The poignant pull of nostalgia hits Gen Z hardest, according to a study involving three generations of consumers in the US, UK and Australia. “Then is Now: A Study of Modern Nostalgia” surveyed 1,800 people, evenly divided between the US, UK and Australia and among Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z consumers. The study was
The poignant pull of nostalgia hits Gen Z hardest, according to a study involving three generations of consumers in the US, UK and Australia.
“Then is Now: A Study of Modern Nostalgia” surveyed 1,800 people, evenly divided between the US, UK and Australia and among Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z consumers. The study was commissioned by Vevo, the music video streaming service owned by Sony Music and Universal Music Group.
Vevo has been active in the early market in recent weeks touting the growth of its streaming service around pop culture moments driven by nostalgia or nostalgic content. The platform is well equipped with tunes from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, animated movies, and scripted and unscripted television series. When a new series is packed with new features like Netflix’s “Stranger Things” or FX’s “Love Story: John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette,” Vevo views see a similar increase: To wit, views of Sade’s “No Ordinary Love” increased 52% after “Love Story” premiered in February.
Consumers who come to Vevo for nostalgia or to discover an old tune in a movie or TV show are increasingly likely to seek out more material. The study documents Generation Z’s growing tendency to embrace “borrowed” nostalgia, or longing for the trappings of times they never experienced. The typical 20- to 25-year cycle of nostalgia windows in pop culture is also accelerating thanks to Generation Z and younger millennials who grew up digital natives. In the study, Generation
“These digitally native consumers crave collective, shared experiences that existed before content was immediately available on demand,” the report states. “As streaming collapses generational barriers, younger audiences have easy access to timeless content, allowing them to discover and form deep emotional connections to cultural moments from decades before they were born.”
From “Then is Now: A Study in Modern Nostalgia”
Rob Christensen, executive vice president of global sales at Vevo, emphasizes how catchy nostalgic content and music can be.
“Today’s new content is more of a springboard to the library and nostalgic content to be discovered for the first time or rediscovered by fans,” Christensen said. Variety.
Vevo and its label partners are increasingly looking to prepare for big moments of nostalgia sparked by movies and TV shows, live events, anniversaries and more.
“We’re really focusing on our artists and our multi-screen audience to show what content accomplishes when combined with nostalgia. It’s a premium price point, but we can be competitive on price, because the fact is that startup is no longer just about scale,” Christensen said. “We don’t like to say that we compete with sports, but by combining music and pop culture in the right way with a sports strategy with current and nostalgic content, excellent results are obtained.”
Among the study’s notable insights:
- Views of Beatles material increased 62% on Vevo following the November 2025 release of the band’s multi-part “Anthology” documentary series on Disney.
- Views for Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times” video increased 547% after the release of Amazon MGM Studios’ blockbuster “Project Hail Mary,” which featured the song.
- 64% of Gen Z respondents say nostalgia “has a strong influence on the content I watch.”
- 88% of Gen Z said nostalgia “makes emotional experiences feel deeper.”
- Kelis’ 2003 hit “Milkshake” saw a 66% rebound after retailer Gap used the tune in a marketing campaign last year.
- 54% of Gen
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