Dance Music

As part of Something For the Weekend’s Big 2026 Preview, we’ve put together a guide for all of the rising stars to keep an ear out for this year.

Here, Jacqui Swift gives her verdict on twenty emerging acts.

ROSE GREY

EAST Londoner Grey has been grafting since 2019, blending glossy pop hooks with the strobes of under­ground club culture.

Before the buzz, she was working on the door at London club Fabric – so she knows her way around dancefloors.

She says of her sound: “It is definitely pop, but it has its roots in the soundscapes and world of underground club culture, dance music, electronic, electro-clash”

Grey’s debut album Louder, Please, pulls in an impressive roll call, with collaborations from Melanie C, Shygirl, Casey MQ and Jade.

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NEPO BABY BANTER

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She has supported Charli XCX, Kesha and Scissor Sisters.

TYLER BALLGAME

BALLGAME is from Los Angeles via Rhode Island and channels a dramatic, soul sound that sits somewhere between Roy Orbison, Tim Buckley and Alabama Shakes.

His debut album For The First Time, Again arrives on January 30.

You might already have caught him performing Got A New Car on Later . . . With Jools Holland, and he’s in the UK at the end of the month for a run of in-store shows.

ISSAC RYAN BROWN

THE US actor, rapper and singer is best known for playing Booker, the psychic son of the titular character in Disney Channel’s sitcom Raven’s Home.

Hailing from Detroit, this 20-year-old draws inspiration from the smooth soul of Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder.

Brown releases new single End Of The Season on February 6, and the hype around him is already big, with some tipping him as a new-generation Michael Jackson or Usher.

JACOB ALON

THE Scottish folk sensation is having a huge moment.

The singer-songwriter’s Mercury Prize-nominated debut album In Limerence landed in 2025, and now Alon has been shortlisted for the 2026 Brits Critics’ Choice Award.

Inspired by Nick Drake, Alon was introduced to music as a youngster, learning piano at age nine and picking up the guitar at 15.

The singer also played Glastonbury and Latitude and it was only because of lockdown that the singer began to commit to his music.

“I never took it very seriously until Covid hit and then I needed it. I needed to write to process. I was living on my own and songwriting became a way to understand the chaos.”

VILLANELLE

LED by Gene Gallagher, son of Liam, this London trio are already generating a serious buzz.

Gallagher, guitarist Ben Taylor and bassist Jack Schiavo met through mutual friends in a bar in 2023.

You may have caught them supporting Liam on his solo Definitely Maybe 30th anniversary tour in 2024.

Drawing comparisons to Nirvana, Black Sabbath and Arctic Monkeys, Villanelle deal in gritty, straight-up rock with sharp edges.

Debut single Hinge sees Gallagher tackling paranoia and sleepless nights.

ALESSI ROSE

RISING English indie-pop singer-songwriter from Derby, Rose has carved out her own lane with confessional pop and raw lyrics that focus on heartbreak, love and femininity.

Emotionally open and sharply observational, she’s already drawing comparisons to Olivia Rodrigo and Gracie Abrams.

She’s supported Noah Kahan and Tate McRae, and of her no-nonsense approach to songwriting she says: “If people don’t want me to write bad songs about them, they shouldn’t do bad things.”

EIGHTY EIGHT MILES

THE Midlands five-piece fronted by singer Ellie Grice are quickly building a reputation as a must-see live band.

They have wowed crowds at Isle of Wight Festival, Viva Sounds in Sweden, The Great Escape, Truck Festival, Y Not Festival and 2000 Trees, notching serious word-of-mouth along the way.

They’ve also landed choice support slots with The Lottery Winners, Red Rum Club and The K’s, while Fleetwood Mac legend Lindsey Buckingham has publicly heaped praise on them.

ALEX SPENCER

FROM Droylsden, Gtr Manchester, though born in Barcelona to a Spanish mum, Spencer has been picking up momentum fast.

Fresh back from a run of UK dates with Corella and a high-profile support slot opening for The Black Keys at Alexandra Palace Park in London, he’s now lining up a run of UK headline shows for next month.

Influenced by Sam Fender, Catfish And The Bottlemen and Arctic Monkeys, he travelled extensively as a child and wrote his first song while on a family trip to India.

THE GUEST LIST

FORMED in early 2021, The Guest List quickly built a huge online following after a number of energised indie covers.

Frontman Cai Alty says they are “a band from Manchester, not just a Manchester band”.

Often compared to Sam Fender, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, they worked early on with The Coral’s James Skelly, who produced the singles London and Loose Tongue.

They’ve since won more fans after touring with Inhaler, Blossoms and Two Door Cinema Club.

MACKENZY MACKAY

MACKAY broke through in 2022 with song The One That You Call, quickly earning comparisons to Post Malone and Ed Sheeran.

Built around heartfelt storytelling and a genuine connection with his audience, his music has steadily found its people.

Tracks such as This Life, Broke and Cats & Dogs have helped grow a loyal fanbase.

