Strava Has Quickly Become the Most Popular Social Network for Music Fans

An orange app has become powerfully recognizable: Strava. Strava is a fitness tracking platform that's been around for over a decade, but has recently exploded in popularity. Even if you don’t use Strava yourself, you’ve likely seen running routes and results shared across social media. As more people shift their focus to health and wellness, music artists are using Strava as a new way to connect with fans. Between sharing their own fitness journeys and creating in-person experiences, the app is helping bring fans closer to artists.

Take rapper and singer, Gunna, for example. Just a couple of months ago, he launched his Wunna Run Club, encouraging fans to get active alongside their communities. He kicked off his run club in early September with a 5k in Brooklyn, leading around 1,200 runners.

He's not the only artist using Strava. Country singer Jelly Roll partnered with Strava earlier this year with his Loser’s Run Club Challenge, asking participants to move for 15 minutes over 15 days for a chance to win concert tickets. Alternative folk band The Lumineers also partnered with Strava to celebrate the release of their album Automatic. Fans logged at least 32 minutes of activity—the album’s runtime—to enter for a chance to win tour tickets, drawing over 71,000 participants.

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Strava reports that the number of new run clubs has tripled compared to the same time last year, highlighting both the app’s growth and a broader interest in fitness and social connection. For artists, it’s a new method to engage fans in ways that go beyond concerts or social media content.

"People are craving authentic community, and that's a big reason Gen Z in particular is coming to Strava. Run clubs on the platform grew 59 percent globally in 2024, and 55 percent of Gen Z say social connection is their primary reason for joining fitness groups," Louisa Wee, Chief Marketing Officer at Strava, tells Men's Journal. "On Strava, we're seeing artists finding new ways to create experiences with their fans through clubs and challenges—building connections around shared movement that go beyond the stage or screen."

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