Millennials’ favourite artists are firmly in their renaissance era. Taylor Swift tickets sold out in seconds, Beyoncé and Harry Styles have wrapped up world tours, and Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande are days away from dropping new music.

Some artists come and go, perhaps in our fleeting indie or country phases. Their greatest hits might stay on our playlists for decades (at least they do on mine), but some singers and sounds stick with us. So why do we always come back to the artists that defined our adolescent years?

Growing up with Cyrus and Swift means millennials lived through each era with the now thirty-something artists. Wrecking Ball, Bangerz, Red and 1989 all mark moments in our lives, as well as snapshots of the singers’ evolving sound and personalities.

Self-professed fangirl Laurel Melsom is a regular at Harry Styles concerts, having seen the former One Direction member 28 times. Melsom explains that part of the charm of listening to our favourite teenage artists as an adult, especially when they are a similar age to us, is changing with them.

“Our tastes evolve in the same way that the artists grow themselves,” Melsom said. “I think others tend to forget that these artists we listened to as teens are also getting older; Harry Styles isn’t that 16-year-old from 1D – he’s nearly 30 years old, and writing lyrics and music that really reflect on not only his life but aspects of my own.”

By listening back to our teenage anthems, we’re able to reconnect with an innocent part of ourselves that might be lost underneath the mundane necessities that come with being an adult.

Bayu Prihandito, a psychologist and founder of Life Architekture, explains: “Music often acts as an emotional anchor. When we listen to a song from our past, it not only brings back the emotions and memories but even the smells of that time.”

Swift’s Fearless album will forever remind me of road trips with my dad, before he passed away. You Belong With Me, from the same album, reminds me of my friend bouncing on her bed singing at the top of her lungs about the boy she fancied in our year.

Prihandito continues: “When listening to nostalgic music, it triggers the release of dopamine, our feel-good neurotransmitter. So, in a way, our brain rewards us for revisiting those old tunes.

“Sometimes, revisiting old songs allows us to reflect on how much we’ve grown. Music also offers a melodic reflection of our personal journey.”

Equally, in a cost of living crisis following a pandemic, there’s never been a more vital time to feel connected and joyful. 

Melsom adds: “There’s nothing wrong with healing your inner child by pressing play on [One Direction’s] What Makes You Beautiful, jumping around with your friends and creating core memories as you get older. Why does life have to stop being fun and childlike because you’re deemed to be an adult?”

A social trend has emerged that captures the essence of this resurgence, as users suggest that your 30s (or late 20s) are about reconnecting with what you loved as a 13-year-old, only without shame or embarrassment.

Want to wear a pink cowgirl hat and feather boa to dance along to Harry Styles? Go for it. Ready to dress as your favourite Taylor Swift album? Good – it’s to be encouraged. Always wanted to try roller skating? Now’s the time. The added benefit of revisiting your teenage loves as an adult is that you have an income to be able to explore this obsession in more depth.

Sure, it costs a small fortune to get concert tickets – if you’re one of the lucky few to secure them – but that’s where fan merch and TikTok subcultures come in. Swifties have been out in full force sharing snippets of Swift’s US performances for fans who missed out on seats or have to wait until next year when she visits the rest of the world.

Nostalgia also dominates the wider media too. Barbie broke box-office records for Warner Bros, as Greta Gerwig became the first solo female director to reach $1 billion at the box office. Meanwhile, a Harry Potter reboot has been green-lit and Disney continues to remake its classic fairy tales into live-action films with The Little Mermaid earlier this year.

Successful new artists often play into our old-school teen energy too. Olivia Rodrigo is reminiscent of sk8er girl Avril Lavine, with hits including Good 4 U, Traitor and Vampire. 

Former Disney star Miley Cyrus’s upcoming album teases the general period of reflection we’re in as millennials approach or turn 30, as summarised by the title Used To Be Young. It’s a reminder that change is inevitable. Yet, it seems sometimes our beloved teenage artists stay with us forever. 

Images: Getty