s 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, Target became the only retailer (other than Swift’s own site) to offer exclusive vinyl and CDs. “We have a guest base that loves Taylor, so we were able to bring those experiences to life, whether it was at midnight openings where people could line up, or going back to when we launched books with her and you could see fathers and daughters waiting for us to open. It’s really meaningful, and it gives her access to this audience base that she deeply respects,” says Jones.
Similarly, for the release of BTS’ post-hiatus album ARIRANG in March of this year, Target was the only retailer offering exclusive collectibles, from official tour light sticks to special album art and more. Prior to this, Target will be offering an exclusive version (on white vinyl) of JAŸ-Z’s Reasonable Doubt 30th anniversary release. And with Olivia Rodrigo’s third album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, out Friday (June 12), the retailer is going all out with three exclusive vinyl releases, as well as a line of apparel and accessories. Later this month, Target will continue its community-driven approach with a special in-store fan event with Rodrigo offering even more exclusive benefits.
“What makes Target so great is this combination of product and experience,” Jones said. “Music is the beginning of the experience, but not the end.”
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