how to make rock music cool with generation z

HOW TO MAKE ROCK POPULAR WITH TEENAGERS

Wednesday, January 29, 14

MUSIC TODAY


POP MUSIC TOPS THE CHARTSPop music, interspersed with some hip-hop, EDM and country dominates today’s music scene.


• Having a crush• Getting dumped• Being popular - This is especially true of hip-hop• Partying• Youthful ideals

• Prioritizing happiness• Being true to yourself• Enjoying life

WHAT DO POP MUSIC ARTISTS HAVE IN COMMON?They sing about the things teenagers are thinking about...


The look of pop artists is easy to imitate or desire. The videos and live performances are stimulating.

WHAT DO POP MUSIC ARTISTS HAVE IN COMMON?They look good doing it...


Pop music in the 21st century is more simplistic than folk music of any culture or time before. Teenagers have short attention spans, the simplicity of the music makes it easy to focus on the lyrics and the visuals.

WHAT DO POP MUSIC ARTISTS HAVE IN COMMON?Their songs are simple.


They can make more friends by talking about Lady Gaga then Led Zeppelin. It comes down to conformity and acceptance.

POP MUSIC SERVES AS COMMON GROUND FOR TEENSTeenagers want to fit in and be popular.


According to youth market research firm YPulse, around 30% of 13-24 year olds listen to EDM.

WHILE POP DOMINATES, EDM IS GAINING TRACTIONElectronic Dance Music (EDM) is the latest music craze.


Built around escapism through music and intense dance, EDM has it’s roots in the after-dark European music scene. However, the internet has given everyone the ability to view the shows and listen to the music. Now EDM is everywhere.

TECHNOLOGY GIVES TEENS AN ALL ACCESS PASS TO THE EDM SCENEEven though they are too young to attend the shows.


EDM is about blending different musical styles and genres. Electronic music can stand alone or incorporate more mainstream styles such pop, hip-hop or country. Many of the pop hits out there today include elements of EDM.

EDM FITS IN AND STANDS OUTStanding out while fitting in is also the goal of most teenagers.


Teenagers have access to an infinite library of music’s past that they can use or mix however they like.

TEENAGERS CAN BOTH CREATE AND LISTEN TO EDMThe participatory element is a large part of the appeal.


MUSIC IS GETTING “DANICER”

A Rutgers study found that music has been getting “dancier” since the 70s.


THE TEENAGE AUDIENCE


Teens like a greater variety of music because they have more methods of discovery.

TECHNOLOGY HAS GIVEN TEENAGERS BROADER TASTE IN MUSICWe are living in a music library/playlist culture.


According to Nielsen, YouTube beat out radio as the primary way teenagers find new music. In addition to major social sites like YouTube and Twitter, teenagers are also turning to niche music sharing sites like Spotify and Sound Cloud. Social media allows teens to follow artists and friends alike.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE PRIMARY METHOD OF DISCOVERYSocial media allows teens to discover and share.


Commercial music has become the norm for teenagers. They are more open to finding new music from TV commercials than they were in the past. Just look what the Chevy commercial did for the band Fun.

COMMERCIALS HAVE BECOME AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF DISCOVERY“Selling out” is a thing of the past.


Social media has made it easy for fans to rally around an artists or a group. They band around a name like “Little Monsters” as a form of identity and community.

FOR MANY TEENS BEING A FAN IS PART OF WHO THEY AREFandom culture is huge among teenagers.


According to Nielsen, over 30% of teens attend at least one show per month. Festivals are a form of escapism from the stresses and pressures of everyday life. Different cultures and genres collide in a spirit of acceptance. Teens even dress differently at festivals.

MUSIC FESTIVALS ARE A MAJOR CULTURAL FORCEFestivals allow for creative expression without judgement.


Older millennials were encouraged to take up many different activities to find their passion. These days, teenagers find their passions early and make it their focus.

