Gen Z are buying more vinyl than millennials, survey says

A new survey carried out by MRC Data has found that Gen Z (the newest generation, generally born between 1997 and 2012) music fans are purchasing more vinyl records than the millennial generation that came before them.

The survey of 4,041 people, aged 13 and over, which was carried out over the course of two weeks last month, found that 15% of Gen Z respondents said they had purchased vinyl in the past 12 months, compared with 11% of millennial respondents. 

Another significant figure to emerge from the same survey is that 28% of Gen Z music fans say they discovered new music through video games, while social media also plays a very significant role, accounting for 51% of new music discover. TikTok is the leading platform for discovery accordng to the survey’s respondents, being responsible for 49% of new music discovery.

It’s believed that this link between music discovery and video games may have emerged from ongoing partnerships between musicians and video game makers, which has seen DJs such as The Blessed Madonna, Solomun and Joy Orbison make appearances on recent updates of the Grand Theft Auto series, and the likes of Travis Scott and Marshmello host live-streamed concerts through the game Fortnite. 

Find the full results of the survey here.

Read DJ Mag’s 2020 feature on how Grand Theft Auto’s legacy continues to push musical boundaries, here.