Every year, a new slew of musicians enter the spotlight. While you can usually count on established artists to create a hit or two throughout the year, there are also those few relatively unknown artists that take the world by surprise and deliver one of the biggest songs of the year. The six breakout artists below have done just that.
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1. Ethel Cain
Ethel Cain’s thematically ambitious debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, helped to kick off her career in 2022. A year later, she’s one of the most buzzed-about alternative acts in recent memory. The album works on multiple levels. Her seamless vocals are enough to earn her a reputation, but her stunning lyricism puts her leagues above her peers. Cain describes the record as a meditation of “intergenerational trauma.” Despite the heavy subject matter, Preacher’s Daughter is an easy listen and has no doubt primed Cain for a lengthy career.
2. Ice Spice
Is a pop hit really a pop hit in 2023, if Ice Spice doesn’t hop on a remix? It seems the answer to that question is no, given the sheer amount of features the breakout star has secured this year. From Taylor Swift to Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice is indeed running with the big dogs despite being a relatively fresh face in the rap scene.
[RELATED: Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice Connect for the Second Time on “Barbie World”]
3. Stephen Sanchez
Undoubtedly the breakout love song of the year is Stephen Sanchez’s “Until I Found You.” His retro-inspired musicality makes him one of the most unique acts of 2023 – not to mention one that is hard to forget. One listen to “Until I Found You” and you’ll be humming the melody for the rest of the day.
4. Megan Moroney
There are several promising up-and-coming country artists that could fit in well with this list, but we have to give the No. 4 spot to Megan Moroney. The 25-year-old songstress has made major waves on TikTok with tracks like “I’m Not Pretty” and “Tennessee Orange.” Her raspy vocals give her a distinctive sound while her ear-worm melodies make her a shoo-in for radio play.
5. GAYLE
Though GAYLE’s breakthrough track, “abcdefu,” was released last year, many listeners only knew the song and not the artist behind the hit. Now, thanks to her appearance as a support act on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, legions of young music fans are learning who GAYLE is and subsequently becoming fans. Her rock-inspired sound is an adrenaline rush while her lyrics offer catharsis amid heartbreak. Keep that name in mind, because GAYLE is likely going to be around for a while.
[RELATED: GAYLE Inducted into RIAA Class of 2022 for “abcdefu”]
6. Wet Leg
British indie rock duo, Wet Leg, have brought a ’90s punk feel to audiences in 2023. Their off-kilter, often spoken-word offerings are deliciously unique. Though they are still relatively new artists, there was a marked uptick in ’90s punk-inspired tracks in the wake of their breakout hit, “Wet Dream.” They are already setting themselves up to be an influential group.
(Photo by Steven Simione/FilmMagic)
