In our weekly #MyJoburg interview series, local makers, thinkers, and city shapers tell all about life in Joburg – including a song on their playlist that reminds them of the city. We've rounded up these recommendations to help you craft the perfect ear candy. 

Joburg is a noisy place, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the sounds of the city. We're all familiar with the traffic, the people, and the occasional whirr of aircons, but music is also deeply embedded in our memory of the city. We rounded up the top picks from our #MyJoburg interviews conducted throughout the course of 2024 to bring you a Joburg-inspired playlist so that you can take the city with you, no matter where you go. Bookmark this for your next road trip. 

ALASTAIR FINDLAY: WE LOVE THIS PLACE BY TKZEE FEATURING GWYZA
 

ALASTAIR MACLACHLAN: WE BUILT THIS CITY BY STARSHIP
 

ALASTAIR MEREDITH: DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES BY PAUL SIMON
 

BAMBO SIBIYA: BURN OUT BY SIPHO 'HOTSTIX' MABUSE
 

BOEMO DIALE AND TAYLA FOONG: JOHANNESBURG BY AFRICA EXPRESS FEATURING GRUFF RHYS, MORENA LERABA, RADIO 123, AND SIBOT
 

DAVID MANN: THE MIGRATION SUITE PART III BY SISONKE XONTI
 

DENZEL 'DENZO' NTAHI: SUPERCUT BY LORDE
 

ELROY FILLIS-BELL: GIMME HOPE JO'ANNA BY EDDY GRANT
 

FIONA POLE: HERE COMES THE SUN BY NINA SIMONE
 

FLO BIRD: SHOSHOLOZA BY LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO
 

FREDERICO FRESCHI: LIBERTANGO BY GRACE JONES 
 

GABRIELLE ONAY: A LUTA CONTINUA BY MIRIAM MAKEBA
 

HANNELIE COETZEE: DIE WOUD BY BITTEREINDER
 

HUGH FRASER: JOHANNESBURG BY GIL SCOTT-HERON AND BRIAN JACKSON
 

JESSICA REDINGER: ALL AROUND THE WORLD BY R3HAB AND A TOUCH OF CLASS
 

LEROY AND ITUMELENG KGOPA: SEE BY HHP
 

LESLEY KELLERMAN: JOHANNESBURG BY HUGH MASEKELA
 

MARCUS WYATT: STIMELA BY HUGH MASEKELA
 

MARY SIBANDE: HAUTENG BY MIRIAM MAKEBA
 

MBONGENI BUTHELEZI: THUMA MINA BY HUGH MASEKELA
 

MOLLY ROBERTS: BREAKDOWN BY ARCHI
 

NICK HAMMAN AND GREG HOMANN: GRAZING IN THE GRASS BY HUGH MASEKELA
 

NICKOLAUS BAUER: BURY MY BONES IN JO'BURG BY NAMING JAMES
 

NOBANTU SHABANGU: IPLAN BY DLALA THUKZIN FEATURING ZABA AND SYKES
 

PHIL THURSTON: WATER BY TYLA
 

REBECCA POTTERTON: OH YEH SOWETO BY TEASPOON AND THE WAVES
 

RICCI KALISH LIEDEMAN: BIGGEST CURSE BY ORIGINAL SWIMMING PARTY FEATURING MOONCHILD SANELLY
 

RUAN GALDINO: DRIVE BY BLACK COFFEE AND DAVID GUETTA FEATURING DELILAH MONTAGU
 

SAVANNAH COZZI: MNIKE BY TYLER ICU AND TUMELO.ZA FEATURING DJ MAPHORISA, NANDIPHA808, CEEKA RSA, AND TYRONE DEE
 

S'BO GYRE AND TITI MASHELE: RUN JOZI BY AKA FEATURING K.O
 

'STACEY' AKA CURIOUS SLEUTH: PATA PATA BY MIRIAM MAKEBA
 

STHANDIWE KGOROGE: IT'S ABOUT TIME BY BOOM SHAKA
 

ZYDIA BOTES: MAKEBA BY JAIN
 

Further reading: #MyJoburgers share their favourite books and authors, in the ultimate city-inspired reading list.