The Future of Music 2025

1. Jamie XX - Life, Daffodil, Baddy On The Floor
2. Fred Again - Places To Be, Peace U Need, Adore U
3. Barry Can't Swim - Still Riding, Kimbara
4. Allie X - You Slept On Me, Off With Her Tits, Galina
5. Fabiana Palladino - Stay With Me Through The Night, Deeper, I Can't Dream Anymore, I Care
6. IglooGhost - New Species, Coral Mimic, Alloy Flea
7. Tyla - Jump, Push 2 Start, No.1
8. St. Vincent - Big Time Nothing, Broken Man, Flea
9. Lola Young - Messy, Flicker of Light, Outta My Mind, Wish You Were Dead
10. Kendrick Lamar - TV Off, Squabble Up, Not Like Us

The BBC has royally jumped the shark this year - where it's 'Sound Of' rundown used to be the benchmark beacon for new and exciting 'Breakthrough Artists'. This year's selection is a sham though - where the majority featured are already established acts!

I featured Chappell Roan and Lola Young last year - which was surely the breakout year for those artists, same for Barry Can't Swim - who had one of my favourite albums of the last 2 years. Sometime Dijon guitarist and solo performer Mk.gee had a big year in 2024 too, as did Irish Hip Hoppers Kneecap - whose semi-biopic movie did fairly brisk trade at the box office last year. And then we have Ezra Collective - who won the Mercury Award back in 2023, and a MOBO award last year. None of those can be considered Breakthrough artists for this year - the BBC has sorely lost its way here.

I trawled through a number of different sources - including : BBC, Dazed, The Fader, Independent, Kerrang, Louder than War, MTV, Still Listening, and Vogue. Where I ended up with a Longlist of 118, and I was able to pick out 26 favourites for that.

The top two places were shoe-ins - Bea and her Business and Fcukers are definitely destined for big things. Bea Wheeler is about as nailed on a pop star as I've ever encountered - she has the looks, charisma poise and talent for sure - with a very distinctive mellifluous voice - where she sits somewhere between Lilly Allen and Marina Diamandis - she sounds particularly Marina on her breakout hit 'Safety Net'!

The rest of the 26 favourites are somewhat arbitrarily ordered - they're so diverse and eclectic - it's hard to pick out a precise order of preference - and it would likely be quite different on any given day. Some really interesting artists in that selection though - some fully fledged already, with others showing a very significant amount of potential!

This process took a very long time - as I listened to at least 3 songs by each artist and tried to contrast and compare them for overall preference. No doubt I've overlooked one or two - as happens most years. If you feel I've woefully overlooked someone do let me know!