YESTERDAY’S TEENS WERE WELL ROUNDED, TODAY’S TEENS ARE EXPERTS Niche expertise is a new form of social currency.


According to Viacom, 68% of teenagers aged 14-17 say their parents are “like a best friend to me.” They don’t see parents as the cause of their struggles. MTV has even shed its parent-free zone roots in favor of family-centric shows like “Teen Mom.”

TEENS TODAY ARE LESS REBELLIOUS THAN THEY WERE IN THE PAST Parents are their support system, not their enemy.


When MTV asked teenagers what they are rebelling against, they didn’t have an answer. Previous generations believed they were fighting they system, this generation believes they are system and together they can make a change.

TEENS TODAY ARE NOT AGAINST THE SYSTEM, THEY ARE THE SYSTEM They are re-imagining the culture.


Teenagers place a high value on responsibility, fairness, and being kind. Lewd public behaviors no longer phase them. Socially unacceptable behaviors like corporate cover-ups and homo-phobic remarks are today’s scandal.

ACCEPTANCE IS TODAY’S TEENAGERS’ HIGHEST VIRTUEThey are known as “generation nice.”


ROCK MUSIC


EDM, pop and hip-hop have a repetitive beat, and simple, understandable lyrics. Rock music has intricate guitar solos, confusing drumming patterns and metaphorical lyrics.

ROCK MUSIC SOUNDS DIFFERENT FROM THE RESTPop is simple, rock is complicated.


There is a perception that those who like rock dismiss other forms of music as being “too commercial” or “not about the music." This has much to do with rock’s rebellious roots and it’s roll in political unrest.

THERE IS AN “US AND THEM” MENTALITY TO ROCKMany teens think if they like rock they can only listen to rock.


ROCK MUSIC IS NOT NEWTeenagers gravitate to the newest musical available.

Teens are the tastemakers of music. They are the first to buy pop music and the first to discover a new genre. Every generation defines itself musically by a style that didn’t exist before. The 70s had punk, the 80s had hair metal, the 90s had hip-hop etc.


ROCK IS STILL RELEVANTWhile pop may to the charts, rock still sells out arenas.

Arcade Fire sold out Madison Square Garden. Vampire Weekend played Radio City Music Hall. Bands like Muse, Kings of Leon, The Strokes and LCD Sound System have been known to sell out stadiums as well.


ISSUESBarriers to market entry and growth.

• Rock music is less popular than other genres.• Rock’s distinct sound does not blend as easily with other genres.• Rock’s rebellious roots conflict with today’s culture.• Rock’s anti-commercialism stance prohibits opportunities for

exposure.• Rock is an older genre and therefore less relevant.


KEY INSIGHTDrivers of current behavior/attitudes.

Teenagers are less rebellious than previous generations. They get along with their parents and accept their peers. The “us and them” mentality that used to define the teenage years is a thing of the past.


IDEAHow to make rock music popular among teens.

Make rock music more relatable to today’s teens by focusing on the creative process and passion rock musicians have for their music.


OPPORTUNITIES Opportunities for market entry and growth.

• Gaining relevance by collaborating with pop or EDM artists, leveraging their brand equity.

• Creating documentaries that focus on the “why” of various rock bands and their creative process.

• Using social media to gain more fans.• Using new technologies in rock videos to be more relevant

and get more word-of-mouth. An example of this is Beck’s 360 experience.

• Being in a commercial. • Making a product such as Bon Iver’s Keep Shoes. Creating a

product would tap into teenager’s desire to imitate and generate growth through word-of-mouth.


OPPORTUNITIES Opportunities for market entry and growth.

• Creating a fan community. • Releasing online videos on how to play the guitar. This would

tap into teenagers’ enthusiasm for DIY learning. It would also create growth through loyalty and the shareable nature of online video.

• Making the festival rounds. There is also an opportunity to stand out by being at a pop or EDM festival, collaborating with those artists on songs.


how to make rock music cool with generation z

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