Editorial Team
Hard Techno Data Investigations: The Social Media Audits Shaking the Scene
In May 2026, the European electronic music landscape is confronting a series of hard techno data investigations as an anonymous Instagram account, @thebadroots.mag, publishes social media analysis inviting the public to investigate artist’s audience growth. Centring its initial focus on artists affiliated with the Teletech and TBA rosters – including Novah, Nikolina, and Jazzy – the account is using third-party data tracking tools to highlight massive, sudden spikes in likes and followers, attempting to raise questions over booking metrics and industry authenticity.
While @thebadroots.mag asserts it makes no direct accusations, claiming instead to be “simply pointing the facts and providing analysis,” its commentary regarding specific artists remains sharp. When examining Nikolina’s metrics, the account stated: “We don’t call out anyone we simply pointing the facts and providing analysis… but this clown show must stop.”
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However, the methodology of these investigations has drawn significant backlash from industry observers. In a public critique following the account’s spotlight on Jazzy, a user challenged the credibility of the audits, suggesting the approach lacks journalistic rigour. Critiquing the account’s reliance on singular data points and its narrative, the observer noted:
“@thebadroots.mag I understand your motivation for trying to shed light on this issue, which in principle isn’t wrong – nevertheless, the way you’re currently attempting to expose it is, from a journalistic point of view, more than a bit weak and lacks credibility. Apart from ‘buying followers’, there are so many other possibilities that could explain a short-term surge in followers – from running adverts (which is legitimate because, at the end of the day, the artists and their art are also a product; scene or no scene, we do live in a capitalist society) to going viral.”
The critique further highlighted the potential for misinformation when using external marketing tools that may not capture the full scope of an artist’s digital footprint.
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Despite these criticisms, the focus on Novah has remained intense. Data exports show staggering daily jumps for the profile; on 11 March 2026, the account recorded a jump of 53,338 followers, followed by a significant spike of 135,602 followers on 12 March 2026. These figures represent a deviation from standard organic growth, though social media experts maintain that rising profiles can attract “bot-traps” – automated spam that attaches to accounts without the owner’s knowledge or consent.
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The account has expanded its scope to include the management agencies and platforms that underpin the industry. HÖR has faced allegations regarding its background, with @thebadroots.mag claiming ties to an Israeli background connected to spyware companies. The account further alleges that HÖR and the NAKT brand have charged high brand fees while paying artists as little as €100 for performances.
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Simultaneously, the management of Club OST has come under fire, with allegations of a lack of transparency and controversial revenue models involving OnlyFans. In a direct challenge to the establishment, the account asked: “Should those people without values be removed?”
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The account’s activity appears to be a knock-on effect from the ‘Steer’ files and is supported by industry insiders who have regularly shared these reports. The data-led nature of the account has forced the hard techno industry to confront explosive growth patterns and opaque power structures.
While hard techno data investigations serve the public interest by inviting a necessary dialogue on authenticity, the landscape of this disclosure remains complex. Exposing corruption, digital manipulation, and systemic bad practices requires significant courage, and the depth of the data suggests that @thebadroots.mag is operating with high-level inside access to the industry’s mechanics. However, for these revelations to move beyond simple exposure and into lasting reform, the agenda behind the account must eventually be clarified to prevent the audits from being dismissed as a digital witch-hunt or a weaponised fallout from the ‘Steer Files’ controversy. True accountability requires more than just tearing down existing power structures; it requires a roadmap for doing things differently – a constructive solution that remains the missing piece in this anonymous crusade for a better scene. For the time being, all eyes are on who’s up next.
Change Underground has reached out to Novah, Nikolina, Jazzy, Teletech management, and HÖR for comment. No official responses have been issued at the time of publication.
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