AIN’T

LONDON outfit fronted by Hanna Baker Darch on vocals and George Ellerby on guitar and vocals, Ain’t pull together ’90s guitar music.

They have supported Thus Love on their UK tour, opened for Sunflower Bean, and will take part in The Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May.

Latest single Long Short Round follows recent release Jude.

SIENNA SPIRO

LONDON singer-songwriter known for her deep alto vocals and viral TikTok covers. She draws inspiration from Amy Winehouse, Frank Sinatra and Etta James.

Spiro started writing songs at age ten as a way of processing her emotions, and by 16 had left school to pursue music full-time.

Her breakout moment came with Maybe, a powerful, straight-talking anthem about self-worth that struck a chord far beyond social media and marked her out as a serious new voice.

THE SLATES

THE Slates are a West Yorkshire indie rock band you might have spotted tearing up festival stages at Isle of Wight, Truck and Y Not.

Their debut single Calling Up landed as a song of the summer, with frontman Louis Barnes saying it reflects “the feeling of rejection and feeling left out”.

DEAD DADS CLUB

THE new project fronted by Palma Violets’ Chilli Jesson is built around a deeply personal, self-titled debut album exploring his emotional journey following the death of his father when he was just 14.

Produced by Fontaines D.C.’s Carlos O’Connell.

CARDINALS

IRISH five-piece Cardinals are set to release their debut album Masquerade in February, and already have some serious backing.

Fontaines D.C. singer Grian Chatten is a vocal fan, calling them his favourite Irish band, while live shows alongside The Pogues and NewDad have helped spread the word fast.

Fronted by Euan Manning, with brother Finn adding accordion.

TOLOU

NORWEGIAN Nigerian singer Tolou blends the atmospheric textures of her former home Tromso with the vibrant rhythms of her African heritage.

She describes the resultant sound as Afro-Scandi pop.

Her influences range from Lana Del Rey and Burna Boy to Robyn and Bruno Mars but her main inspirations are Rihanna and Beyonce.

SAINT HARISON

A SOUTHAMPTON-born songwriter and R&B artist, Saint Harison’s music is rooted in soul-baring honesty, using songwriting to process emotion and hardship.

Introduced to Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and Marvin Gaye by his grandad, he won a local singing competition at the age of 13 and is set to release his EP in early 2026.

MARY MIDDLEFIELD

THE Swiss musician and songwriter has been classically trained on the violin since the age of five.

Middlefield’s work brings a refined, emotionally direct edge to modern pop.

Her latest single The Feast landed in late 2025, building on earlier releases such as Atlantis and Summer Affair as she gears up for a new project in 2026.

ANDREW WASYLYK

A SCOTTISH composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Wasylyk’s work drifts between modern classical, ambient and soundtrack worlds.

His single First Moonbeams Of Adulthood came out in November 2025, and is from the anticipated forthcoming album due this spring.

GIRL TONES

THIS US rock duo made up of sisters Kenzie on vocals and guitar and Laila on drums, are often compared to The White Stripes.

The Girl Tones’ debut releases, including recent single Burnout, were produced by Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant.

They have toured with Cage The Elephant alongside The Velveteers and Silversun Pickups.

2026 is shaping up to be a massive year for music fans, with huge names set to drop new albums and singles.

From Lana Del Rey adding a country twist to her latest tracks, to The Rolling Stones promising fresh rock anthems, there’s something for every taste.

Rising stars like Raye and Leigh-Anne will be making waves, while veterans including Paul McCartney, Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen show no signs of hanging up the microphone.

With this and so much more on the way, here are our top picks for an exciting year ahead.

LANA DEL RAY 

FOLLOWING the likes of Beyonce and Post Malone, Del Rey is set to saddle up and add country nuances to her tenth studio album.  

Previously announced as Lasso and The Right Person Will Stay, expect Stove sooner rather than later in the new year.  

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NEW TUNE

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Singles Henry, Come On and Bluebird demonstrated her shift to Americana stylings. 

THE ROLLING STONES 

MICK JAGGER, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood may be hanging up their touring boots, but it still promises to be a momentous year for rock’s great survivors.  

There was a huge 18-year gap between Hackney Diamonds (2023) and the Stones’ previous album of original songs, A Bigger Bang.  

But in late April, we can expect a new one, again produced by US live wire Andrew Watt. 

RAYE 

WE can expect the much-anticipated follow-up to Raye’s all-conquering, soul-bearing, Brits-winning My 21st Century Blues.

The R&B singer debuted two unreleased songs at this summer’s Glastonbury with one, Where Is My Husband!, becoming the lead single from the as-yet-unnamed album.

Her official site promises an early 2026 release date. 

FOO FIGHTERS 

A NEW album from Dave Grohl and Co is on the cards in 2026, their second since the sad passing of Taylor Hawkins.

With another new drummer, ex-Nine Inch Nails Ilan Rubin, announced in the summer, the first recorded music with him appeared in the shape of single Asking For A Friend.

Two massive UK shows at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium are set for June. 

