Ask Lemmy

kagis

https://breakthroughguitar.com/think-playing-guitar-is-dying-think-again-the-stats-tell-a-different-story/

According to industry reports, guitar sales have decreased consistently for over a decade. Total US guitar sales dropped over 50% from 1.5 million units yearly in the 2000s down to around 600,000 as of 2020.

However, the past few years showed a leveling off of declines, and 2021 even saw a slight uptick likely driven by pandemic factors. But regardless, the market has gotten undeniably smaller since its peak.

That doesn't have a breakdown as to age of buyers, but if sales are less than half what they were two decades ago, I imagine that playing the guitar is probably less popular than it was at that point in time.

No. Harpsichord is on the rise, to dominate, once again.

Guitar? You mean the controller for Guitar Hero?

yes, things like Midwest emo are seeing a resurgence, see Origami Angel or Arcadia Grey for instance; or things that blend hyperpop with more pop/punk sensibilities like Dynastic. there's a lot of it out there, it's just not what's mainstream.

Gen Z? Yes.

Producers, advertisers, and other media big wigs that would fit in with the Ferengi Commerce Association? No

No. Ze sin-te-sigh-zer is ze sound of ze future.

I think most zoomers feel like they just don't have the time for that on top of whatever else they have going on.

I guarantee you that for every lost sale over time there's probably like 3 kids out there who have looked at an instrument and had a thought of "just maybe..." before banishing it because the time and energy costs alone to even begin sounding good at most instruments is gonna be daunting to someone who feels like their plate was already loaded.

I guess I'm technically gen z, even if on the older side, but I think guitars are cool. And a sample size of one is perfect.

Isn't the whole instagram neo-soul guitar style a gen Z thing? It seems like at least some of the generation is both fond of guitar and very good at it

I blame Wonderwall.

Guitars were a 1960s thing I believe. Here is what the in-group plays now:

https://youtu.be/Dkygdt3l-LM

I love guitars (I own two, though I'm an on-and-off casual player) and I have a few friends who are also into guitar-made music. Other genres like hip-hop also make use of guitars on occasion as well. They definitely aren't as popular as they once were, but they still have a fandom in Gen Z.

If it's something that takes longer than 10 minutes at a time to do most people are not going to do it. Musical instruments are time intensive to learn.

Well, the guitar is, after all, a peasants instrument.

flicks lighter

I don't think guitars themselves are cool, but people who can play them? Definitely cool.

Pop music has been like that since the early 80’s. Traditional bands; a couple of guitarists, a bass player, a drummer and someone singing, still held some sway until the end of the grunge movement, but now most modern bands are playing some form of metal.