Nigeria: Kenya’s soundtrack – Gospel surges past drill as playlists turn multi-genre
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria
Nairobi’s streets have always had a beat, but in 2026 that beat is being set by Gen Z. From matatu rides across Thika Road to late-night study sessions in campus hostels, audio is the constant backdrop to daily life in Kenya’s capital. And according to Spotify’s June 2026 listening data, young people aged 18 to 24 now make up the majority of listeners in the city.
In Nairobi, 53.7% of all streams in June came from listeners aged 18-24. That’s the highest share among the three African cities analysed. Lagos followed with 44.4%, and Johannesburg trailed at 29.9%. The numbers don’t just show popularity. They show how deeply woven audio has become into the routines of Nairobi’s young people — as company during the hustle, as a tool for focus, and as a way to stay connected to conversations happening across the country.
For Nairobi’s Gen Z, listening isn’t confined to evenings or weekends. It runs through the entire day.
The biggest spike came at 12 pm, with more than 7 million streams from 18-24-year-olds. There was a second surge at 6 pm, when young listeners again logged over 7 million streams. That 6 pm peak was also the busiest hour for all age groups in Nairobi, marking the city’s collective shift from work and classes into evening life.
Between 10 am and 4 pm — what the data calls the “work and focus window” — Gen Z accounted for nearly 39.7% of daily listening. From 5 pm to 10 pm, during the “evening unwind,” they made up another 30.5%. Even in the early hours, between 2 am and 5 am, this age group generated close to 9 million streams.
The pattern is clear: audio moves with them. It plays while they study between lectures, while they navigate traffic, while they build side hustles, and long after the city lights come on. More than 120 million streams were recorded by 18-24-year-olds in Nairobi alone in June.
Podcast listening made up 0.35% of Gen Z streams in Nairobi in June. That’s about 2.5 times higher than Lagos at 0.14%, and 1.7 times higher than Johannesburg at 0.21%. The top categories were Arts, Society & Culture, Comedy, and Health & Fitness.
The trend suggests a generation that uses audio for more than entertainment. Podcasts are where they go to laugh, to learn, to get self-improvement tips, and to hear discussions that mirror the issues they face — from mental health to politics to everyday hustle culture. For many, the earbuds are as much about connection and ideas as they are about a good song.
Dancehall saw the biggest jump, with streams up 95% year on year. Bongo Flava from Tanzania followed with 75% growth. Gengetone, the homegrown Nairobi sound, grew 48%.
Notably, Gospel also had strong momentum, growing 37% and outpacing Drill. Amapiano continued its rise with 34% growth, while Afrobeats remained steady at 25% year-on-year growth.
The data also shows a split in tastes by age. Younger listeners leaned into emo rap, melodic rap, dark R&B and trap. Older listeners gravitated more toward deep house, jazz, rumba congolaise and classic country.
What emerges is not one “Gen Z sound,” but a playlist that moves freely. One day it’s a Gospel worship mix, the next it’s Dancehall, then a Gengetone throwback, then Amapiano. Nairobi’s young listeners are comfortable crossing borders — local, regional, and global — to find music that matches their mood.
That flexibility reflects the city itself. Nairobi is a hub where Kenyan creativity meets East African influence and global trends. The resurgence of Gengetone sits comfortably next to the continued strength of Gospel. Dancehall and Bongo Flava share space with Afrobeats and Amapiano. It’s a multi-genre culture built by a generation that doesn’t feel the need to pick just one lane.
This listening culture says a lot about Nairobi in 2026. It’s a city of constant motion, where young people are studying, working, creating, and socializing at all hours. Audio is the thread that ties it together. It provides focus during the day, energy in transit, and company at night.
It also shows a cultural openness. Nairobi’s Gen Z aren’t rejecting Kenyan music for foreign sounds, nor are they stuck on one genre. They’re sampling everything, and in the process they’re pushing local sounds like Gospel and Gengetone back into mainstream conversation alongside global heavyweights.
That same energy is what events like Spotify’s “Greasy Tunes,” set for July 15–26 in Nairobi, are tapping into. Over 12 days, the program will bring together music, food, fashion, sport, comedy, podcasts and community experiences — a reflection of how this generation experiences culture: not in silos, but all at once.
With more than 120 million streams in a single month, the message is simple. Nairobi’s soundtrack is young, diverse, and always on. And right now, it’s Gen Z holding the aux.