ROBBIE WILLIAMS 

INSPIRED by the mid-Nineties period after Robbie left Take That, Britpop is his 13th studio album. 

It begins with the, er, rocket-fuelled Rocket, which is graced with suitably heavy riffing from Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi. 

Bearing in mind the recent exploits of Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede, why not this celebration by one of the era’s favourite singers?  

Out on February 6. 

CHARLIE XCX 

AFTER the Brat summer of 2024, the singer heads in another direction with her soundtrack album for Wuthering Heights.  

Out on February 13, same day as Emerald Fennell’s film version of Emily Bronte’s novel, it has already yielded singles House, with Velvet Underground legend John Cale, and Chains Of Love.

Charli says: “It couldn’t be more different from Brat.” 

PAUL McCARTNEY 

AS far as his epic music career is concerned, Macca will never “let it be”. 

The Beatles legend confirmed work on the follow-up to 2020’s excellent McCartney III.  

In the foreword to a memoir about his other band, Wings, he wrote: “Right now, I have 25 songs that I’m finishing . . . new songs that are interesting.”  

He’s also mentioned in despatches sessions in LA with Andrew Watt (Stones, Lady Gaga). 

THE FACES 

HERE’S a rock ’n’ roll reunion to savour. 

The band’s three survivors, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones, have been preparing their first album in more than 50 years. 

At least 11 songs have been recorded, which Jones says are “a mixture of stuff we never released but is worthy of releasing and some wonderful new stuff. Rod is writing the lyrics.” 

COURTNEY BARNETT 

THE Aussie rekindles her love of the electric guitar on her forthcoming fourth album.

After decamping to California, she’s been recording in Rancho De Luna, Joshua Tree, home of the legendary hard-rocking Desert Sessions.

First evidence of her labours is recent single Stay In Your Lane, complete with scuzzy bass lines and wonderfully deadpan vocals. 

VAN MORRISON 

HOT on the heels of his sublime return to form, Remembering Now, comes this love letter to the blues, Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge.

Out on January 23, the 20-track album proves Van is still “The Man” at 80.

It includes Fats Domino’s Ain’t That A Shame, Blind Blake’s Delia’s Gone and features stellar 

guests – Buddy Guy and Taj Mahal among them. 

DANNY L HARLE 

AFTER stellar production duties with Dua Lipa, Caroline Polachek and Olly Alexander, Harle steps into the limelight with the genre-hopping Cerulean (released February 13).

“This is my debut album. This is the big one,” says the North Londoner.

Singles already released Starlight (ft PinkPantheress) and Azimuth (ft Polachek) offer much promise. 

BJORK 

THE Icelandic icon has given a strong hint of new material in the new year, her first since 2022’s Fossora. 

She’s involved in a huge exhibition in Reykjavik involving immersive audio and visual installations.

A social media post reveals that the third and last of these is “a new work based on music from her forthcoming album, currently in development.” 

LEIGH-ANNE 

THE impressive former Little Mix singer can finally do things her way when 

she releases her 15-track debut album as an independent solo artist. Following the singles Been A Minute, Burning Up and Dead And Gone, she delivers My Ego Told Me To in February.

Rooted in reggae and pop, it explores personal themes of family and empowerment. 

GORILLAZ 

MURDOC, Russel Hobbs, 2D and Noodle – the brainchildren of Damon Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett – release The Mountain on March 20.

The ninth Gorillaz album brings Indian music to the fore but also finds room for guest appearances by Sparks, Gruff Rhys, Idles and Johnny Marr. Drummer Hobbs calls it “a journey of the soul – with beats.” 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 

THIS was a year when The Boss gave us so much.

Another visit to the UK with the E Street Band followed by two significant raids on his archives – Tracks II with its SEVEN unreleased albums and an expanded Nebraska to coincide with the recent biopic.

Yet he told Rolling Stone: “I have a record finished. It’s a solo record  . . .  I imagine it will come out in ’26 some time.”  

MUMFORD & SONS 

THE trio of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Deane have reunited with Taylor Swift associate, The National’s Aaron Dessner.

He has produced and co-writes Prizefighter.

Set for release on Feb 13, the band’s sixth studio album arrives less than a year after their UK No 1 fifth, Rushmere. Gracie Abrams, Chris Stapleton & Hozier guest. 

LUCINDA WILLIAMS 

BEARER of one of the most passionate voices in American music, Williams returns with World’s Gone Wrong on January 23.

She addresses head-on the divisions in her country while taking specific aim at the sandy-haired White House incumbent.

She duets with the mighty Mavis Staples on a cover of Bob Marley’s So Much Trouble In The World. 

THE DAMNED 

WHEN the punk pioneers’ founder member Brian James died earlier this year, the current line-up recorded a covers album celebrating the Sixties music loved by their fallen comrade.

Not Like Everybody Else is out on January 23.

Singer Dave Vanian turns There’s A Ghost In My House into a hoot and Captain Sensible takes the lead on Pink Floyd’s See Emily Play.