In the 90s, we made mixtapes for our significant others. In 2025, Gen Z is sharing playlists and blends to bond
A scene from Gully Boy shows the protagonists silently interacting by sharing their headphones. Pic/IMDB
From mixtapes to playlists, sharing your tastes in music has been a gesture of love for every generation. Whether it’s dedicating songs to your lover on the radio or carefully constructing the perfect playlist for them, there’s something for every moment, mood, and person. Especially in today’s world, music retains its original purpose: communication.
In that spirit, the advent of modern technology and streaming services has led to sharing playlists and Spotify blends with your loved ones. But, let’s go back to the beginning. The 1990s saw a surge in exchanging mixtapes, encapsulating a kind of love that words would never do justice to, giving birth to what we call “the playlist” today. Having curated and received endless mixtapes, Aastha Atray Banan, editor of Sunday mid-day, shares, “making a mixtape for a boyfriend or even your friends was an act of showing effort and love. Sometimes the mixtape was made up of only love songs, sometimes party songs — in college, I once made mixtapes amounting to four hours for a house party.” Unlike a playlist, mixtapes took a lot more physical and mental effort without an algorithm guiding you, says Banan, adding, “It was hours of work — to decide what song goes after another — almost like a DJ making a good mix.” What made mixtapes ideal gifts, Banan says, was their tangibility. “Birthdays, of course — but really, any moment where I wanted someone to feel special, I made them a mixtape.”
Aditi Shorewal, Communications Lead for Tinder in India and Korea
In 2025, catering to Gen Z, and keeping the spirit of mixtapes alive in the digital world, is Spotify that dominates the music streaming industry with its user interface broadly focusing on personalisation as well as its seamless integration with dating apps, tending to people who form stronger connections by sharing music. Tanishq Rawat, a 20-year-old student and aspiring musician, says, “If I am spending time with someone, there is bound to be music all around; to me, that sharing activity matters.” With so much of our interaction happening virtually, personal taste has become an even more vital reflection of identity, beyond just physical presence.
And when you are dating, a shared taste in music often becomes a pillar of familiarity in a relationship, offering both individuals a comforting space to bridge their differences. Omsing Pawar, a 20-year-old student in a committed relationship, shares, “We bond over one thing very specifically. It’s our love for the Genshin Impact soundtrack — it’s the most melodic and thumping soundscape.” Along with this, Pawar finds himself exchanging recommendations, deepening his connection with music and his partner. “We both love RnB artists like The Weeknd, and Chase Atlantic, so we listen to them over a Spotify Jam together. She listens to my recommendations and I listen to hers.”
Contrary to this, Jai, a 20-year-old employee media professional, argues that, “Ironically enough, it’s the lack of musical compatibility that makes a couple the most compatible.” Jai believes that differences add depth to conversation, fostering a display of raw arguments and opinions. “You need someone to have a different ideology and views and opinions to be with you for you to have something to talk and argue about. The minute two people agree on something, they feel comfortable, sure, but there’s no conversation following it,” Jai adds. Jai’s partner, Bhanvee, a 19-year-old student, shares a similar view, “We have contrasting tastes, but our bond when it comes to music, comes from how passionate we are about music. It’s our way of communicating and we say what we wish to say through dedicating lyrics to each other. We make playlists for each other, and update them whenever a feeling is better said with a song.”
And so, like in the 90s, in 2025, shared music is a crucial criterion for filtering out the ideal person for you. Gen Z may be divided by genre, but they’re united by a love for sharing parts of themselves with someone they love.
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