Why Teens Are Over Love Stories: The Rise of ‘Nomance’ in TV and Movies

It’s official – teenagers today are over romance on screen. In what’s being dubbed the era of “nomance,” teens are ditching love stories and are instead leaning towards friendships and non-sexual connections in the media they consume.

A recent annual study by the University of California, Los Angeles’ Center for Scholars & Storytellers confirms this shift. The 2024 “Reality Bites: Teens and Screens” survey revealed that over half of the teens surveyed are choosing storylines centred around friendship over those featuring romance or sexual content.

Specifically, 63.5% of surveyed adolescents said they “strongly agree” that they want to see more content focused on platonic relationships in their favourite TV shows and movies. Last year, that figure was 51.5%, showing a steady trend away from romantic plotlines.

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This survey, conducted in August 2024, involved 1,644 participants aged 10 to 24. Notably, respondents in the 10-13 age group were not asked about explicit content, but the results still underscore a significant cultural shift.

Teens are clear about what they want: more realistic friendships and fewer love triangles. 46% of those surveyed expressed a preference for characters who lack sexual or romantic attraction altogether.

As “nomance” continues to rise in popularity, it’ll be interesting to see how the entertainment industry adapts. Will Hollywood trade steamy love scenes for heartfelt friendships? Only time will tell, but for now, it seems like teens are setting the stage for a new kind of storytelling.