The idea of “new-to-me” content isn’t, well, new. But new data from Vevo supports the notion that younger viewers are longing and perhaps a bit wistful for entertainment and eras that came before their time.
According to the music video streaming network’s Then is Now report, 60% of respondents across nearly 1,800 Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X consumers in the U.S., UK and Australia reported identifying with “shared nostalgia” or a collective memory shaped by cultural reboots and widely shared content versus their personal experience.
The trend looks particularly prominent among Gen Z, the age group now between 14-29 years. Among Vevo respondents, 65% of Gen Zers report experiencing so-called borrowed nostalgia for culture moments from before they were born or are too young to remember. And with an emotional factor at play, 64% of Gen Z surveyed agreed that feeling nostalgic has a strong influence on the media and content they choose to watch.
When it comes to mediums and forms of entertainment that drive a yearning for years gone by, music ranked at the top, cited by 88% of Vevo respondents as type of entertainment that feels the most nostalgic. Music was followed by movies and films (81%) and TV shows (80%) as the driving forces of nostalgia, with significant dips among other forms and activities like gaming, sports, comics or live theater.
Separate analysis released this week from consumer data and insights company Worldpanel by Numerator adds additional credence to the nostalgia-seeking trend among consumers as they dole out for video entertainment.
The company released its State of U.S. Transactional Spending analysis, which tracks digital movie rentals and purchases, digital TV series purchases and movie theater sales, alongside streaming for the six-month period of October 2025 to March 2026.
The company found that while Gen Zers (specifically those in the generation 24 years old and younger) frequent movie theaters more often than older generations, when purchasing at home they tend to spend on nostalgia.
“The trend of ‘nostalgia’ has been evident across categories like fashion and technology, and it’s also evident in Gen Z’s spend on films,” the firm wrote.
It noted the 2008 Twilight film is among both the top 5 rented and purchased film titles among Gen Z, with popularity quickly dropping off among the 25-34-year-old cohort.
“This behavior is undoubtedly influencing the production of film and television reboots and sequels in hopes of winning the Gen Z audience,” the analysis stated.
The nostalgia trend also shows up in TV series purchased, where Friends still reigned as the top purchased series for all age groups under 55.
And per Vevo’s survey, the nostalgia factor, even if “borrowed”, is a form of cultural curation and identity-building for younger consumers and can benefit brands that want to tap into the emotion and deepen connections with Gen Z through resonant cultural touchpoints and content.
Still the streaming video network emphasized balancing strategies that tap into nostalgia with those around new releases as premieres still present opportunities for immediate and real-time engagement.
Vevo’s report called out the nostalgia trend touching many facets of culture, including in music videos. It used the example of nostalgia influencing newer releases and viewing, where Sabrina Carpenter released some of the most-view music video premieres on Vevo in 2025, all of which “were direct homages to movies” from the past like Thelma & Louise and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Vevo has some stake in the game with its survey findings as the report coincides with the introduction of a new nostalgia purchasing layer within the company’s targeting and buying offering for advertisers, Vevo Evolve.
But per the findings, compared to newer content, nostalgic content was identified by respondents as building emotional connections with customers 22% more; re-engaging audiences 17% more; and strengthening relationships with long-standing customers 11% more than newer content.
And nostalgic messaging by brands appears to resonate across generations.
In Vevo’s survey 72% of all respondents said the approach makes a brand feel more relatable, while 71% said nostalgic messaging creates a positive emotional association and 67% said it makes them more likely to pay attention to a brand.
“Advertisers are often focused on what’s new or trending, but timeless catalog moments can be just as effective in driving attention and emotional connection,” said Laura Vanison, VP, Research & Measurement at Vevo, in a statement. “Nostalgic content doesn’t just resonate with audiences who experienced these moments firsthand – it also connects with younger viewers discovering them for the first time. By balancing premiere moments with culturally resonant catalog content, brands can build strategies that reach audiences across generations in more authentic and emotionally relevant ways.”