60% of “New” Favorite Shows on Streaming Are Actually Older Series

A recent study highlighted a familiar tension in today’s streaming world: viewers love having endless options, but discovery still feels like a chore. According to Hub Entertainment Research, 60% of viewers’ newest “favorite” shows are actually older series. Younger audiences lean even harder into the back catalog, with 65% of 16–34-year-olds saying their latest favorites debuted years ago. 

But recommendation engines aren’t keeping up. Only 46% of viewers feel streamer suggestions match their tastes, while 54% say platforms are mostly promoting new releases rather than what they’d actually enjoy. That disconnect pushes audiences to hop between platforms, and often off-platform entirely. Nearly 80% of YouTube users say they turn to the platform when they can’t find something to watch, a number that jumps to 90% among 16–34-year-olds. The good news? The research highlights exactly what helps platforms stand out. As Jason Platt Zolov, the study author at Hub had to say, “Streamers that deliver a balance of those old gems with well-timed exclusive new content will breed the strongest loyalties from viewers.”

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