Vinyl Alliance, an industry collective for vinyl, has said that Gen Z (18-24-year-olds) is now the major driving force behind vinyl’s current popularity, bolstered by its recent report into the format’s resurgence. The report explored exactly why Gen Z is embracing the format and how, by integrating it into their digital lives, it has led to a ‘vinyl renaissance’.
The research, which surveyed over 2,500 vinyl fans worldwide, found that 76% of Gen Z vinyl fans buy records at least once a month, with eight in 10 owning a record player. This generation of vinyl enthusiasts seeks out vinyl for an intentional listening experience, with 87% interested in high-quality sound when it comes to their equipment set-up.
With almost 30% declaring themselves a ‘die-hard collector’, the report said Gen Z vinyl fans are committed to regularly buying records and actively listening to them, rather than keeping just as collectable items.
Unlike Millennials or Gen X, Gen Z were born and raised during vinyl’s mainstream downturn during the mid-2000s, in favour of CDs, MP3 and streaming. The Vinyl Alliance said Gen Z has adopted the format, giving a new meaning to vinyl culture. Gen Z is the first ‘digital native’ generation to use social media to further its interest in records, collecting, set-ups and more, and take a mindful approach to their digital use through listening to records.
The report showed that half of the respondents collect vinyl as it provides a break from digital life, which was more than both Millennials and Gen X. Furthermore, Gen Z is more likely (61%) than Millennials (53%) and Gen X (27%) to replace digital habits with vinyl listening to improve their mental well-being.