Writing services company PapersOwl has published a new insights report examining how Gen Z adults view millennial-era cultural trends, based on a survey of 2,000 U.S. respondents ages 18 to 28.
“Gen Z is not responding to millennial culture as a single package,” said Oryna Shestakova, Head of Communications at PapersOwl. “The survey data suggests selective adoption. Respondents keep what feels familiar or useful and move away from what feels unappealing.”
Animated Films Lead Shared Nostalgia
The report finds that animated movies remain the most widely embraced part of millennial pop culture among Gen Z. Toy Story is loved by 61% of respondents, and Shrek is loved by 59%. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents reported watching both films.
Fashion Preferences Show the Sharpest Splits
According to the report, skinny jeans generate the strongest negative responses of the trends tested. A total of 21% described them as a fashion crime or said they tried them and disliked them. At the same time, 22% respondents said they still love skinny jeans, indicating a persistent divide rather than a consensus shift.
Side Part and Everyday Habits That Remain Common
Hair and daily routines show a different pattern. The side part received more support than online narratives often suggest, with 55% saying they like or love it, and 31% saying they love it placing first among other hairstyles. Only 8% reported they despise it.
Everyday habits also show carryover. The air fryer remains widely used or liked, with 73% saying they love it or still use it. Phone calls also scored relatively high, with 70% saying they love talking on the phone or still do.
Smoking Draws the Clearest Rejection
The report highlights that some habits are rejected more decisively than others. Smoking received the strongest negative response in the habits list, with 25% describing it as a complete dealbreaker.
TV and Music Highlight Familiarity and Differing Taste
Music is where Gen Z turns into a ruthless curator. Some millennial era bands get treated like comfort food. Others get the “never heard of them” shrug.
The safest bets are the big radio staples. Coldplay pulls 44% “loved it” overall, with just 6% saying they hated it. Imagine Dragons lands in a similar zone at 39% “loved it” overall, and stays relatively familiar, with 20% saying they’ve never heard of them.
Then they get the bands Gen Z loves, but not always from the original tracks. Black Eyed Peas scores 42% “loved it” overall, and it’s one of the most remix-first discoveries, with 17% overall saying they’ve only heard remixes. Men are more likely to love them than women, 44% vs 39%, and men also lead on the remix-only route at 19%.
The indie and emo lane is where things split hard. Panic! at the Disco gets 34% “loved it” overall, but 29% say they’ve never heard of them. My Chemical Romance sits at 27% “loved it” overall, with 36% saying they’ve never heard of them. Arctic Monkeys is the clearest gender split, women are far more likely to love them (32%) than men (19%), while 33% overall still say they’ve never heard of them.
Shestakova added, “These findings help clarify what is actually changing across generations and what is simply being reinterpreted. The same trend can be widely accepted in one category and strongly rejected in another.”
Methodology
Researchers from PapersOwl surveyed 2,000 members of Generation Z. Participants were randomly selected and asked to discuss their experiences, with no emphasis on a specific gender, ethnicity, or social background.
Read the full insights report here.
A Few Words About PapersOwl
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