Grumpy Millennials Blame Gen Z For 'Killing' Clubbing

According to a new Ibis World report, nightclub attendance and alcohol consumption rates have greatly decreased in recent years.

The cost-of-living crisis, Gen Z’s different drinking habits, and young people who came of age during COVID-19 lockdowns who haven’t experienced the “rite of passage” of going hard at their local nightclub seem to be the most significant factors in the figures presented. But Melbourne and Sydney punters continue to support their respective nightlife cultures.

As we know, spaces like nightclubs and other music venues rely heavily on alcohol sales for profit, but the growing number of health-conscious punters and strict alcohol regulations are currently presenting a potential threat to nightclubs.

Regarding financial benchmarks, the Ibis World report details that “Pandemic restrictions dealt a blow to nightclubs’ profit margins” and forced closures and capacity limits “severely limited” profits and led to the permanent closure of some nightclubs, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne.

Between 2019 and 2024, nightclub revenue has fallen 10.2% in Australia.

On TikTok, American influencer Christina Najjar said she was “very concerned” about the impact of Gen Z not spending time in nightclubs.

“I am very concerned about the future of my culture, which is clubbing,” Najjar said in a recent video. She joked, “I’m gonna write some letters to authorities soon.”

Najjar continued, “This is a dying art; they’re [Gen Z] are forgetting this craft and how to do it. The young girls don’t even know how to dance on a table in a heel.”

Dane Gorrel, the Director of Sydney’s Club 77, told news.com.au in a recent interview that mobile phones and social media are “killing” the opportunity to live in the moment, and not just in nightclubs.

Gorrel added, “For me, going to a nightclub has always been about listening to forward-thinking electronic music and connecting with like-minded individuals; it’s about becoming a part of that community.

“Phones definitely take away from that experience, and this is something that needs to change.”

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