The BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2026 list, predicting the breakthrough artists of the coming year, has been announced. Selected by over 170 industry experts and artists, the list highlights 10 emerging acts from around the globe who are poised to define the next year’s music scene with a mix of cutting-edge pop, guitar anthems, and innovative R&B.
What is the Sound Of list?
A prestigious annual BBC poll, running since 2003 (first winner: 50 Cent), that successfully forecasts future stars like Adele, Stormzy, and Billie Eilish.
Voted on by an international panel of music industry figures and artists.
Open to acts without a #1 album or significant public profile as of October 2025.
Royel Otis (Sydney skate-rock duo): Known for sunny melodies and chiming guitars, they broke out with a viral cover of “Murder On The Dancefloor.” Their rise includes a chart-topping debut album, Aria Awards, and sold-out London shows.
Sasha Keable (Colombian-British R&B singer): A Brit School graduate and former collaborator with Disclosure, her solo career ignited last year via TikTok. Her latest EP, Act Right, has been hailed as “gold standard R&B” and earned praise from Beyoncé.
Skye Newman (UK singer-songwriter): Her soul-baring lyrics and powerful vocals, detailing a chaotic upbringing, have scored UK hits and won admirers like Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John, though her candid songwriting has caused personal friction.
Sombr (US alt-pop singer-songwriter): Fuses indie style with pop harmonies. He broke through with the TikTok hit “Caroline” and his 2025 debut album, I Barely Know Her, peaked at #10 in the UK, prompting questions about whether he can “save rock and roll.”
Alessi Rose (Derby pop singer-songwriter): A self-taught producer and poetry student, she writes sharp, observational pop anthems about heartbreak and relationships. Dubbed “Derbyshire’s Olivia Rodrigo,” she has rapidly progressed from small venues to supporting Dua Lipa.
Chloe Qisha (Malaysian-born, London-based pop artist): A former psychology student, she aims to be the “master of all pop.” Her clever, off-kilter pop songs like “Sex, Drugs & Existential Dread” mark her as a major new talent.
Florence Road (Irish rock band): Four childhood friends from County Wicklow creating grungy, festival-ready rock inspired by Wolf Alice and Paramore. Known to fans as “Flo Ro,” they’ve quickly progressed from a garden shed to major Dublin venues.
Geese (US post-punk band): The most prolific act on the list, this New York five-piece has released three inventive albums since 2021. Their sharp, lyrically blunt art-rock is primed for a mainstream breakthrough.
Jim Legxacy (UK rapper/producer): A wildly innovative artist who blends genres from soul and folk to Afrobeat and acid house. Lyrically raw, he addresses themes like homelessness and personal tragedy, and co-produced the UK #1 hit “Sprinter” for Dave and Central Cee.
KWN (East London R&B artist): Her sensual, late-night R&B recalls Janet Jackson and D’Angelo. She went viral with the Kehlani duet “Worst Behaviour,” which featured a famously intimate video and has been streamed over 50 million times.
The winner of the Sound of 2026 will be announced in January.
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