Gen Z, music, and the generation gap (ft. Awakening Autumn)

Scroll through social media and you’d think Gen Z, Millennials, and Boomers were locked in endless culture wars over jeans, slang, and who is destroying America. But talking to Gen Z band Awakening Autumn (they reckon they’re Gen Z anyway, they don’t really think about it), a very different story appears.

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It turns out, we’re not so different, after all. The so-called “Generation Gap” has more to do with those in power amplifying perceived differences to keep us separated — rather than the way people actually live, listen, create, or connect to each other.

TLDR – Gen Z, music, tech, and culture
  • Gen Z might consume music a bit differently — but the generational “gap” is smaller than you think.
  • Algorithms both help and harm musicians – they can help artists break out, but drive vanity metrics.
  • Being a musician today is brutal: financial strain, empty rooms, and social media take a heavy toll.
  • Music discovery is fractured — playlists, TikTok, live shows, and friend networks all play roles.
  • Bands should balance authenticity with strategy: think quality, not quantity (+ multiple camera angles).
  • Social media eats at mental health — boundaries and honesty are critical survival tools to stay healthy.
  • AI is powerful but dangerous: it can streamline processes, but create slop. Safeguards are necessary.
  • Culture wars are distractions. Real solidarity comes from resisting labels and building bridges.

Chapters

Is Gen Z really that different?

The conversation starts simply: Do Gen Zers even listen to albums anymore?

The musicians from Awakening Autumn push back on the stereotype. Yes, they stream singles and playlists like everyone else. But when they’re invested in an artist, they sit with full albums — front to back, headphones on, attention sharp.

“When I’m really invested in the bands I like, I do tend to listen to the albums front to back… when I’m being deliberate, I listen to albums.” – Joey, Awakening Autumn

That isn’t the shallow, short-attention-span caricature we’re told Gen Z embodies. It’s a reminder that generational divides are often exaggerated for clicks.

Older fans might remember crate-digging at record stores or tuning into late-night MTV. Gen Z scrolls Spotify algorithms, YouTube rabbit holes, or TikTok snippets. The mechanics change. The impulse — finding music that moves you — doesn’t.

The truth is that generational identity is a weak predictor of values or tastes. Nobody wakes up and says, “I’m Gen Z — better only listen to singles today.”

Music discovery in the age of algorithms

So how does Gen Z actually find music?

  • Algorithms: Spotify “daylists,” YouTube auto-play, TikTok snippets.
  • Friends: endless DMs with albums and playlists.
  • Live shows: catching openers or stumbling into hidden gems.

“Catching live shows, big or small, is just a great way to discover new music. That’s how I discovered Husbands — my friend dragged me to a show. I forgot who the headliner was.” – Joey, Awakening Autumn

Algorithms widen the funnel but might flatten the curve. You might get exposure to new artists — but you also might be nudged toward generic, mass-appeal sounds. And vanity metrics skew the game for everyone.

“There are bands with tens of thousands of Instagram followers… but fewer than 100 monthly Spotify listeners. That’s the danger of appealing directly to the algorithm.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

In some ways, discovery today is both easier and more difficult. Meanwhile, getting signed to a label without a built-in audience is almost impossible. It’s not enough to be good. You need visibility, novelty, timing — and luck.

McKade comments on the paradox this creates: “It’s kind of a vicious cycle. It would be really helpful to have backing and support to build a following, but you cannot get backing and support without a following!”

Culture wars and class solidarity

Online, though, it’s all us vs. them. Millennials vs. Gen Z. Boomers vs. everyone. Companies and political movements stoke those divisions because it allows them to concentrate power and wealth into their hands, exclusively.

Awakening Autumn rejects it:

“If you take an entire group of people and put them in one box, you are always going to be incorrect and a total asshole for doing it.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

That truth runs deeper than music. Think of how “straight pride” or “white pride” narratives fester — fragility disguised as pride, weaponized into entry points for white supremacy. Or how entire generations get flattened into punchlines (“millennials are cringe,” “boomers ruined everything”).

These divides keep us distracted. McKade puts it bluntly: “Don’t look at the person on the other side of the ladder as someone to blame… look up. Because there’s real evil up there.”

According to him, most people — 95% by their rough estimate — “are not evil.” Instead, they’re misled, misinformed, or manipulated. The real enemy is the system that benefits from keeping us fighting each other instead of questioning the ladder itself and the people at the top of it.

The unglamorous truth of being a musician

If you think being a musician is glamorous or enjoyable, you’re going to have a rough time. The reality is brutal.

Not only are you often playing for empty rooms:

“I’ve played so many shows where the room’s practically empty… there might be three to five people tops in the audience. Not even the other bands are watching.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

There’s financial strain:

“Our first record cost upwards of nearly $20K to make… This EP started at $7K, but we’re closer to $15K now.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

And penny-pinching without a safety net:

“I don’t come from money. I’m a barber. [Joey] works at O’Reilly’s. Almost every cent I have, barring necessities, goes into this.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

Despite that, McKade and Joey are reluctant to call what they do a sacrifice. “It’s what I want to do and it’s in service of a future where this starts to make me money on its own,” McKade notes.

