What happened to Gen z and the younger Gen in music? The majority of the top music acts in every genre are in their 30s or they are pushing 30

[Contrefaire]

Parents need to get their kids into art and music classes.


Rap is an art form and is reserved for artists.

The problem is there are a dearth of natural creationists in rap.

I'd add that what we're seeing now is a direct result of public schools ending art and music programs years ago. Those free electives taught kids how to tap into their creative sides when they might not have otherwise been inclined. Now, you have to already have some kind of interest in the arts to even seek something like that out as a student instead of being assigned a class for a semester and finding out you actually liked it. THEN your parents have to shell out for it rather than it being part of your standard education.

 

[Contrefaire]

Social media has made it real hard for record labels to create mega stars

Record labels have made it hard for record labels to create mega stars if we're being honest.

They aren't interested in cultivating talent anymore. A&R is dead and done and they're quicker to push an "artist" who has 3 million social media followers because they feel there's already a built-in audience even though it's been proven over and over again that that shyt doesn't translate to record sales. They don't want to "create" anything quite frankly, they want someone already internet famous to be handed to them on a silver platter. And if you're not that, they'd rather put all their money and energy into already proven and established acts that yes, tend to be 30+.

Gens Z and Alpha also don't engage with music the way we did/do. There's no such thing as longevity anymore and social media/influencer culture has a lot to do with that (and I get it) but at the end of the day, everything is disposable and short lived to them. They go from one sound bite to the next and move on. Radio is dead, BET has been 6ft under for years now, MTV doesn't play music videos and there's no such thing as word of mouth anymore. All they're exposed to is carefully curated content via short snippets created specifically to go viral on Tiktok.

 

[frush11]

You don't have to be a jit to know whos trendy with the youth though. The only reason we know about Ice Spice or Billie Eilish is because nobody else in that cohort is really popping off like that.

With how we get music now, you kinda have to be.

 

[Contrefaire]

With how we get music now, you kinda have to be.

This would only be true if we were talking about young new artists who had a little buzz behind them, but this about who's really popping off at the moment (meaning record sales, concerts and streaming) with younger folk. We're in our 30s, maybe 40s, not 60+. When I was a kid/teen even though my parents mostly listened to smooth jazz and oldies, they knew exactly who 50 Cent was when he came on the scene and bought the albums.

There's a reason why this thread is nearly 100 replies long without anyone being able to name a single young artist who's doing numbers or even being talked about like a 90s era Brandy or even a circa 2000s Chris Brown and it's not because we're all old and out of touch. They just don't exist.

 

[FukkaPaidEmail]

We’re not listening to same things they are .

For pop you have Miley Cyrus and gomez up there when the kids are listening to 100 Gecs and Slayyyyter. Which is why that uzi album sounded like it did ..he trying to get on that hyperpop wave . Vintage punk/rap/robot music shyt …and while we laughed at that vintage t-shirt thread some kids are actually listening to system of a down n shyt .


wet leg is fire as far (our version) pop music,,I had to have a conversation with myself

Younger hip hop is full of baby Yeezus ye/ Travis Scott’s/playboy carti’s …and nikka that shyt is beyond ass . It’s like they took their sound and poured water all over it ..Like Carti is ass enough on his own .idk none of them nikkas names because that shyt was that awful to me but for some reason they rock with it


once we age out I honestly think hip hop is gonna be outta here

 

[doublejump]

I never understood why artists weren't allowed to grow up or even have later start times .Especially when the message and skill gap is probably at a higher level than folks in their teens or early 20s.

 

[Wild self]

We’re not listening to same things they are .

For pop you have Miley Cyrus and gomez up there when the kids are listening to 100 Gecs and Slayyyyter. Which is why that uzi album sounded like it did ..he trying to get on that hyperpop wave . Vintage punk/rap/robot music shyt …and while we laughed at that vintage t-shirt thread some kids are actually listening to system of a down n shyt .


wet leg is fire as far (our version) pop music,,I had to have a conversation with myself

Younger hip hop is full of baby Yeezus ye/ Travis Scott’s/playboy carti’s …and nikka that shyt is beyond ass . It’s like they took their sound and poured water all over it ..Like Carti is ass enough on his own .idk none of them nikkas names because that shyt was that awful to me but for some reason they rock with it


once we age out I honestly think hip hop is gonna be outta here

Hip Hop is already taking a back seat in popularity in 2023, even with its 50th Anniversary. Many Gen Z kids just don't like, or even tolerate, 16 bar verses it it isn't on a Drill beat.

 

[br82186]

There’s too many artist now. A lot of these new cats don’t stand out because they’re busy chasing the same sound.

In terms of hip hop way too many artist with the same style and formula, with pop there is no young mega artist, Dua Lipa if probably the closest, but she's no where near the likes of Madonna, Beyonce at their heights.

Also nowadays artists don't have that drive that the other artist from yesteryear had.

 

[ReturnOfJudah]

old ass nikkas won’t get out the way. gatekeepers

 

[Contrefaire]

I never understood why artists weren't allowed to grow up or even have later start times .Especially when the message and skill gap is probably at a higher level than folks in their teens or early 20s.

They used to be, that's the thing. Back when record labels were interested in actually developing talent they would work with an artist or group for YEARS trying to perfect their image and sound, allowing for multiple flop to modestly successful albums until they either made a hit record or flamed out completely.

Labels eagerly paid for studio time, vocal coaches, image consultants, housing and travel accommodations, etc for acts that the A&R departments even THOUGHT were promising because it was understood that only a handful of Michael Jackson's and Karen Carpenters would come along in a lifetime so trying to find child prodigies instead of helping older acts hit their stride was a terrible strategy.

 

[br82186]

A lot of that list aren’t superstars or haven’t been in a while.

And alot of those folks aren't apart of Gen Z, 97 is widely considered the starting point.

 

[YouMadd?]

Billie eillish is still in her early 20s
Ice spice is 23
Bad bunny is only just about to hit 30 next year
Lil yachty is 25
Jorja Smith is 26

Millennials… 26-41 as of today’s date.

 

[Malcolmxxx_23]

Cap

• Jack Harlow
• Bad Bunny
• BTS
• Olivia Rodrigo
• Harry styles
• Dua Lipa
• Arabian Grande
• Justin Beiber
• Billie Eilish
• Latto
• Doja Cat
• Meg
• Lil Baby
• Lil Uzi
• Gunna
• Rod Wave
• NBA Youngboy
• Ice Spice
• Lil Nas X
• Steve Lacy

All 30 and under.

They came out like 2017

List new artist since 2021

 

[Firefly]

Music, talent and star power have been getting gradually weaker since the 70's. No way should Drake still be on top a decade and a half later yet here we are.

Lazy no talent program directors are to blame. The Ebros and them who kept that guy on rotation for a decade because it was always an easy "radio friendly" go to. Their lazy asses did all that just to clock in and clock out of their jobs and the culture. No way that every time you turn the radio on you're more than likely hearing his voice. It allowed most creativity to wither......

 

[Canada Goose]

Aren't the vast majority of drill rappers... the most popular form of Hip Hop right now, Gen Z?