Lesson of the Day: ‘Gen Z Pop Stars Made Their Mark in 2021. Beware, Millennial Forebears.’ (Published 2021) (2024)

Lesson Overview

Featured Article: “Gen Z Pop Stars Made Their Mark in 2021. Beware, Millennial Forebears.” by Lindsay Zoladz

Gen Z artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Chloe Bailey and the Kid Laroi grew up admiring artists who are now their contemporaries. The playful competition between these young stars and their idols is “evidence of a dynamic that has been increasingly noticeable this year: the growing generational divide between pop’s millennial elders and their Gen Z heirs,” Lindsay Zoladz writes.

In this lesson, you will explore what makes artists of Generation Z unique and how they relate to older music legends. Then you will choose a Gen Z artist you respect and write an analysis of what makes that artist’s work innovative, interesting or inspiring.

Warm-Up

What kind of music have you been listening to recently? Do you enjoy listening to current artists or older ones?

In a quickwrite, respond to the following questions: Who are some of your favorite younger artists? What do you like about them and their music? In what ways do you connect to their music? What do you think their music says about your generation?

If you want, you can share your responses, and find out what other students from around the world are listening to, in our Student Opinion question “What Music Are You Listening to Right Now?”