• 1900Rugrat [hip-hop / rap]
• Ain't [alternative, indie rock, post-punk, shoegaze]
• Amelia Coburn [singe / songwriter / modern folk-tinged pop]
• Artio [indie / alternative / alt-rock]
• Barry Can't Swim (Joshua Mainnie) [electronic / soulful house / jazz]
• * Bea and her Business [pop]
• Beefcake [post-punk / indie / alternative]
• * BEX [riotgrrrl / punk / rock]
• Black Fondu [hip-hop / rap]
• Breadcrumbs [indie/-rock]
• breakk.away [alt-metal / cinematic metalcore]
• Brògeal [alterantive / indie / folk]
• * Brooke Combe [r&b / soul / pop]
• Bug Eyed [indie-pop]
• * Caldo [alt-rap / hip-hop]
• Ceechynaa [hip-hop / rap]
• * Chalk [post-punk / trauma-techno!]
• Chewy She [electro-disco-punk]
• * Chloe Qisha [indie / alternative]
• Chy Cartier [hip-hop / rap / drill]
• Collision Course [rock / punk-rock]
• Confidence Man [electropop / dance / indie electro]
• Cortisa Star [hip-hop / rap]
• David Delinquent and the I.O.U’s [punk rock]
• Dead Raze [bluesy punk rock]
• Dead Things [garage rock]
• Delivery [garage-punk]
• * Doechii [hip-hop / rap / trap grace jones!]
• Dream Boy [shoegaze]
• English Garden [art-rock / indie]
• English Teacher [indie rock]
• * Erotic Secrets of Pompeii [apocalyptic art rock]
• Ex Giant [progressive-pop / indie / alternative]
• Fakemink [hip-hop / rap]
• Fat Dog [pop punk / klezmer]
• * Fcukers [electronic]
• Floweroflove [pop]
• Friktion [indie-punk]
• Gingham [jangle pop]
• Good Neighbours [alternative / indie]
• Gore. [metalcore / nu-metal]
• Harpy [industrial goth-pop / nu-metal]
• * H.LLS [alt-r&b / electronic]
• Hidden Mothers [post black metal]
• * Himalayas [garage rock]
• House of Protection [punk / electronic / hardcore]
• Hunter Oliveri [indie / alternative]
• * i Häxa [art rock / trip-hop / electronica / dark folk]
• * Jacob Alon [singer / songwriter / indie / pop / r&b]
• Jade [r&b / pop / pop dance]
• Jamie Perrett [indie / alternative rock]
• Jasmine.4.t [indie / alternative / folk]
• Karen Dió [punk-rock / indie / alternative]
• Khakikid [alt-rap / hip-hop]
• Knife Bride [nu-gothika / alt-rock / metal]
• LeoStayTrill [rap / hip-hop]
• Loco Motive [psych rock]
• Lord Spikeheart [screamo-deathmetal-hip-hop!]
• * Luvcat [indie / alternative]
• Makeshift Art Bar [noise-rock / art rock]
• * Man/Woman/Chainsaw [art punk]
• * Master Peace [hip-hop / indie / punk]
• Mereba [r&b / soul]
• Morgan Noise [indie / alternative]
• Moses Ideka [r&b / soul / electronic]
• Myles Smith [singer / songwriter / pop]
• Naomi Dawes [indie / alternative]
• Native James [alt rock-rap / grime / nu-metal]
• Neckbreaker [deathcore / metal]
• * Nią Smith [pop / soul]
• * Nieve Ella [indie pop]
• Old Horn Tooth [stoner / doom metal]
• Olympia Vitalis [r&b / soul]
• Oral Habit [indie / alternative]
• Oreglo [jazz / reggae / rock]
• Paris Paloma [singer / songwriter / indie / alternative]
• Pleasure Centre [indie / alternative]
• Polly Money [indie / alternative / pop]
• Pozer [hip-hop / rap]
• Prettifun [hip-hop / rap]
• Problem Patterns [punk-rock]
• Quiet Light [singer / songwriter / ambient folk-pop!]
• Revivalry [indie rock]
• Rian Brazil [hip-hop / trap]
• * RIP Magic [indie-rock / experimental electronica]
• Røry [pop punk / alt-rock]
• * Rose Grey [indie pop / electropop]
• Royel Otis [indie / alternative]
• Ruby Doomsday [Dream Pop]
• Sienna Spiro [pop]
• * Silverwingkiller [cyberpunk-sci-fi / high-energy-electronic / indietronica]
• * Sleep Theory [alt-metal / hard rock / nu-metal]
• * Soft Launch [indie / alternative]
• Slutch [sludgy hardcore]
• Spleen [grungy punk]
• Syl Fisher [folk]
• Sweet Pill [Emo / punk-rock]
• Tayne [indie / alternative / industrial noise pop]
• Tenkay [hip-hop / rap]
• The Lotts [garage rock]
• * The Pill [jank-pop]
• Thrown [metalcore / nu-metal]
• * Tramhaus [post punk]
• TS Graye [pop / r&b / soul]
• Twenty One Children [south african punk / punk-rock]
• Ugly Ozo [alt-rock, doomgaze, shoegaze]
• Victor Ray [r&b / soul / pop / indie]
• Vice Versa [post punk]
• Vower [alt-metal / progressive metal]
• Warpstormer [doom / stoner / sludge metal]
• Westside Cowboy [indie / alt rock]
• Whispers [hardcore / metalcore]
• Winona Fighter [punk-rock]
• Witch Post [alternative rock]
• Wonderbug [indie-rock / slacker-rock]
• World News [indie / jangle]
• * Yard [electro-noise]
• Yves [pop / k-pop]

Some really major artist releases this year - including well overdue works from Grimes and Rihanna. A new album from the worlds #1 popstar Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) is always a big event!

