NZ Music consumption continues growth as streaming hits new high

New Zealand music recorded its strongest first quarter for streaming in four years, with local artists generating 226.8 million streams between January and March 2026.

According to the New Zealand Music Commission's Q1 2026 NZ Music Statistics report, the figure marks the highest Q1 total recorded across the past 16 quarters. It represents a 5.3% increase on the previous quarter and a 3.8% increase compared with Q1 2025.

The result continues a broader trend of growth for local music consumption. In 2025, New Zealand music streams rose to just under 900 million across the year, outpacing growth in the wider market.

The report shows that the 20 most streamed New Zealand tracks accounted for 19.4 million streams during the quarter, representing 8.6% of all streams of local music. Those tracks came from 12 primary artists.

While streaming remains the dominant form of music consumption, the figures highlight continued demand for local releases in an increasingly competitive market. The growth comes as overall music streaming in New Zealand has matured, with local artists continuing to increase their share of listening activity.

The Q1 2026 report tracks New Zealand music consumption across streaming, sales and radio, providing a quarterly snapshot of how local music is performing within the domestic market.

Read the report here.