I know I've said repeatedly before that I think it's still probably too early to distinguish Generation Z culture from Millennial culture, but I get the vague impression that Lorde's "Royals" was roughly the first hit song that specifically represented the current crop of teens. It's of course famous for repudiating materialistic hedonism, a dominant trait of popular music from roughly 1997 until 2013, and instead glamourizes minimalism, self-identification, and the abstract. This, I think, highlights the contrast between millennials, who grew up the age of physical stuff and pro-capitalist environment, versus Gen-Z'ers, who not only needed fewer "things" to fulfill their desires, but also grew up with a readier exposure to information thanks to the rise of Web 2.0, resulting in them forging their identities quite differently from children who grew up in the late '80s, '90s and early 2000s.

It's also worth noting that Lorde was only born in late 1996, making her much younger not only than the majority of other active singers at the time "Royals" came out, but also quite close in age to the oldest Gen-Z'ers, depending on your idea of where that generation starts. Most of the time, musicians are at least a few years older than the demographic they're specifically targeting, so it would make sense that Lorde is specifically catering to the older end of Generation Z.

Since Lorde burst onto the scene, there have been plenty of other young pop stars with similarly modest, yet confident and self-assured personas, such as Halsey, Khalid, Dua Lipa, Alessia Cara, and so forth. I get the impression that Lorde was quite influential to the pop charts, or at least a pioneering act in the changing zeitgeist of the times. Melodrama may have been much less commercially successful than her previous album, but it's also considered one of the best albums of 2017, and I believe the cultural foundation "Royals" laid back in late 2013, or at least found reflected in the coming generation, played some part in that.

Great points and this is a good question.  However, I always considered "Royals" to have pretty wide appeal.  I also don't think her style is that far off from Adele.

My first pick for a Generation Z anthem is something by Ariana Grande or by the Chainsmokers.  Perhaps something like #Selfie?  Or perhaps that "Young Broke High School Kids" song that was popular last year.  It was an alright song but not one that anybody older than 18 or 19 can relate to.

Great points and this is a good question.  However, I always considered "Royals" to have pretty wide appeal.  I also don't think her style is that far off from Adele.

How is her style similar to Adele? She may not be as flashy and bubble gummy as other pop stars of this decade, but the content and tone of her music is really quite different. Adele is a belting hopeless romantic with a retro soul flair, whereas Lorde is like the quiet, quirky kid with a creative and abstract mind. Not necessarily hipster-indie and still pop, but definitely not conforming to any previous norm.

My first pick for a Generation Z anthem is something by Ariana Grande or by the Chainsmokers.  Perhaps something like #Selfie?  Or perhaps that "Young Broke High School Kids" song that was popular last year.  It was an alright song but not one that anybody older than 18 or 19 can relate to.

"#Selfie" is more a portrait of the stereotypes associated with late millennials more than anything, not really distinctly Gen-Z like "Royals." I actually think the Chainsmokers' material from "Roses" onwards is more geared towards Gen-Z. I also don't see anything superlatively un-millennial about Ariana Grande, seeing as she's three years older than Lorde and is more just a generic pop starlet who sings about love and sex like any other who came before her.

It depends on your point of view about when do you think Gen Z start. At least it’s totally related with a person born between 1995-2000, but after those years, it would be too early to call it The First Anthem.

Eh. I don't really think so, between Royals that rejects the bling-bling life and Trap supposedely popularized by Gen Z that glorifies it, we have two clashing things here. Royals was a very weird and suprising hit, especially in the same year as Miley got crazy and was super popular. Maybe it just came out at the perfect time when the whole Electropop craze fizzled out with the flops of artists like Lady Gaga and Kesha and people were just sick of it?

I feel like that song was just one of the very few signs of generation Z culture coming. 2013 felt like a weird year in which we were finally entering the Y/Z cusp culture but it was still mostly a late millennial culture year.

I think it could be. When I first heard that song, it was completely different from others in the mainstream at that time. On top of that, it was controversial due to some people taking offense of the lyrics. However, though, you have to remember this track was released before Trap was practically mainstream. In 2013, electropop was still dominant.