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For Gen Z, Music And Audio Is ‘Part Of Their Coping Toolkit.’

Music and audio media are of great value to Gen Z, as is advertising when honest and transparent. Those are among the findings from a survey of more than 2,000 participants age 13-24 in the U.S., conducted during fourth-quarter 2024 by Edison Research in conjunction with SiriusXM Media.

The survey results, reviewed during a webinar presented by Edison and SiriusXM earlier this week, show that 86% of Gen Z listen to music or consume podcasts to help boost their mood. Overall, Gen Z spends an average of four hours and 10 minutes listening to audio in a typical day, with 42% of that time spent with streaming music, followed by 20% with YouTube and 16% with AM/FM radio.

For Gen Z, there are many positives associated with audio media. 69% agree that audio brings joy to their lives, while 41% agree that it provides them with companionship, 43% feel it helps them connect with others, and 67% say it gives them an escape from daily life.

“Gen Z is a generation that has grown up in a chaotic world,” Edison Research Manager of Research Salma Aly says. “We’d like to think that audio is a part of their coping toolkit,” SiriusXM Media Sales Marketing Manager Brianna Oates adds.

Hip-hop/rap, pop, and R&B are Gen Z’s most favored types of music, although 20 varieties are listened to by 6% or more of the sample, with Gen Z-driven genres such as bedroom pop, lo-fi, and afrobeats represented. “For Gen Z, music acts as a compass which shapes their personal tastes and allows them to figure out who they are,” Oates says.

While social media, friends or family, and recommendations or curated stations from online-only audio services are the most popular sources of music discovery for Gen Z, there are significant differences when splitting the sample into 13- to 17-year-olds and those 18-24. AM/FM radio as a source is mentioned by 10% of the former group and 4% of the latter, either way a far cry from how important the medium was and still is for older generations.

Programmers aiming at this demographic should note that 60% of Gen Z says music allows them to connect with their emotions, 54% say it helps them express their own individuality and style, and 21% say music helps them connect with their cultural background. Also notable is Gen Z’s interest in music from earlier eras. “With the virality of music from the early 2000s, Gen Z’s playlist is packed with nostalgia,” Edison’s report says.

When it comes to advertising, 42% of Gen Z say they are much more likely to pay attention if it is honest and transparent. Brands not taking this approach risk being “cringy.”

“The majority don’t like it when brands try to hop on trends, get on bandwagons or use diversity in an unauthentic way,” Aly says, “so brands have to be really careful that something aligns with their brand in a truthful way.” Oates advises brands to “sound authentic or don’t speak at all. This generation craves honesty and creativity. They want to see brand partnerships that make sense because they are trusting and building relationships with the people they are following and listening to. Stay clear with your values and brand identity.”

A major takeaway for audio content providers or advertisers? “Meet Gen Z in their headphones,” Aly recommends. “This generation is showing up and they’re listening.”

First published by InsideRadio. Read original here