Conversations about whether or not ‘rock is dead’ are ongoing, and while some may choose to believe it, Generation Z seems to say the opposite.
The connection of rock music among youth and culture has had effects that have been long-lasting, according to Pace University. Rock music has recently been showing a similar effect on today’s generation, mainly credited to the largest social media platform, TikTok. TikTok is a significant platform when it comes to helping small artists turn big, influencing the careers of artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, PinkPanthress and Maneskin, according to Time Magazine. This concept allows the main demographic of the app to discover multiple musical artists, genres and backgrounds. The rise of the digital age makes everyone more aware of what is popular and ‘relevant’ in today’s society. For example, in 2023, the specific rock genre of nu-metal was at its highest it’s ever been in the past 20 years, according to Loudwire.
Rock music can be a broad genre. It includes numerous subgenres such as indie rock, hard rock, alternative rock, soft rock, etc. This allows people to have multiple options to choose from while they are feeling certain emotions, or a certain vibe that can easily make them feel connected to a song, sound or band. These types of genres can allow members of Gen Z to feel a certain sense of authenticity that in today’s world full of AI-generated music, may be rare to find, according to Rock Scene Auctions.
Most notably among Gen Z is a genre known as ‘dad rock,’ which can be a way of insinuating a ‘hipster-insult’ of one’s rock music taste, according to Esquire. This helps this genre become more recognizable among Gen Z with bands such as Foo Fighters, Nickelback and AC/DC. This also causes an immediate connection among generations. The people of Gen Z who listen to rock music most likely have learned of that world from their parents, grandparents or older siblings. The love for rock music is often translated down through generations, which is another reason why the rock scene is reemerging throughout today’s generation, according to Rock Scene Auctions.
The combination of modern day social media use and past generations giving Gen Z rock music hand me downs, double onto the interest, recognition and fascination of rock and roll.
