Gen Z has relied on music streaming platforms for years now. This is because it’s the easy default. It’s what everyone does. But have you ever thought that maybe that’s exactly the problem?
Streaming gives you everything. Any song, anytime, instantly. Although somehow, that’s made music feel smaller and less intentional. More like something you have on in the background, rather than something you consciously listen to.
It’s hard to argue with the convenience of these platforms. You can play whatever you want, whenever you want. However, the trade-off is starting to show. Even that convenience comes with a catch. Most platforms only really work the way they’re meant to if you’re paying for them. Otherwise, you have to deal with ads, limited skips, or features being held back.
Then there’s ‘shuffle play’. You’ve got a playlist with 100+ songs, yet somehow you hear the same handful on repeat. It doesn’t feel random at all. It can feel as though you’re being nudged toward what the platform thinks you want, rather than actually exploring anything new, which starts to shape how you listen.
Streaming has turned music into background noise. Something you chuck on while doing something else. You’re not really choosing it, you’re just letting it play. The more accessible music becomes, the easier it is to stop paying attention to it as a whole.
Then there’s the bigger picture. Streaming is personalised, but it’s also isolating. It means there’s less opportunity for a shared listening experience and less connection to what’s happening around you, particularly at a local level.
That’s why streaming platforms should be out for 2026, or at least not the default. Sometimes, better listening comes from letting someone else curate your audio experience, hearing something you didn’t choose, and letting someone else take the reins.
Lucky for you, that’s still very much a thing (The Sauce 96.1 *wink*).