A playlist for the 'sad gen z cool Instagram girl' genre lovers

This term is pending trademark (and this article is not Apple Music friendly)

Aug 03, 2022

I’m one of those people who can listen to sad music no matter what and not have a mood change. Whether I’m happy, sad, at the office, working out, anything, I can always crank up the Phoebe Bridgers.

I’m also entering a time where many of my favorite artists are my age (or around it), and I’m no longer listening to songs, not able to relate to being 22, Fifteen, or any other number Taylor Swift sings about. This is perhaps the weirdest phenomenon yet, because I totally fan out over people a year, two years, three years younger than me (i.e. Olivia Rodrigo). I know that if I met Gracie Abrams, I would have to pretend like I don’t repost her onto my close friends story like it’s my job, or that I envy her entire being.

gracieabrams

A post shared by Gracie Abrams (@gracieabrams)

This genre is one that I’ve coined “sad gen z cool Instagram girl.” And many of my peers are also obsessed.

They aren’t at the top of the charts, they sometimes go viral on TikTok, and once you’ve discovered them, you feel like a member of a secret club (even if they have millions of fans). You connect immediately with others that love them, and their lyrics speak to you more and more with every listen (even if you cannot relate to being sick and married).

Many of them are nepotism babies, but that only makes us love them more. They sing about perhaps the worst breakups that may or may not have actually happened, their true, raw emotions, and all end up getting designer brand deals.

I truly believe that powerful women like this are the future of the music industry. They make people feel seen, help them through their hardest times (or just a day at the office), and truly have reinvigorated the idea of songwriting, that was seemingly lost.

For those who aren’t familiar, allow me to enlighten you. Here’s a playlist, including my top ten favorite sad gen z cool Instagram girl songs.