Gen Z is rewriting fandom: from gigs as social hubs to a return to physical culture

Gen Z is turning live music into something far bigger than entertainment, with gigs increasingly acting as social hubs, identity markers and content ecosystems.

The 2026 Love Song study from Live Nation (its biggest study yet) shows the Gen Z generation is seeking deeper, real-world connections, with almost 90% considering to attend concerts alone and 96% valuing pre and post-event moments as much as the event itself.

Junk journaling is in, as is scrapbooking and Gen Z community is all about “touching grass”, “clocking it”, leaning into “hard launches” and seeking out “side quests”. 

And if those terms are not on your Gen Z bingo card, this is probably a report you should read.

At the centre of the shift is fandom, no longer a niche interest but a defining part of identity.

“I think what’s really interesting is the multifaceted nature of fandom,” says Ankita Shetty, creative strategy lead at TikTok.

“They don’t look at it as a hobby. They look at it as identity. It’s literally what forms their culture and community.”

That identity is playing out most visibly in live environments, where events are becoming spaces for connection, not just consumption. Gen Z audiences are increasingly comfortable attending alone, using shared fandom as a shortcut to community once they arrive.

“Gen Z aren’t afraid to show up on their own,” Erica Valenti, integrated marketing director at Live Nation, said during a panel discussion at yesterday’s research launch. “They’ve made the community online, and then as soon as they get there, that visual identity… we’re the same.”

That dynamic is reshaping the role of live events, which are now extending far beyond a single moment. Brands too can play a role in this, but Gen Z consumers warn it’s not for the faint hearted.

“The biggest shift that brands need to really lean into is how you create these 360 moments around these live experiences and this fandom,” Briony Kent, head of marketing at Salamon, said.

“It’s not just a live event… it’s the pre, the live event, and then the post.”

That means rethinking how events are planned, produced and measured. Kent said her team has moved away from traditional campaign cycles, instead treating live experiences as ongoing content engines.

“We’ve had to really look and go, okay, these are campaigns within themselves,” she said. “How do we have three weeks worth of content off the back of these live community experiences?”

SEE MORE: Brands face a stark reality - only one in four Gen Z consumers trust them

That shift reflects a broader change in how Gen Z engages with content. On platforms like TikTok, discovery is no longer linear, with users jumping between formats, creators and communities in what Shetty described as “curiosity detours”.

“You watch something, you like the sound, suddenly you’ve gone to the entire artist’s catalogue… you’re in the comments… there’s so many different elements,” she said.

For brands, the implication is clear: create depth, not just reach.

“Give them something to really go into a deep rabbit hole,” Shetty said.

At the same time, Gen Z’s relationship with content is becoming increasingly physical again. From scrapbooking and junk journaling to collecting ticket stubs and merchandise, the research highlighs a growing desire for tangible, shareable artefacts.

“I think people are reaching for physical media again,” says content creator Tara Chandra.

“As a creative… we want more human elements… and we’re seeing that with the rise of things like journaling and scrapbooking.”

Importantly, these behaviours are not happening in isolation from digital culture, but alongside it. Physical items are being collected, curated and shared as part of identity-building and social connection.

For marketers looking for a way into this tight-knit community, it creates new opportunities, but also raises the bar for authenticity.

“You can’t buy into fandom, and you can’t buy into culture,” Kent stressed.

“There is nothing more scathing than a TikTok comment section when you can see a brand working with somebody that does not align.”

That tension is forcing brands to rethink their role within communities, moving away from interruption and toward participation.

“Think like a marketer, act like a creator,” Shetty said. “You are part of the community… what value do you bring to it?”

The panel also pointed to a resurgence of longer-form content, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where episodic storytelling is gaining traction.

“I’m really excited… long form content at the moment, I think it’s having a moment,” Kent said. “It feels like you’re watching a show… but it’s still kind of short form content.”

The findings point to a broader shift: Gen Z is not just consuming culture, but actively shaping it across platforms, formats and physical spaces. As Live Nation’s Valenti put it, fandom is no longer just an audience behaviour, but a strategic opportunity.

“Fandom is really powerful. It’s really real. If you can connect with that, that’s where the gold is,” she said.