MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Spotify’s annual Gen Z trend report, “Culture Next Volume 5,” has unveiled that Gen Z is Spotify’s fastest-growing generation of music and podcast listeners. Globally, Gen Z listened to over 560 billion songs and more than 3 billion podcast episodes just in the first half of 2023 alone. This is a 76% increase in total listening hours from 2022, making them the fastest-growing cohort in music and podcast listening.
Key trends found in the report are:
- Gen Z isn’t all that into doom-scrolling. 86% of Gen Zs agree that Spotify brings people deeper into culture, that’s why they turn to Spotify and its extensive catalog of content and playlists.
- Gen Z trusts podcasts more than other forms of media. Pinoy Gen Zs generated more than 52 million podcast streams on Spotify in the first half of 2023 — fueling a 133% increase since the year prior.
- Gen Z craves depth. Through editorial and personalized music mixes, and features such as Blend and DJ, They use Spotify not only to discover, but explore. And they lean into these personalized features more than any other generation. Gen Zs have used the AI-powered DJ to stream over 1.5 billion minutes of music and recommendations globally.
- Connection and community is key for Gen Z. One in three individuals feel boosted and happier when turning to music or podcasts on Spotify. These moments are made even more meaningful through content sharing – be it with their friends or finding family in fandom.
Spotify is the Soundtrack to Ber Months
In the Philippines, Spotify has become the holiday soundtrack, with 60% of Filipinos using the platform to make gatherings and reunions more memorable. Streams of holiday playlists also surged eight-times at the start of the “Ber” season in September, accumulating over 201 million minutes in total streams last year.
Connection is especially important, with 45% of Filipinos saying streaming music helps them feel more connected to their loved ones. Gen Zs made up nearly two-thirds (64%) of total global Blend playlist shares in the first half of 2023 — connecting deeper with their friends. This holiday season, Blend, Jam, and other interactive features of the platform are set to bring loved ones closer together. Co-listening devices also surge as Spotify becomes part of special Christmas moments. Streaming Spotify on TV grew by 47% during last year’s holiday season.
With Paskong Pinoy claiming the title of the world’s longest holiday season and Filipinos set to spend $140 billion this gifting season, brands have the unique opportunity to press play and connect with important consumers. Spotify’s listeners exhibit remarkable ad recall, with five times greater retention after a listening session. Spotify’s “Culture Next” also revealed that almost of 50% of Gen Zs also say they trust ads more if they hear them on Spotify, rather than see them on social media.
If you want your brand to reach millions of holiday-minded listeners or connect with the next generation in the Philippines — connect with the Spotify Advertising team at ph-sales@spotify.com or download the Spotify Culture Next Vol 5 here.
