Gen Zs, young people aged 15 to 25, are under too much pressure to fix the world’s issues.
A new study demonstrated this, adding the younger generation is more likely to describe themselves as “stressed out” compared to their millennial counterparts.
The anxiety and stress today’s young people feel are reflected in their music choices, with around 71 percent in the UAE saying they like listening to and watching media from earlier decades “because it reminds them of when things were simpler.”
This is not the first survey that showed how the age group tend to be more anxious than other generations. A US survey late last year said Gen Zs were feeling the weight of the pandemic more than any other age group.
Another report from the American Psychological Association said that less than half of Gen Zs report that their mental health is very good or excellent – faring poorer than millennials, Gen Xs, and Boomers.
Experts have increasingly debated why this is the case, and many point to technology as playing a big factor in evoking anxiety in some youth.
The new Spotify report, which particularly uses a pop culture lens to understand Gen Zs, said the age group tend to “soundtrack their lives to feel they are a character in the story.”
With a strong need to be competitive and to stand out, 73 percent of the Gen Z respondents said audio allows them to explore the “outer edges of culture.”

Music is often used to explore different sides of Gen Z’s personalities, the study revealed.
“Zs view their generation as anxious because they live through a time of economic turmoil, climate change, and the possibility of another world war,” the Spotify report said.
Aside from music, Gen Zs are also turning to podcasts to guide them in their everyday lives.
Around 59 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in the UAE said they turn to podcasts to get answers to hard or personal questions before talking to their families about it.
Some 66 percent of the same group said they listen to podcasts to inform the conversations they have with their friends.
According to 68 percent of Gen Zs in the UAE, audio helps them understand themselves better.