Generational Advantage: How NextGen Engages Music Tech, Discovery, Socials & Live

By Danielle McDuffie

Born to an ’80s freestyle singer and an aspiring DJ and record collector, I was bound to be drawn to music more than your average casual radio listener. Music, for all of us, is an outlet, a reminder of the past, a good time anthem, and a community.

In my darkest times, from when I was an isolated elementary school student to when I was going through my first breakup, music was my one and only best friend through it all. I went to concerts to fill my cup, listened to one song on repeat, writing down each lyric as it was sung, and I dreamt of the days when music would fully engulf my life. I’ve been lucky enough to experience music before I could just look up the lyrics on Genius or Shazam a song playing at the mall.

As I’ve grown into a professional in the music industry, I’ve also been lucky enough to witness the strong relationship that has formed between music and technology. Some old-schoolers may say this isn’t a change for the better; however, I think this change has made us more connected to music than ever before.

When I was growing up, my primary sources of new music were Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and whatever was playing on the radio. Today, all I have to do is go to Spotify or TikTok and I have an entire library of new music curated for exactly what I listen to. I have my own fully personalized music experience sitting in my pocket just waiting to be discovered.

I’ve found countless artists from just scrolling on my “For You” page on TikTok. That’s how I found PinkPantheress, an English singer who had been around for a while, but went viral on TikTok with her songs “Just For Me” and “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2.” After hearing just a snippet while scrolling on TikTok, I immediately did a deep dive into PinkPantheress, starting with her most recent album, Heaven Knows. I fell in love with the sound and kept digging into her discography for more. I shared songs with friends, posted songs to my Instagram Stories, and brought it up in conversation whenever I could.

I was ecstatic to see that she was playing a show in Los Angeles right at the peak of my obsession. Attending that show reminded me that I wasn’t alone in that obsession. All of her fans were singing their hearts out, at times even louder than PinkPantheress herself with a mic. Looking back, my entire journey with this artist started with TikTok. The same could be said for fans of several other artists like The Kid LAROI with his viral song, “Stay” or Benson Boone with his power ballad, “Beautiful Things” or Olivia Rodrigo with the smash “Driver’s License.”

The list goes on and on and the beautiful thing is that it’s all sitting at our fingertips, waiting to be discovered. Starting at the beginning of this year, Spotify created its own version of the “For You” page with the introduction of the “Daylist” playlist. This feature has introduced me to so many new songs by artists I’d otherwise never would have known. The Daylist constantly updates based on your listening habits at different times of the day. For example, my current Daylist is titled “Poetic demure monday afternoon.” Now, what does that mean? Well, I’m not entirely sure until I listen but it is based on the genres and the vibes I normally listen to on a Monday afternoon. This playlist includes songs from artists I listen to on the daily like Clairo, Charli xcx, and beabadoobee.

It also includes new tracks from artists I don’t listen to that I may like such as Gracie Abrams, Laufey and Remy Bond. This makes music discovery so incredibly easy for me because I don’t have to search for anything and can just trust that Spotify has my back and knows what I like. Nine times out of 10, they are spot on. This connection through technology isn’t just about discovering new music; it also makes our live show experiences even better, bringing us closer to the music and to each other.

The best live show I’ve ever experienced was Paramore at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, back in 2022. It wasn’t just the performance itself that made it unforgettable; it was the fans, the friends I made, and the deep connection I felt with everyone in the crowd that truly made it the best experience of my life. If it weren’t for the online community of Paramore fans, I would have never met these amazing people.

Let’s go back a little. I bought tickets to see Paramore after their hiatus because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see my favorite band at such an intimate venue. I traveled two hours from my small town in South Carolina to Atlanta the day before the show, determined to get as close to the stage as possible. How would I know when it was time to head to the venue? Twitter. I had an entire community online, full of Paramore fans also planning on lining up for the show and I knew I could count on them for updates. I set an alarm for every hour that night to check Twitter and be ready to rush out of the hotel room and get in line.

2 a.m. hits and I searched my Twitter for “Paramore line” and I see 44 people are already in line for the show. I jumped out of bed, layered on as many clothes as I could, and sped to the venue. Despite the rain and temperatures below 40 degrees, I was determined to be in the front rows for my favorite band. I got to the venue at 2:45 a.m. only to see a parking lot full of idling cars. I approached a neon green Jeep and met my now good friend Rayna, who had organized a numbering system to keep everyone in their cars, sheltered from the cold and rain. She marked my hand with the number 48, and I returned to my car to stay warm for the next two hours. Once the line got too large to stay in our cars, we all headed outside into the frigid air in our respective number order.

Although this sounds like the most dreadful experience, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I happily jumped in that line and immediately connected with everyone around me. I met Macayla, who ended up singing on stage with Paramore that same night. I met Emili and Mar, who are two of my closest friends despite living across the country. I met an entire community of friends and fans and we are all still active in the group chat that we made that night. We even went to another Paramore show all together in Nashville. This community defies boundaries – location, time, age, gender.

Without the presence of social media, I would have never ended up in line at 2AM and would’ve never met the people who changed my life. The introduction of technology in the music industry has brought me something I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Danielle McDuffie, 25, is a Digital Marketing Coordinator in the Marketing Department of Music Forward, a nonprofit that champions a more diverse and inclusive music industry for young people. The idea for Pollstar’s recurring “Generational Advantage” column was conceived by the late Maxie Solters, whose memory is honored here.