Gen Z still love music… despite everything

even if it costs an arm and a leg

Welcome to the latest edition of The Gen Zer. This week, we look at the current state of music festivals and the never-ending barrage of criticism that comes from older generations. Plus, social media marketing could be on the way out and a new study suggests Gen Z are more divided on gender issues than ever.

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Well…it’s finally happened. The Glastonbury Festival lineup has (mostly) been announced this week, with The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo headlining across three days. Other big names are set to attend including Charli XCX, Doechii, Jorja Smith, Loyle Carner, Denzel Curry, and Blossoms, among many others.

With the nearly-complete listing now publicly available, the inevitable barrage of criticism from middle-aged folks has already began rumbling across the internet. Tabloid publications are having a field day with the usual moaning from Twitter/X users who yearn for the days of Tesco Value lager and mid-noughties Artic Monkeys setlists. ‘Worst one ever,’ says one article from The Sun. ‘Some left gutted,’ says the Independent. On and on the cycle goes, each year, forever, until we’re all dust.

Can we stop with this? How long can we continue this tired argument that Glastonbury has sold out? Will Gen Zers be forced to endure the croaks of their parents every time they want to see live music in a field for the rest of their lives? I’m sure Pulp was the pinnacle of music thirty years ago, Dad, but it’s 2025.

Live music is already having a tough time as it is. As we mentioned earlier this week, young people in the UK are seemingly less interested in trying to see their favourite artists in person compared to six years ago. With rising costs, the immediacy of alternative options like streaming and other financial priorities, going to a gig or a festival is now more of a luxury than a right of passage. Despite these obstacles, though, dedicated Gen Z fans are still showing up. Some are saving, working extra jobs or even falling into debt in order to cough up the cash that dynamic pricing demands.

These more eclectic festival lineups are indicative of wider listening trends that are entirely different from the CD era of the nineties and noughties. It isn’t enough to book a few guitar bands and expect people to pay upwards of £300. Pop, R&B and hip hop are the cornerstones of modern Gen Z music tastes, thanks to an overwhelming majority that use streaming as their primary way of listening. Studies show that young people like to be in control of what they listen to and identify with playlist curation, a phenomena that goes well beyond the mixtapes that parents used to make back in the day.

Instead of whining about headliners not all being white, male guitar bands that were in their prime forty years ago, older festival goers should make room for Gen Z and actually listen to what they want. There is no innovation without risk taking, and organisers for big events like Glastonbury will recognise that they must adhere to the times or risk facing irrelevance. There are already heaps of oldie festivals that cater to a millennial and Gen X market; why should Glastonbury be expected to stay stagnant in an era that has long since evaporated?

In the late twentieth century, festivals were mainly focused on young people and youth culture. As that market grew into middle age, they continued to attend all of the same events they did in their teens and twenties, inflating the potential customer base and creating a competitive, expensive experience. Gen Z have not been given the privilege of having live music culture be exclusively tailored to them. How is any 18-year-old expected to afford a Glastonbury ticket? Or even a one-off Taylor Swift concert?

The most important note here is that Gen Z are still turning up. They may be less enthusiastic as a whole, but they’re still coming to shows and festivals despite all of the nonsense they have to endure. Booking fees, dynamic pricing, competition from older people who’ve already been to these festivals dozens of times, struggling to simply earn enough income to justify the cost. All of it is a slog. The fact any of them show up whatsoever is, in itself, a miracle.

Even when they do, they have to listen to 48-year-old Steven tell them their favourite artists are a waste of time and void of substance. Unless the wider public shifts its stance on live music and accepts that it can’t all be the same rock bands from generations prior, the industry faces major long-term problems. Venues are already closing at a dramatic rate and many recent reports suggest that night-life culture is on the decline. The importance of music and art is diminishing.

So, for the love of God, stop whinging about The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo. Support music, support the industry, be open minded to things that are new. Studies show that Gen Z have a varied taste and are not tied to any particular genre. They move with the times and weave between albums and projects. The industry and older festival goers must do the same.

See also:

• Gen Z loves lowercase type

• When do marketing campaigns cross a line?

• What do Gen Z really think about the UK?

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🌎 Gen Z around the Web

the latest stories in youth culture and changing trends . . .

Reaching Gen Z in unexpected places – how brands can win their attention (adage)
Everyone knows that social media advertisements are effective with young people, especially short-form video on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, but what happens when that begins to dry up? While we’re not there quite yet, advertisers are getting ahead of the curve and seeking the attention of Gen Z through unconventional means. Think a mix of physical and digital media, in-person events, unexpected brand collaborations and pop-up shops, just to name a few. Read more

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the vainest of them all? Gen Z (the telegraph)
Apparently, a teenager today will take 30,000 selfies across their lifetime. Our access to smartphones, cameras, mirrors and… well, any reflection or window we pass by has young people placing more emphasis on their looks and appearance. Thanks to influencer culture and heavily-curated personal branding and social media profiles, we’re all only a stones throw away from contending with what we look like to others. Could this constant external pressure be influencing the way we behave long-term? An older millennial weighs in – with mixed results. Read more

Gen Z men and women most divided on gender equality, global study shows (kcl)
A study by Kings College London has found that Gen Z are more divided than those of any other generation on key questions about feminism, gender roles and women’s rights. Data was collected from over thirty countries to mark International Women’s Day. This news comes as right-wing rhetoric is on the rise across the globe, particularly in the US and Europe. With influencers like Andrew Tate pedalling toxic masculine messages, it’s not hard to decipher why this might be happening. Read more

Here are 21 concerning things about Gen Z dating culture (buzzfeed)
Fancy a frustrating read this week? Despite many reports that Gen Z are having less sex and engaging in hookup culture on a smaller scale than millennials ever did, older journalists will still take the time to tell young people they’re not doing things correctly. Buzzfeed asked its community what it thinks of dating culture amongst Gen Zers, with surprisingly varying degrees of scorn and shame. Maybe you can leave your own comment and even the playing field out. Read more

Concert ticket prices are soaring and busting Gen Z budgets (the new york times)
Reports of Gen Z being less interested in concert tickets made rounds in the UK this week, though in the US it might be a different story. With dynamic pricing, crazy high venue fees and extravagant tours from the biggest names, going to a live show is now more than twice as expensive as it was in the 1990s. In spite of the cost, many young people are continuing to make the sacrifice, splashing out cash by either saving or going into debt. This deep dive might help older folks sympathise with the needs of young music lovers in 2025. Read more

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That’s all for this week! Make sure to subscribe for the latest on Gen Z and youth culture, and check out The Common Thred for a weekly roundup of the latest news, trends and thought pieces.

See ya soon,

Charlie Coombs

@

Thred Media