• FKA Twigs - Eusexua [jan]
• Maribou State - Hallucinating Love [jan]
• Rose Gray - Louder, Please [jan]
• The Weeknd - Hurry Up Tomorrow [jan]
• Banks - Off with Her Head [feb]
• Shygirl - Club Shy Room 2 EP [feb]
• DJ Koze - Music Can Hear Us [apr]
• Lana Del Rey - The Right Person Will Stay [may]
• Azealia Banks - Fantasea II: The Second Wave [tbc]
• Beyoncé - ACT III [tbc]
• Grimes - BOOK 1 [tbc]
• Lil Nas X - DREAMBOY [tbc]
• Nine Inch Nails - Tron : Antares Soundtrack
• Rihanna - R9

Personal likely favourites are *Asterisked!

All the runners and riders for the first half of the year, and some later To Be Confirmed  / To Be Announced Works too!

AJ Mitchell - As Far As The Eye Can See
All That Remains - Antifragile
Anna B Savage - You and i are Earth
Asian Glow - 11100011
Avatarium - Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead
Bad Bunny - Debí Tirar Más Fotos
Benjamin Booker - Lower
Benjamin Lackner - Spindrift
Blue Lake - Weft
Boilermaker - Not Enough Time to Get Anything Halfway Done 
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Purple Bird
Børns - Honeybee
BSS - TELEPARTY
Central Cee - Can't Rush Greatness
Circa Waves - Death & Love Pt.1
Cymande - Renascence
David Gray - Dear Life
Dear Seattle - Toy
Delivery - Force Majeure
DITZ - Never Exhale
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low [
Edvard Graham Lewis - Alreet?
Edward Skeletrix - Museum Music
Ela Minus - Dia
Ethel Cain - Perverts
* FKA Twigs - Eusexua
François Couturier & Dominique Pifarely - Preludes & Songs 
Frank Black - Teenager of the Year (30th Anniversary Edition) 
Franz Ferdinand - The Human Fear
Freckle - Freckle
Fred Again - Ten Days (Vinyl!)
Geologist & D.S. - A Shaw Deal
Ghais Guevara - Goyard Ibn Said
Grayscale - The Hart
The Hellacopters - Overdriver
Jane Remover - JRJRJR
jasmine.4.t - You Are The Morning
Jojo - NGL
Julia Hülsmann - Under the Surface 
Kane Brown - The High Road
Kathryn Mohr - Waiting Room
Lambrini Girls - Who Let the Dogs Out
Larkin Poe - Bloom
Lil Baby - WHAM
Lil Durk - Deep Thoughts
Lilly Hiatt - Forever
L.S. Dunes - Violet
Ludovico Einaudi - The Summer Portraits
Mac Miller - Balloonerism
Manic Street Preachers - Critical Thinking
* Maribou State - Hallucinating Love
MIKE - Showbiz!
Moe - Circle of Giants
Mogwai - The Bad Fire
Moonchild Sanelly - Full Moon
Paleface Swiss - Cursed
Panchiko - Shandy in the Graveyard
Pink Siifu - Black’!Antique
Rebecca Black - Salvation
Ringo Starr - Look Up
* Rose Gray - Louder, Please
Sophie Jamieson - I still want to share
Studio - West Coast 
Teddy Swims - I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, Part 2
Television Personalities - Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out - Radio Sessions 1980-1993
Tremonti - The End Will Show Us How
Tokyo Blade - Time Is the Fire
Tunng - Love You All Over Again
Tyga - NSFW
Victoria Canal - Slowly, It Dawns
The Weather Station - Humanhood
* The Weeknd - Hurry Up Tomorrow
Young Knives - Landfill
Zerobaseone - Prezent

