60% of Gen Z in America now listen to AI music weekly, and they’re not using Spotify to find it:

Key Highlights:

• 60% of Americans aged 18-29 report listening to AI music, averaging three hours weekly
• YouTube and TikTok are the primary platforms for AI music consumption, not traditional streaming services
• Deezer data shows AI tracks make up 34% of uploads but only 0.5% of streams, suggesting a platform divide

Morgan Stanley’s annual audio survey has dropped a bombshell: most young Americans are already listening to AI-generated music. According to Morgan Stanley’s survey, 60% of 18-29 year-olds consume about three hours of AI music weekly. “What we found surprised us,” wrote analyst Benjamin Swinburne. The numbers drop to 55% for 30-44 year-olds and 25% for those 45-64.

YouTube and TikTok dominate as sources for AI music, not Spotify or Apple Music. This explains a key contradiction: Deezer receives 50,000 AI tracks daily, representing 34% of uploads, yet AI music accounts for only 0.5% of streams. Research on AI transforming Gen Z’s music tastes shows increased diversity in young listeners’ preferences.

AI music is gaining traction outside traditional DSPs. Artists like China Styles have earned 22 million streams using Suno AI. For you, this signals a split market: human-made music still dominates streaming royalties, but short-form video platforms are becoming AI music’s home turf.