Photo Credit: Gigi Perez (Instagram)
Spotify, Shazam, and Vevo release their lists of artists and songwriters to watch in 2026, spotlighting emerging talent about to hit the mainstream.
Who’s going to make it big in 2026? Spotify, Vevo, and Shazam have each released a list of artists and songwriters to keep an eye on this year, poised to make a major impact in pop, country, hip-hop, R&B, and beyond.
On Spotify’s Artists to Watch 2026 list, the streaming giant highlights musicians who are gaining momentum on playlists and crossing genre boundaries in new ways. The list features a plethora of country artists, like Vincent Mason (“Damned If I Do”), Zach John King (“Happy For You”), Laci Kaye Booth (“Luck of the Draw”), and Max McNown (“Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)”). Country songwriters include Travis Wood (“I Ain’t Sayin’” by Jordan Davis), Joe Fox (“Skoal, Chevy, and Browning” by Morgan Wallen), and Sam Westhoff (“Blink Twice” by Shaboozey and Myles Smith).
“Songwriters are the architects of the songs we fall in love with, and too often their stories stay behind the scenes,” said Jacqueline Ankner, Head of Songwriter & Publisher Partnerships at Spotify. “With Songwriters to Watch 2026, we are spotlighting the creators shaping culture across genres, from Nashville hitmakers to global pop builders and producer-writers pushing sound forward. Our goal is to help these writers reach new audiences, deepen industry recognition, and celebrate the craft at the heart of every great song.”
Meanwhile, Vevo, the world’s largest music video network, released its DSCVR Artists to Watch 2026 list, now in its twelfth year. The program’s DSCVR Artist of the Year is Gigi Perez, who released an exclusive performance of her hit “Fable.”
“Gigi Perez is the definition of what it means to be an artist on the rise. With a sound that is bold yet vulnerable, storytelling that’s deeply authentic, and a stage presence that is simply unmatched, she perfectly embodies the next generation of artists that Vevo always loves to champion,” said JP Evangelista, SVP, Content, Programming & Marketing, Vevo.
“She’s a true artist in every sense of the word, and represents the very best of this new generation of global talent: fearless, driven, and completely themselves. The entire team is already so proud of the strides she’s taken in this industry, and we are so thrilled to support her at such a pivotal moment in what promises to be a long and storied career.”
Other exclusive performances from this year’s DSCVR class include “Die On This Hill” and “Sooner or Later” from Sienna Spiro. The list includes up-and-coming names like Alessi Rose, Royel Otis, Audrey Hobert, and Luz Gaggi.
“Vevo’s DSCVR program and annual Artists to Watch list is a crucial part of our ongoing commitment and support to tomorrow’s icons,” Evangelista added. “Using a combination of art and science, data, and gut, we can proudly advocate for this group of artists and their future success.”
Finally, Apple Music’s Shazam has released its 2026 Fast Forward list, consisting of fresh talent being identified on the music discovery platform. Rather than the hand-picked selections from Vevo and Spotify, Shazam’s list is composed entirely of artists whose stars are on the rise based on the platform’s predictive data.
“With the power of Shazam’s predictive data and the expertise of Apple Music’s global editorial team combined, Fast Forward is a uniquely reliable pulse-check on the most exciting artists across the globe,” said the company in a statement.
In particular, seven artists on its Fast Forward 2026 list are highlighted in particular: Alessi Rose, Liim, Florence Road, Kashus Culpepper, Kidd Carder, Cortis, and Clarent.
Shazam notes that its 2025 Fast Forward class saw a 67% average uptick in Shazam discoveries year-over-year, with radio play increasing by 70% compared to the previous year. Of those, 12 artists more than doubled their total number of Shazam discoveries last year, while 14 celebrated their daily peak to date in Shazam discoveries.
Those same artists saw their collective Apple Music plays increase by over 100% year-over-year, with 80% of them increasing their total plays. 46% of last year’s class also saw a year-over-year increase of over 100% on Apple Music alone.
