Senior Lorelei Kardwell stands in a crowd at a concert, phone in hand as she records videos to post on her Instagram story later. The music booms around her, but for Kardwell and her friends, the performer on stage isn’t the most important thing.
“Now it’s a little more about the aspect of going to a concert, not the actual concert,” Kardwell said. “A lot of times I catch myself trying to make memories with friends and talking to them a lot.”
Kardwell’s experience is not unique. According to a 2025 TicketSwap study, 50% of Gen Z respondents only buy concert tickets after their friends confirm they are going. Even then, most Gen Zers choose events that offer more than just music, emphasizing experience, community and inclusivity.
With these changing views on concerts comes a changing atmosphere that junior Okiki Asogba said he views negatively.Story continues below advertisement
“If only a certain (number) of people are there for the music, and there are other people just hanging out and not even enjoying the music, they’re just talking and on their phones, it brings down the energy a lot,” Asogba said.
But it’s the fear of missing out, or FOMO, that seems to influence many young people in these situations. A 2025 study from the National Library of Medicine found that younger people can feel anxious about experiences that aren’t documented, making recordings at concerts feel necessary as proof of attending.
Sophomore Fabiana Littlefield said she has noticed a similar trend of people prioritizing social media over the music.
“I don’t think it’s about the music anymore,” Littlefield said. “I know so many people that go to concerts that they don’t even know just for the experience and to post on social media.”
And Asogba said social media has shifted the intentions of many concert-goers.
“People go to a concert to take a picture and post on their story so they can fit in with everybody else,” Asogba said. “I feel social media has definitely played a big part in changing people’s perspective on what to do at a concert.”
Whether people are attending concerts for social media or for their friends, Littlefield said more people attending live music events is not necessarily a bad thing for the industry.
“For the artists, either way, they are getting money off of it,” Littlefield said. “If anything, they are making more money because more people are going to concerts.”
Junior Anisha Shetty said she agrees, although she said it could be demoralizing for performers despite the financial benefits.
“In a way it’s kind of sad for the people who are performing at the concerts because the people that are showing up, especially in the younger generations, aren’t really going to listen to their music,” Shetty said.
Littlefield also said artists may feel unappreciated.
“It’s really sad because a lot of these artists spend a lot of time and effort into these songs just for them to get TikTok-ified,” Littlefield said.
Despite these concerns, concerts allow people to come together and make memories. Kardwell said this socialization is rare today, making concerts a unique space.
“Music brings together community,” Kardwell said. “With what’s happening in the world right now, there are very few things that people can connect on.”
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