With the enormous popularity of series such as ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Sex Education’, ‘Dark’ and ‘Cobra Kai’, among others, it seems that pop culture is experiencing a renaissance of 80s culture, which has left as a result a nostalgia among the youngest, who have turned in recent weeks to listen to bands like Metallica or artists like Kate Bush.
For example, the last season of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ came to an end with the emblematic song ‘Master of Puppets’ (1988) by Metallica, which captivated the audience and had a 215% increase in its reproductions in Colombia . Likewise, Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ ranked at number four on the Viral Colombia playlist and at number 51 on the Top 200 Colombia.
According to Víctor Carvalho, regional sales director for Spotify, generation Z has completely turned to the streaming music industry, leading a phenomenon that brings billions of hours of playback.
One of the most telling facts: 18-24 year olds streamed more than 578 billion minutes of music in 2021 through Spotify, more minutes than any other group and roughly 16 billion more minutes than Millennials, which was the generation that a few years ago was at the forefront of the digital issue.
Additionally, more than a third of Gen-Z (42%) feel they were born in the wrong decade and 59% believe life was better before social media, even though most never experienced a world without it.
“Gen Z is at the forefront of culture, often finding new ways to express themselves and build communities. Thanks to this, brands have the opportunity, not only to support their tours, but also to get to know their lives and how they see the world, especially through the variety of artists and musical genres”, explained Carvalho.
According to data from Spotify’s ‘Culture Next Trends’ report, for 18-24 year olds surveyed (gen-Z), audio even allows them to explore aspects of themselves they didn’t know they had or couldn’t access else.
This generation is driving the lead energy trend, where people use social media or digital audio to feel like the center of attention with all eyes (and ears) on them.
Likewise, Gen-Zs are more likely than Millennials to describe their generation as stressed (67% vs. 48%). In fact, 67% of respondents said they use audio to cope with their stress and anxiety: 62% turn to podcasts to get answers to difficult or personal questions before talking to their families about it, and 57% listen to podcasts for comfort, to calm down or relax.
“Nostalgia played a big part in people’s listening in 2021, as fans rediscovered old favorites and new generations discovered them. There are certain songs and albums that played at home and that allowed us to be close to many loved ones while we were apart. In addition, we were able to match with a podcast with which we identify ourselves in moments as challenging as the confinement due to the pandemic, ”said the Spotify spokesperson.
Carvalho also highlighted that, instead of seeing the cultural past as something stagnant or old-fashioned, Generation Z uses the tools of technology, and especially digital audio playback, to mix everything and create something totally new.
For example, bands like Nirvana and Coldplay saw a surge in streams among 18-24 year olds globally between March 2022 and last year.
“While millennials are nostalgic for earlier times, Gen Z clings to just about any time that offers them respite from the tough times of the present. The past for Gen Z is the opportunity to create something completely new through technology, and especially digital audio playback,” he said.
in the audiovisual
After a study on generation Z carried out by Kontent Room on what are the themes and formats that connect centennials, it was learned that 71% of young people born after 1995 seek content that shows them usefulness and gives them tips, being the video your favorite consumption format; furthermore, 67% are interested in topics made by influencers.
“We want brands to be able to get closer to the final consumer through quality content, delivered by those creators that young people follow on social networks and in which they place a vote of trust. It is a universe in which topics of interest and companies with social responsibility converge”, assured Andrés Puentes, Chief Business Development of Kontent Room.
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