New music data reveals that Nairobi youth, aged between 18 and 24, account for 53.7% of all streams in the city in the month of June 2026.
This data means Nairobi has the highest share of Gen Z listeners among the three African cities analysed. By comparison, 18–24 listeners made up 44.4% of streams in Lagos and 29.9% in Johannesburg, according to Spotify.
The new data comes ahead of the streamer’s event scheduled for Wednesday, dubbed the Greasy Tunes.
“Greasy Tunes Nairobi brings the data to life by showing how young Kenyans actually listen: across genres, across formats, and across the social moments that shape the city,” said Agnes Opondo, Artist and Label Partnerships, East Africa, Spotify. “ Over 12 days, we are creating space for artists, communities, food, conversation and sound to meet in one programme, reflecting Nairobi’s energy as a culture hub where music is not just streamed, but experienced together.”
Additionally, the newly released report also gives insight into the growth of specific genres such as Gospel, which grew 37% in Nairobi.
Other genres that showed growth in Nairobi include:
Dancehall – 95% year on year, the fastest-growing genre in the dataset
Bongo flava – 75%, reflecting accelerating cultural exchange between Kenya and Tanzania
Gengetone, the genre born in Nairobi, grew 48%
Amapiano – 34%, continuing its expansion from South Africa into East Africa
Afrobeats (+25%)
R&B (+28%)
Afropop (+21%)
Addressing the average listening time, the company said Nairobi’s stream rate was the highest.
“Nairobi’s 18–24 listeners stream throughout the day, with listening strongest from midday into early evening. The highest hour for this age group is 12 pm, while 6 pm marks the peak for all age groups in the city,” the report said. “The work and focus window (10 am–4 pm) accounts for 39.7% of Gen Z’s daily listening, with the evening (5–10 pm) contributing another 30.5%. Even between 2 am and 5 am, 18–24 listeners account for 55% of all streams in the city.”
Spotify will officially launch Greasy Tunes from July 15 at 6 pm with an evening event before the 12-day programme continues through to July 26 with the aim of reflecting “the breadth of ways Nairobi’s Gen Z engages with culture and audio.”
The programme highlights include live music performances, the Fresh Finds emerging-artist showcase, the Nakili Sessions, a Gospel and Alt Night, and a football-adjacent watch party
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