We kicked off the New Year with our lists of the most anticipated albums and tours of 2025. Now, we’re taking a look at 17 emerging artists to watch this year.
Editor’s Note: Some of these artists are based in Los Angeles, and we’re supporting that city as they deal with the catastrophic wildfires with a benefit sale on the Consequence Shop, including the new “All for LA: Protect Live Music” T-shirt.
It may not feel like it, but we’re halfway through the decade. Already in five years, the music landscape has transformed, and new superstars have come to the fore. But with a particularly uncertain year ahead of us, it’s tough to predict how musicians will respond, and which artists will jump a rung on the ladder in the process. Given the start of this year already, it wouldn’t be all so surprising if music in 2025 centered around providing comfort and distractions.
Still, even with uncertainty ahead, there are plenty of artists poised to meet the moment right now, and many that we think are ready for that next level. It’s hard not to point to Lola Young, a rising British artist who has been working tirelessly the last four years and finally began to break through on the back of a Tyler, the Creator collab and her viral song “Messy.” Meanwhile, artists like 2hollis, Friko, and Lay Bankz bubbled up in popularity throughout 2024, giving them the right amount of momentum to truly soar this year.
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We’re also excited about some names crawling out of the underground and set for some big returns. Those who loved MJ Lenderman’s standout 2024 album Manning Fireworks will most likely enjoy Greg Freeman, who is gearing up for a big sophomore release this year. If you’re excited about BLACKPINK’s members going solo or you love the throwback R&B that FLO employs, try the great new K-pop group KISS OF LIFE (whose song “Midas Touch” landed on our list of the best songs of 2024).
It’s impossible to tell who will have a good year versus the artists that will have a great year, but for now, we’ve rounded up a list of 17 artists that we’re hedging our bets on. And regardless of these artists’ overall metrics of success, at the end of the day, they’re worth giving a try.
— Paolo Ragusa
Associate Editor