Generation Z uses podcasts as therapy. This audio content would help them reduce their anxiety, escape and better understand themselves.
- In France, 66% of 18-24 year olds say they turn to podcasts to find answers to difficult or personal questions before telling their family.
- 59% of young adults say they listen to podcasts to fuel the conversations they have with their friends.
In recent years, more and more young people are captivated by digital audio and have taken to listening to podcasts to tackle the most complex problems in their lives. This was revealed in Spotify’s latest report”Culture Next 2022In this survey, the Swedish company combined qualitative, quantitative and data analysis exploring distinct segments of Generation Z (15-25 years old) based on life stage, as well as their millennial counterparts ( 26-40 years old) An online questionnaire was also completed by 12,500 people in March and April 2022.
A “stressed” generation that “is under too much pressure”
According to the results, young people aged 15 to 25 are more likely than millennials to describe their generation as “stressed” (67% versus 48%). They feel that their “generation is under too much pressure to solve problems on a global scale (76% vs. 72%)”.
To deal with this anxiety, teens and young adults are turning to podcasts. They use this content to analyze their feelings, put words on what they feel and thus better understand themselves. “80% said audio allowed them to explore different aspects of their personality, while more than a third said the podcasts they choose to stream are ones that help them experience a range of emotions, from joy to sadness”, can we read in the report.
Podcasts: more than one in three young people listen to them at least once a week
According to the data, more than a third of young French people aged 18 to 24 listen to audio content at least once a week. This is for example the case of Margot, aged 23, who lends an attentive ear once every three days. “They allow me to learn more about certain subjects but also to relax and think about something else”, she confides.
The student admits to having often negative thoughts because of fatigue, work pressure or social interactions. “These thoughts stress me out and cause my heart to race, stutter, or have a shaky voice. Knowing from podcasts that other people are also anxious helps me feel less alone,” continues the young woman, indicating that it would be difficult for her to do without this audio content.
Mental health podcasts are the most popular
Like Margot, many young French people listen to podcasts about mental health. It’s about “first genre of podcast followed by members of Generation Z around the world. (…) The number of listens increased by 138% in the 1st quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year”, specifies the Spotify report.
