- Spotify presents a new edition of its Artists to Watch list, designed to anticipate the musical trends of the year.
- The list groups emerging artists by genres such as pop, rock, electronic, R&B, hip hop, country, folk and Latin music.
- The selection combines established voices in the independent scene with entirely new projects that are starting to take off in listens and playlists.
- Each name is linked to a key theme on Spotify to facilitate discovery and tracking of its evolution over the coming months.
The new edition of the list Spotify Artists to Watch 2026 It arrives as a kind of advanced radar for those who don't want to miss the next big names in music. It's not just about up-and-coming artists, but those already generating buzz on playlists, social media, and live shows, and who are poised to make a bigger leap this year.
The list, designed to offer a global overview, It blends projects from different scenes and continentswith a focus on how genres and consumption patterns are changing. Each artist is accompanied by an essential song on Spotify, making the selection a practical playlist to listen to from beginning to end and quickly get a sense of where the music scene is headed.
A global radar for emerging talent
The proposal of Artists to Watch 2026 It functions almost like a photograph of the current momentNew voices already racking up millions of listens on the platform, bands rising from the independent scene, and projects just starting to gain traction outside their home countries. The idea is simple yet effective: to bring together up-and-coming artists in one place and make it easy for the public to reach them with a click, as well as comparing it with discovery systems on other platforms such as How to find new artists on SoundCloud.
Spotify insists that it's not about predicting the future, but about detect movements that are already being noticed: consistent presence in editorial playlists, increased followers, growth in key cities, or strategic collaborations with other prominent names. Furthermore, the relationship between technology and recommendations—for example, OpenAI's music integration on platforms—it begins to influence how those movements are amplified. Thus, the list serves for both curious fans and industry professionals who are looking for clues about which projects can be consolidated during the coming months.
The approach is clearly international, but it takes into account the particularities of each local and regional scene. In this sense, Europe and Latin America feature prominently., with artists who have already begun to move beyond their domestic circuits to gain ground in neighboring markets.
Another relevant element is that the selection crosses genres in a fairly open way. Far from focusing on a dominant styleSpotify presents a mosaic that goes From guitar-driven sounds to club electronica, including pop, R&B, hip hop, folk, country, and hybrid styles that defy easy categorization.
Pop and R&B: new voices with their own personality
In the section closest to pop and R&B, the list brings together names that share a common trait: songs very focused on writing and sonic identityThey are not just catchy choruses, but projects that seek their own space within the ocean of releases that arrive on the platforms every week.
Among the pop voices, figures such as ADÉLA, Baby Nova or Noah RinkerThese artists move between alternative pop and accessible mainstream, with meticulous production and lyrics that explore intimacy, relationships, and everyday life. Their tracks are starting to appear on both global and local playlists, suggesting steady growth throughout the year.
In the realm of R&B, attention is focused on names like Isaia Huron, Jai'Len Josey, Mack Keane and JayDonThey tend to favor a polished sound, with instrumentals that combine groove, dense atmospheres, and minimalist arrangements. The priority is on the vocals and personal stories, something that fits well with the more intimate consumption associated with late-night playlists or quiet listening.
For European audiences, this section serves as a gateway to artists who, although they don't yet fill large venues in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, or Berlin, They already have a loyal listener base on SpotifyThis makes it easier for promoters, festivals, and specialized media to start paying attention to them, with an eye toward incorporating them into lineups and concert series in the coming months.
The platform reinforces this visibility with themed playlists that include these artists alongside more established names, so that a listener who arrives through a familiar song can to discover these new voices naturally without having to actively search for them.
Rock and alternative: live energy and DIY attitude
The section dedicated to rock and alternative sounds brings together projects such as Ecca Vandal, Speed or Die SpitzThey represent different facets of powerful guitars, an unfiltered attitude, and a very live approach. Here, the listener profile tends to be more into full albums and concerts, but Spotify remains a key tool for expanding communities beyond their countries.
These names move across territories ranging from punk and hardcore to the noisiest experimentation, and their presence on the list indicates that there is still room for high-voltage offerings in an environment dominated by the rapid consumption of individual songs. For European festivals, especially those with alternative or metal lineups, these kinds of emerging projects are invaluable. They can become interesting bets for medium-term scenarios..
The visibility gained through Artists to Watch 2026 comes at a time when many rock bands are combining constant touring with frequent releases on streaming platforms, using singles and EPs to maintain interest between tours. Spotify's selection specifically recognizes this hybrid model, in which The live scene and streaming feed off each other. continuously.
For audiences in Spain and other European countries, the list also makes it easier to locate bands that may have already played in small venues or niche festivals without much media attention. Now that it appears on a global list, the likelihood of its tracks being recommended by algorithms and included in local playlists increases.
