73% of Gen Z use audio to better understand themselves

18-24 year olds streamed more than 578 billion minutes of music in 2021 through Spotify, more minutes than any other group, and approximately 16 billion more minutes than Millennials.

Unlike social platforms that focus on comparisons and tastes, digital audio provides an oasis of opportunity for Gen-Z to better understand themselves and find support in music and podcasts, transporting listeners to simpler times. In fact, our study found that 73% of Gen-Z use audio to better understand themselves and 68% of Gen-Z said they like listening to and watching media from decades past, because it reminds them of when things were less complicated.

The report showed that Gen-Z is even more stressed than a year ago when the report was made. We are seeing them act through their feelings in real time on Spotify. The “Mental Health” genre of podcast is the most played genre on Spotify among Gen-Z, with a 62% increase in plays in 2022 vs. 2021.

• Gen-Zs are more likely than Millennials to describe their generation as “stressed” (67% vs. 48%).
• 67% use audio (music, podcasts, etc.) to cope with stress and anxiety. 57% of Gen-Z listen to podcasts for comfort, to calm down or to relax.
• 62% of Gen-Z seniors (ages 18-24) said they turn to podcasts to get answers to difficult or personal questions before talking to their families about it.

More than a third of Gen-Z (42%) feel they were born in the wrong decade. Additionally, a staggering 59% believe life was better before social media, despite the majority never experiencing a world without it.

• 58% of Gen-Z seniors reported feeling burned out by the demands of technology and social media.
• 70% of Gen-Z like it when brands bring back ad campaigns from decades past.
• 63% of Gen-Z like brands that were popular in the decades before they were born.

In this way, we can certainly identify that Gen Z is not afraid to speak out against brands that misuse memes or appropriate other people’s work.

Therefore, I open the question about, What is one of the main advantages of digital audio? We know that compared to other formats, it’s fairly easy (and quick) to produce, meaning businesses of all sizes have the opportunity to join the cultural conversation as it happens.

Gen-Z are nostalgic for the past, but also look to the future, so use context to reach them when listening to nostalgic, melancholy, sentimental, or other playlists, and invite an artist to discuss how they take music cues From the past. But also, try to find creators who use their music to express their vision of a new world.

In short, I recommend valuing the sound of brands to come to life with curated playlists, spanning decades and genres that align with the company’s personality. Or take Gen-Z to specific moments in life, like Netflix did: They transported listeners to their 12-year-olds to The Adam Project.

Spotify Sales Director for South America

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