‘Physical Merchandise Has Never Been More Important’: Australian Study Finds Gen Z Is Getting Hands-On

SYDNEY, Australia — Vinyl, merch, ticket stubs and wristbands. In a shrinking, digital world, where upwards of 100 million songs live in our pockets, Gen Z has a seemingly unbreakable connection with physical touchpoints, the keepsakes of a great show and their favorite band.

That’s one of the takeaways from “Love Song 2026,” one of Australia’s largest and longest-running studies on digital natives.

The study, published this month and conducted earlier in the year by Connect by Live Nation, the music sponsorship, creative, and experiential agency, “Love Song” surveyed 5,692 Australians, including 1,411 Gen Z respondents, for a glimpse at how young people engage with culture, navigate fandom, and prioritize live experiences.

Over half of those Gen Z participants were found to rely on curated spaces to navigate culture, from playlists to creators and events. Live music, of course, provides a rush and is seen as the social lubricant for today’s youth, with 89 percent attending concerts solo to find their tribe, and 92 percent agreeing that meeting new people in real life at gigs is a perfect match.

This good times keep rolling after the house lights have gone up. Nearly all Gen Z (96 percent) say pre- and post-event moments are just as important as the event itself, from artist-themed parties (73 percent) to fan meet-ups (74 percent) and offering exclusive VIP or behind-the-scenes moments.

Gen X’s collection of stubs from the 1990s might just be worth something. Aside from experiences, Gen Z loves an artifact, the new document reveals, from merchandise (81 percent) to ticket stubs and wristbands (87 percent), with fans preserving these in physical scrapbooks to spark memories at a later date.

While Gen Z are connected like no generation before them, 76 percent are returning to vinyl, proof of which can be seen in annual reports from ARIA and IFPI, some older technologies are getting dusted off, for a tangible connection. Think Polaroid cameras, iPods and other devices that many thought were done like the dinosaurs.

“Gen Z’s engagement with live experiences isn’t confined to a single moment – it’s an ongoing lifecycle,” said Kristy Rosser, senior vice president, head of media & sponsorship at Live Nation Australia and New Zealand.“Physical merchandise has never been more important, and participatory elements such as posters and autographs are making a strong comeback. They’re blending the best of past and present to shape their own culture.”

The study took place from Feb. 18-25, 2026. Read more at connectbylivenation.com.au.