Pop music has always had its most influential stars like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, and Madonna. Now, a new generation of pop from Gen Z has taken over, and the definition of what really being a pop star means has changed.
Success in this new era of pop depends on the creation of a specific “brand” or “niche.” Artists who do not have a particular audience or branding may achieve brief, commercial success on the charts, but often remain relatively unknown outside of their fans.
An example of an artist who falls into this category is Madison Beer. Most people have heard Beer’s number one hit on the dance/mix show airplay chart, “Make You Mine,” or her currently charting single, “Bittersweet.” However, despite having some huge hits, Beer is relatively unknown as a persona and artist. She has amazing vocals and songwriting skills, but no niche audience or specific branding. Her audience is too generalized, leaving her outside of the stardom she has been working toward for the last 10 years.
On the other side, there are artists that have taken advantage of this new niche-based culture, including Zara Larsson, Sabrina Carpenter, and Addison Rae. Larsson was initially in Beer’s situation, with her singles such as “Lush Life,” “Never Forget You,” and “Symphony,” reaching mass audiences, but her name remaining relatively unknown. However, after the dolphin meme with her song “Symphony” went viral in 2024, she rebranded, and now represents a mermaid themed, maximalist aesthetic with pastel colors and a y2k style. She is now playing a sold-out tour for her album, “Midnight Sun,” this year, and was nominated for a Grammy for the same album.
Carpenter experienced a similar evolution with singles like “Looking at Me,” “Skin,” and “Thumbs” landing for her die-hard Disney fans, but leaving her completely unknown until her album,“Emails I Can’t Send.” Even then, she was only acknowledged as a potential pop star until she established her unique brand in “Short and Sweet” as self-criticizing, glittery, and witty, with a style based on old Hollywood glamour.
Finally, Rae, who started as an influencer on TikTok in 2020, is now heavily talked about, and some view her as the “next Britney Spears” due to her unique, bittersweet, whimsical, and moody style. The niche audience her branding has created has made her so popular that she was able to snag a best new artist Grammy nomination less than a year after her debut.
The power of social media and fan culture is undeniable in Gen Z music. This is clear with artists like Chappell Roan and KATSEYE, who practically got famous overnight. To even have a chance of succeeding in pop music in this age, unique branding and a niche audience are necessary. Without it, aspiring pop artists will forever be confined to “radio” or “supermarket” music.
Overall, what this shows is that Gen Z wants to hear music from artists who “understand” them. Pop music made for Gen Z needs to have a unique soul and specific message behind the art.
ivanka • Mar 30, 2026 at 2:13 pm
zara larsson mentioned!!