Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Investigation of the Main Factors Influencing Gen Z Users' Willingness to Subscribe/Renew Music Streaming Platforms

Jiaqi XuUniversity of Toronto Scarborough*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

The global music industry is increasingly dominated by streaming services, which now account for 84% of recorded music revenue. For Gen Z, music streaming is a primary mode of consumption, making it vital to understand what drives their subscription decisions. This study investigates the primary factors that influence Gen Z users’ willingness to subscribe to or renew memberships on music streaming platforms. During the research, this study surveyed a sample of Gen Z users using a Liberty-scale questionnaire measuring these related variables and analyzed the data using Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression to test the hypothesized relationships. Results show that perceived ease of use has a strong positive impact on Gen Z users’ subscription/renewal intentions, whereas neither perceived usefulness nor reliability exert a significant influence. This finding marks a departure from classic TAM expectations, suggesting that in the hedonic context of music streaming, ease of use outweighs functional utility (usefulness) and perceived reliability in driving usage intentions. Theoretically, the findings revise TAM assumptions for entertainment-oriented technologies. Practically, these insights imply that music streaming platforms targeting Gen Z should prioritize user-friendly designs and smooth usability to encourage subscriptions and loyalty, rather than overemphasizing added functionality or trust-building measures that young users may already take for granted.

Keywords: Gen-Z; music streaming; music consumption; TAM model
Published: July 20, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.LC25298
Volume: CHR Vol.72
pp. 218-225
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