Social media, adolescent developmental tasks, and music

Social media platforms have transformed young people’s use of music. These mediated environments alter how young people consume, identify, and connect with music. Social media platforms further emphasize a social relationship to music. Young people can use social media to present their musical preferences, connect with others who share their musical affinities, and even communicate with musicians and celebrities. In this chapter, we discuss how music and social media intersect in the context of three developmental tasks that young people face. We focus on social development, identity development, including personal and social identities, and physical development as three key developmental tasks that mark and affect young people’s growth. Social media provide tools and environments for these developmental tasks, and music can play a role in how young people use social media to negotiate these developmental tasks. The chapter maps existing literature on the interplay between music, adolescent development, and social media, and identifies research directions that are yet to be addressed.