For years, millennials were the target demographic of music marketing, with throwback songs by recognizable artists such as Drake and Taylor Swift to the MTV era and every other tune in between! The Millennial generation represents those born between the mid-1980s to 2000, a time when indie rock/folk-oriented music met a great deal of popularity! Today, Generation Z experiences a coming of age moment where we hear and notice more hip-hop influence in comparison to rock. Streaming platforms have allowed musicians to have infinite influences and various media outlets to showcase their musical talents at their fingertips. The music business is now composed primarily of Gen Z listeners which affect the types of music, trends, and market popularity. Companies and labels are now advertising and catching up to the appeals of the younger generation. Well-known artists in many genres are emerging with influence and charisma, reaching fans universally! Advertisers, content creators, and social media personas are now working to cater their focus to Gen Z who spend a large portion of their time on apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube as well as other methods of communication and entertainment. For instance, millennials may believe that Gen Zs are obsessed with TikTok challenges, how can we debunk this haha!!?
Gen Z’s media habits are different from millennials and those who came before with the more regular utilization and reliability of the Internet. This is essential for music creators and those whose occupations are to market artist talents. It is important to understand behavioral characteristics to further explore consumer interests and increase musical appeal, particularly in youth who will make up the future generation!
In the analysis of “How Millennials and Gen Zs Are Redefining Digital Audio”, Spotify embarks on a journey to receive input from some of the most prevalent listeners and influential creators composed of Gen Zs and millennials! The result is “Culture Next” which is Spotify Advertising’s annual study into the listening habits and preferences of age groups 15-25 and 26-40, respectively. Surveying 9,000 Gen Z and millennial respondents in April 2021 across various countries, the following probabilities and statistics were inquired:
Let’s look at the data collected from the audio streaming service: Spotify 2021 Wrapped. In this opportunity, we compare the music tastes across generations between our addressed generations:
Crossover artists (appeals to both generations)
DRAKE: Canadian Rapper
JUSTIN BIEBER: Canadian Pop R&B
Impact created by young musicians like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish
Olivia Rodrigo’s Music – You’ve probably heard her hit songs: drivers license, good 4 u, deja vu, etc. on the radio or one convenient Google search and/or YouTube click would have you singing along to her vocals.
Olivia Rodrigo, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter superstar, released her debut album (Sour) which earned her the number one spot on Billboard 200. BOTH Millennials and Gen Z are attracted to her music, evidenced from scores of music critiques, reviews, memes, and fan pages that support this. Birth of countless trends on TikTok, making her one of Gen Z’s most well-known and streamed artists globally!
The debate between the two generations seems to be ever-lasting despite the limited age difference! Based on music preference, are you more musically connected with Generation Y or Z? Do you listen to any of the above music and artists? What new tracks and releases are you most looking forward to? Let us know!!
https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2018/02/51_songs_that_rocked_the_mille.html
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jeremyhayes/best-songs-2000s-millenials
Gen Z Most Streamed Artists (In Chronological Order)
Social Media is bringing attention to underrated artists. Helps to amplify the under heard voices that matter whether it be by influencers or a regular contributor. It’s admirable and highly beneficial that Millennial and Gen Z creators have a space to share their stories and advocate lyrically, instrumentally, and through song writing, talents, etc. Discovery of a medium that is willing to embrace projects that represent and empower them, as well as the communities in which they reside.
Current popular young musicians who are trending and breaking into the industry:
- Mitski (check out our article about her!)
- Olivia Rodrigo’s Music – You’ve probably heard her hit songs: drivers license, good 4 u, deja vu, etc. on the radio or one convenient Google search and/or YouTube click would have you singing along to her vocals.Olivia Rodrigo, 18 year old singer-songwriter superstar, released her debut album (Sour) which earned her the number one spot on Billboard 200. BOTH Millenials and Gen Z are attracted to her music, evidence from scores of music critiques, reviews, memes, and fanpages which supports this. Birth of countless trends on TikTok, making her one of Gen Z’s most well-known and streamed artists globally! Sour – pop punk, emo, grunge sounds; combined with soft, sad, and pop sounds.
- Billie Eilish – Listeners get to grow alongside their favorite influencers and musical artists even from afar. Billie was a teenager herself when she gained well-deserved fame. Breakout song, “Ocean Eyes” (attach youtube or spotify link to the music video or song) was released on SoundCloud and since then, marked a transition in digital monoculture. The pandemic has driven the creation of communities of music fans.
FUN FACT: According to psychologists, did you know that partaking in a fandom / fan community is beneficial to mental and emotional health, particularly among teenagers, because it fosters a sense of belonging and identity!?
Gen Zs are exposed to a culture that remixes, reproduces and reposts ideas to personalize content and connect to multiple variables. Young listeners, with the encouragement of social media, are currently actively involved in promoting new artists, co-creating songs, and aspiring as artistic leaders in powerful global communities that could potentially produce tomorrow’s hits. We at GRL Mag are rooting for all who partake and plan a future in any musical element and/or creative!
Closing thoughts:
The debate between the two generations seems to be ever-lasting despite the limited age difference! Based on music preference, are you more musically connected with Generation Y or Z? Do you listen to any of the above music and artists? What new tracks and releases are you most looking forward to? Let us know!!
Credits:
Article written by: Madison
Graphics/Design: Amira
Edited by: Helen & Billie
Marketing: Moo Kae