• Alessia Cara - Love & Hyperbole
• Antony Szmierek - Service Station At The End Of The Universe
• Anxious - Bambi
• Architects - The Sky, the Earth & All Between
• Art d'Ecco - Serene Demon
• Avantasia - Here Be Dragons
• Backxwash - TBA
• * Banks - Off with Her Head
• Bartees Strange - Horror
• Basia Bulat - Basia's Place
• Baths - Gut
• Bdrmm - Microtonic
• Biig Piig - 11:11
• Brother Ali and Ant - Satisfied Soul
• The Chills - Spring Board : The Early Unrecorded Songs 
• Cici Arthur - Way Through
• Creepy Nuts - Legion
• Darkside - Nothing
• Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart
• Domestic Drafts - Only the Singer 
• Doves - Constellations for the Lonely
• Dream Theater - Parasomnia
• Drop Nineteens - 1991
• Edith Frost - In Space 
• Eric Bass - I Had A Name
• Everything Is Recorded - Temporary
• Facs - Wish Defense
• Guided by Voices - Universe Room
• Heartworms - Glutton For Punishment
• Honesty - U R Here
• Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On
• Ichiko Aoba - Luminescent Creatures 
• IDER - Late To The World
• Inhaler - Open Wide
• James Brandon Lewis - Apple Cores
• Jinjer - Duél
• John Glacier - Like a Ribbon 
• Kestrels - Better Wonder
• Kilbourne - If Not to Give a Fantasy 
• Killswitch Engage - This Consequence
• Krept & Konan - Young Kingz 2
• Lady Gaga - LG7
• Lacuna Coil - Sleepless Empire
• Lisa (BlackPink) - Alter Ego
• The Lumineers - Automatic
• Mallrat - Light Hit My Face Like a Straight Right
• The Men - Buyer Beware 
• Mereba - The Breeze Grew a Fire 
• Mdou Moctar - Tears Of Injustice
• Miya Folick - Erotica Veronica
• The Murder Capital - Blindness
• Nao - Jupiter
• Neil Young - Oceanside Countryside
• Oklou - Choke Enough
• Olly Alexander - Polari
• One Ok Rock - Detox
• The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Perfect Right Now: A Slumberland Collection 2008-2010
• Panda Bear - Sinister Grift
• Patterson Hood - Exploding Trees & Airplane Scream
• Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus (Music From the Motion Picture)
• The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - Honeysuckle
• Richard Dawson - End of the Middle
• Rizzle Kicks - Competition Is For Losers
• Roddy Ricch - The Navy Album
• Saint Motel - Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky
• Sam Fender - People Watching
• Saya Gray - Saya 
• Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory - Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
• * Shygirl - Club Shy Room 2 EP
• Silverstein - Antibloom
• Sports Team - Boys These Days
• Squid - Cowards
• Tate McRae - So Close to What
• Traxman - Da Mind of Traxman Vol.3 
• The Velveteers - A Million KnivesVenturing - Ghostholding
• The War and Treaty - Plus One
• Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (Expanded Edition)
• The Wombats - Oh! The Ocean
• Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream

• Arch Enemy - Blood Dynasty
• Bambara - Birthmarks
• Benefits - Constant Noise
• Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy
• Clipping - Dead Channel Sky
• Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe
• Courting - Lust for Life, Or: 'How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story'
• Cradle of Filth - TBA
• The Darkness - Dreams on Toast
• Davido - 5ive
• Destroyer - Dan's Boogie
• Destruction - Birth of Malice
• Divorce - Drive To Goldenhammer
• Floodlights - Underneath
• Great Grandpa - Patience, Moonbeam
• Greentea Peng - Tell Dem It's Sunny
• Hamilton Leithauser - This Side Of The Island
• The Horrors - Night Life
• HotWax - Hot Shock
• James Arthur - Pisces
• Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)
• L.A. Guns - TBA
• The Lathums - Matter Does Not Define
• Lordi - Limited Deadition
• Memphis May Fire - Shapeshifter
• Mia Wray - Hi, It's Nice to Meet Me
• More Eaze & Claire Rousay - No Floor
• Old Mervs - Old Mervs
• Peter Capaldi - Sweet Illusions
• Pop Evil - What Remains
• Sasami - Blood on the Silver Screen
• Spellling - Portrait of My Heart
• Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea
• Stereophonics - TBA
• Steven Wilson - The Overview
• Throwing Muses - Moonlight Concessions 
• Tokimonsta - Eternal Reverie
• Welly - Big In The Suburbs
• Young Widows - Power Sucker

• Bleed from Within - Zenith
• Bootsy Collins - Album of the Year #1 Funkateer
• Dirty Projectors, David Longstreth & s t a r g a z e - Song Of The Earth
• * DJ Koze - Music Can Hear Us
• Panchiko - Ginkgo
• Penelope Trappes - A Requiem
• The Waterboys - Life, Death and Dennis Hopper

• The Amazons - 21st Century Fiction
• Ben Kweller - Cover the Mirrors
• El Cuarteto de Nos - TBA
• The Farm - Let the Music (Take Control)
• * Lana Del Rey - The Right Person Will Stay