Still, the raw and transparent truth matters to the band. “I don’t want anyone glorifying what we do, especially if they’re inspired to pursue music by us. It’s very important we be realistic about what that looks like,” says McKade.

Marketing your band without losing your soul

How can musicians cut through the noise? Awakening Autumn’s advice is refreshingly practical: Multiple camera angles. They’ve found this works great for engagement. “It tickles people’s monkey brains and keeps them engaged,” McKade theorizes.

But the band also notes that the last thing they want to do is to become a content machine:

“We don’t want to just put content out for the sake of it… we don’t want to do stereotypical skits every band does that just get skipped over.” – Joey, Awakening Autumn

These things, combined, mirrors conventional content marketing wisdom too: originality, intentionality, and human insight drive lasting results. For bands, that means using social media as a tool — not a crutch. Post content that reflects your humor, your shows, your personality. Don’t chase trends for trend’s sake.

P.S. Here are some additional marketing insights from yours truly:

  • Hooks in the first three seconds: People swipe fast. Get to the point.
  • Quality over vanity: Followers mean little without real engagement.
  • Experimentation: Post regularly, but measure what actually resonates.

Social media and mental health

Awakening Autumn doesn’t mine words when it comes to social media:

“I think it’s all terrible. It’s all fake. It’s a bottomless pit where we might go to die if we let ourselves.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

Their coping strategies?

  • Blocking fellow musicians on personal accounts to avoid toxic comparison.
  • Separating band vs. personal spaces to keep joy intact and achieve work-life balance.
  • Refusing to embellish: being honest about struggles so others don’t fall for the illusion.

McKade and Joey see comparison as a thief of joy. This causes them some worry about how others might perceive them – not because they think people will think too little of them, but because they think people will think too much of them.

“People hit me up saying, ‘You’re this successful drummer!’ I’d love the successful part to be real. I’m not famous. I’m not a full-time drummer. I’m still grinding.” – Joey, Awakening Autumn

For Awakening Autumn, this kind of radical honesty is important. The way they see it, the more we admit the grind, the less others feel crushed by their own.

AI: Tool, crutch, or existential threat?

Awakening Autumn draws a hard line when it comes to AI in the creative process:

“AI is not creative. You didn’t create anything… the purpose of art is the reflection of a human being’s own understanding of the world. A computer can’t do that.” – McKade, Awakening Autumn

Instead, they see AI much like others see Google — great for quick insights and research that doesn’t require a lot of accuracy – but not for songs, cover art, or deeply important research.

And they’ve seen the harm that AI can cause already:

  • Devaluing artists: McKade has seen his partner’s paintings dismissed as AI fakes.
  • Replacing jobs: Joey has seen customer support lines automated away.

Despite this, McKade, at least, shares his optimistic hope that AI will ultimately create more jobs than it kills – though he admits he’s no economist and hasn’t done any research to see if there’s evidence that backs up this hope.

Regardless, pretty much everyone can agree that safeguards are needed.

Creating a more honest, human future

The through-line of all of this — generational divides, music’s grind, social media, AI — is honesty and communication. Whether talking about the unvarnished truth of being a musician, exploring the supposed “generation gap,” using AI for work or pleasure, dismantling culture wars and identity politics, or seeking class solidarity – it comes down to being honest with yourself and others about who you are and what you’re doing.

From what I can see, this is the energy and ethos with which Awakening Autumn approaches both music and life. If more of Gen Z, and people in general, are like this, then we have a lot of reasons to be hopeful.

Because if we stop fighting each other – if we drop the labels and build bridges – we can choose to punch up, together.

FAQ – Gen Z, Social Media, Tech, Mental Health, Music

Q: Is Gen Z really killing the album?

A: No. Many still value albums deeply. While listening may happen via streaming instead of vinyl, tapes, or CDs, the desire for immersive listening remains.

Q: What’s the best way for new bands to grow on social media?

A: Stay authentic, experiment, and focus on engagement over followers. Use multiple camera angles, post regularly, and measure what resonates. Avoid vanity metrics (particularly followers and view counts).

Q: How can musicians protect their mental health online?

A: Set boundaries. Block accounts that trigger comparison. Keep personal spaces separate from band spaces. Be honest about struggles.

Q: Should artists use AI in their creative process?

A: Awakening Autumn says no. Use AI as a tool for organization or research, not for art. Human perspective is irreplaceable.

Q: What’s the real takeaway about generations and culture wars?

A: Labels divide us, but solidarity strengthens us. Don’t blame sideways — look upward at the people profiting off our division.