Spotify study shows morning-hour music streaming a popular trend among Gen Z, millennials

Indian Express

19-06-2025

Music has become a central part of daily life for India's Gen Z and millennials, with weekday mornings between 8-10 a.m. and weekend mornings between 10 am-12 pm emerging as the most active times for streaming, according to a new study by Spotify.
The research, conducted on 2,000 respondents across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Lucknow – provides insights into how young adults consume music throughout the day.
The study examined 19 different music listening moments and identified six of those that were the most popular: unwinding, commuting, working out, jogging or walking, casual hangouts, and socialising. These moments, Spotify found, fulfilled 'distinct emotional needs', where music served to elevate mood, reduce stress, enhance focus or energise social interactions.
According to the study, millennials led music consumption in most moments, especially with outdoor or socially connected ones like commuting or jogging. Gen Z, in contrast, were the main consumers of music during home workouts, suggesting more emphasis on self-care and wellness trends.
Gender-based patterns were also prominent: men were found to prefer more 'solitary, goal-driven' moments such as working out or commuting, while women preferred shared experiences like group workouts and casual hangouts at home.
The study also found that there was a growing demand for personalised, moment-specific playlists. Whether upbeat Bollywood tracks during a commute or mellow instrumentals or lo-fi beats to decompress after work, listeners preferred music that reflected their emotional and situational state. This highlights a shift away from generic playlists towards hyper-personalised, mood-based soundtracks.
Cultural identity also plays a key role. Genres such as Bollywood, I-Pop, and Punjabi rap were found to act as 'emotional anchors' that helped listeners feel grounded in their cultural experiences and identities, indicating a wider shift amongst young Indian listeners away from popular international tracks.
On Spotify, users reflect these trends through curated 'mood and moment' mixes like Energy Workout Mix during exercise, Chill Mix during periods of relaxation, and Bollywood Mix in moments of socializing. Features on the Spotify app like ' Jams', a feature that allows multiple people to listen to a playlist together, supported shared listening experiences during casual hangouts and social settings.
(This article has been curated by Arfan Jeelany, who is an intern with The Indian Express)