This block of rock and alternative music ultimately serves as a reminder that guitar, controlled noise, and raw energy still have their own space in Spotify's discovery strategy, beyond the predominance of pop and urban music.
Electronic and club sounds: sounds designed for the dance floor
On the more club-oriented side, the list includes producers and DJs such as KETTAMA, Prospa and Jackie HollanderThese artists represent a straightforward electronic sound, with tracks designed to work equally well in DJ sets and for more casual listening. They have already amassed considerable streams and are beginning to appear on the lineups of leading festivals and clubs across Europe.
Their music ranges from house and accessible techno to more hybrid variations, with tracks that work great in workout, party, or concentration playlistsIn this case, Spotify acts as a megaphone, bringing what happens in specialized booths and labels to a much wider audience, including listeners who may not frequent clubs regularly.
In markets like Spain, where club culture coexists with a strong presence of pop and Latin music, the appearance of these names on a global chart can help to boost their presence in theaters in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or BilbaoFurthermore, their profile fits well with summer festivals, urban cycles, and medium-sized electronic events.
The selection also shows how The boundary between underground electronic music and more mainstream sound is becoming increasingly blurred.Many of these artists alternate releases on specialized labels with vocal collaborations or genre-crossing remixes, which increases their growth potential on platforms like Spotify.
For European programmers and labels, this group of Artists to Watch becomes a useful indicator of where the tastes of young audiences are heading, especially with regard to high BPMs, prominent bass lines, and productions designed for both headphones and powerful sound systems.
Hip hop, country, folk and Latin: geographical and stylistic diversity
The list of Spotify Artists to Watch 2026 It also reserves space for scenes that tend to grow strongly within their own ecosystem before jumping onto the global circuit. In the case of hip hop, names like Hurricane Wisdom, PLUTO, sosocamo and Ovrkast. They represent different ways of understanding the genre, from more introspective and detailed production approaches to proposals more focused on energy and live performance.
Meanwhile, the block of country and folk It includes artists such as Vincent Mason, Zach John King, Laci Kaye Booth, Max McNown, Hudson Freeman, Dove Ellis and Folk Bitch Triowhich gives a clear idea of the genre's stylistic openness. Here, very traditional sounds coexist with approaches closer to indie, making it easier for European listeners, accustomed to alternative folk, find points of connection with these proposals.
As for the Latin section, the selection of artists such as Young Cister, María Isabel, Rusowski and the Espinoza Brothers It highlights the continued expansion of Spanish and Portuguese music on Spotify. It's not all about reggaeton and global hits: the list also focuses on projects exploring alternative pop, Latin R&B, and electronic fusions—sounds that fit perfectly into European playlists centered on new trends.
This Latin presence is of particular interest to Spain, which functions as natural bridge between Europe and America in terms of music consumption. Artists who start out growing in Mexico, Chile, Colombia, or the Latino community in the United States are finding it increasingly easy to connect with Spanish audiences through algorithmic recommendations, curated playlists, and occasional collaborations with local artists, and it also raises questions about Which is better, SoundCloud or Spotify? for different types of artists.
By bringing together hip hop, country, folk, and Latin music in a single list, the platform reinforces the idea that current musical discovery is transversalThe same user can jump in a matter of minutes from an introspective rap to an acoustic folk song or a Latin pop single without leaving the application.
How to make the most of the Artists to Watch 2026 list
Beyond curiosity, the list Artists to Watch 2026 It can be a useful tool for both listeners and people in the industry, and for those exploring other options. The best alternatives to Spotify offer complementary avenues of discoveryOn the one hand, the average user has a quick way to catch up on what they probably It will be heard more and more at festivals, on social media, and in personalized recommendations. during the next few months.
The advantage of each artist being linked to a featured song is that, In just a few minutes, anyone can get an idea of whether it fits their tastes. or with the profile of their target audience. Listening to one or two tracks per name, The complete list becomes a concentrated tour of emerging trends. that will mark the year.
Furthermore, Spotify's own dynamics mean that following these artists now allows you to observe in real time how their numbers, collaborations, and playlist positions evolve. For many of them, Appearing in Artists to Watch 2026 will be the first step on a longer journeyAnd the impact will be measured not only in views, but in tickets sold, media presence and future collaborations.
Ultimately, this edition of the chart confirms that the music ecosystem continues to diversify at a rapid pace, and that the discovery of new voices depends as much on algorithms as on the curatorial eye of editorial teams. For those who want to stay ahead of the curve and not limit themselves to listening only to what is already a massive hit, Artists to Watch 2026 offers a fairly comprehensive map of what's starting to take off. and that, in all likelihood, will be heard more and more throughout the year.
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