You can’t just press play on music for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Mood, memory, identity, and expression are all rolled into one. From streaming obsessions to vinyl rituals, from discovering sounds before they blow to sharing tracks in group chats, music is how these generations connect to culture, each other, and themselves.
That’s why, for World Mental Health Day, we worked with Spotify to create a nature sounds experience designed to soothe, slow down, and support listener wellbeing - Take A Beat with Spotify. Built for Gen Z’s scroll-weary minds and backed by data on music’s role in stress relief, it showed how sonics can do more than entertain…they can actively care.
If you want to reach them, don’t speak over the beat. Tune in.
Gen Z Streams More Than Any Other Generation
Two-thirds of Gen Z's audio time goes to music streaming. It’s not just about convenience but access, curation, and control. They’re not waiting for the radio to catch up. They’re living in real-time soundscapes.
Source: Statista
Gen Z in the UK Spends 39% More on Music
Gen Z spends nearly 40% more on music in the UK than the average listener. That includes festivals, streaming, merch, vinyl—you name it. Music isn’t just a passion point; it’s a purchase behaviour. Brands that want more than just presence, offer something to play with.
Source: Luminatedata
They’re Leading the Charge in Music Discovery
Nearly 2 billion discoveries happen on Spotify daily, and Gen Z and Alpha are driving them. This isn’t just passive listening. It’s an active cultural excavation. They’re first to sounds, scenes, and shifts and bring their communities along.
Digital or Physical? They’re Doing Both
In a surprise twist, Gen Z isn’t all digital. 59% in the UK listen to physical music releases, and over a third bought a CD in 2024. There’s power in nostalgia, tactility, and collecting. If your brand can offer something they can hold, you’re hitting a different kind of resonance.
Source: Statista
68% Say They Couldn’t Live Without Music
83% of UK youth listened to music last week. 68% say they couldn’t live without it. This isn’t just a habit…it’s a lifeline. Whether it’s escape, celebration, or identity, music scores every part of their day. If you’re looking for emotional entry points, this is it.
Source: Musically
Warm Street’s Take: Music Marketing Needs to Do More Than Sound Cool
Music isn’t a vibe to borrow. It’s a world to co-create in. Gen Z and Alpha can sniff out opportunism in one note. The brands that matter appear in collab drops, behind the scenes, and in fandom spaces that feel real, not rehearsed.
We know music because we live it. From campaign strategy to artist collaborations, we help brands get in tune with culture—and stay there.
Start your next move with Warm Street.
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