Consider this your head start, 26 artists worth knowing before everyone else.

We love putting this Hype List together. It’s a chance to spotlight artists who feel important right now, and to put our name behind the ones we genuinely believe in. Looking back, we’ve done pretty well. Past lists caught The Last Dinner Party back when they were still called The Dinner Party, Westside Cowboy just before heading out on tour with Geese, Man/Woman/Chainsaw ahead of their move to Friction Records, and a variety of other artists who have grown to a size that makes it difficult for us to book them for a (shameless plug incoming…) Bargain Bingo Disco.

This year’s list feels like one of our strongest yet. Whether it ends up containing a breakout on the scale of The Last Dinner Party is impossible to say, but what’s clear is how compelling these independent artists are right now. There’s a real spread of sounds here too, so there should be something that lands wherever your tastes sit.

So, without further ado, here are 26 new artists we love and think you should spend some time with too.

Babydoll Deadbeat

Moody, gothic-leaning and genuinely dark, Babydoll Deadbeat feel completely singular right now. Hypnotic synth lines lock in with thick bass, distorted guitars and a commanding vocal presence that cuts through everything. There’s something grungy at the core, but the energy is punk in the truest sense, driven as much by attitude as sound. They don’t currently have any music online, which only adds to the urgency. This is a band you need to see live. Extra credit, too, for calling out the camera-clutching dickheads who swarm the front rows for bands made up of women, only to vanish the moment a group of men takes the stage.

Bathing Suits

Operating under the mantra “Always dancey. Always loud. Always sexy”, Leeds electro-noise newcomers Bathing Suits fuse abrasive guitars, pummelling techno and sweat-soaked club energy. Their debut single, ‘I Can Be A Freak,’ captures that rush perfectly, a snarling, high-impact anthem that repurposes pop instinct into something feral and confrontational, built for blown speakers and packed floors. Born out of DIY basement parties and homemade club nights, their live show has quickly become the stuff of word-of-mouth hype, earning them support slots with Man/Woman/Chainsaw and Kassie Krut, sold-out dates, and early backing from Radio X and BBC Introducing. It is no surprise some are already calling them one of the UK’s most exciting new bands.

Blousey

London six piece Blousey thrive on chaos, friction and the thrill of too many ideas colliding at once. Their debut EP, The Precipice, captures a band mid transformation, pulling punk urgency through warped arrangements of sax, violin and organ without sanding down the rough edges. Shaped by lineup changes, DIY persistence and a refusal to chase familiar London templates, the songs feel restless, loud and deliberately strange. Built for the stage and driven by community, Blousey are carving out a sound that values risk, momentum and keeping things weird.

Crimewave

Crimewave takes the language of club music and rewires it through guitars alone. Based in Manchester, Jake Wilkinson’s debut album, Scenes, plays like a continuous DJ set, pulling shoegaze textures into the pressure and momentum of Northern nightclub culture. It is dance music built from human friction rather than pristine synth lines, full of happy accidents, warped tones and BPM shifts. With recent live shows translating laptop constructions into something volatile and physical, and new material pushing noisier extremes alongside sharper hooks, Crimewave feels like an artist who should be on everyone's radar.

Defender

Fun, funky and slightly silly in the best way possible, Defender feel like a band very much enjoying themselves, and that energy carries straight through their music. They might only have one single out so far, but ‘Disgust Me (Please)’ does a lot of heavy lifting, showing off a sharp sense of humour alongside tight, groove-led songwriting that sticks almost immediately. There’s a laxness to it that feels deliberate, like they’re confident enough not to overthink things this early on. It’s a debut that suggests plenty more to come, and if this first release is anything to go by, Defender are a band worth keeping an eye on as they head into 2026.

Doom Club

Doom Club sit at a sweet spot where scrappy indie instinct meets something looser, louder and harder to pin down. ‘Love Connection’ feels like a band locking into their own rhythm, taking the nervous energy of mid-2000s indie and pushing it forward with clattering electronics, blown-out guitars and a real sense of momentum. Liam Duane’s vocals are all raw nerve and warmth. These guys could be the next Geese.

Dove Ellis

At just 22, Galway born songwriter Dove Ellis has quietly emerged as one of the most compelling new voices in guitar music. His debut album, Blizzard, is stripped back, emotionally exacting and deliberately elusive, built on strong songs rather than spectacle. Drawing loose comparisons to figures like Jeff Buckley, MJ Lenderman and Cameron Winter while ultimately sidestepping them, Ellis pairs sparse, tactile production with writing that feels patient, architectural and deeply felt. With sold out shows, minimal online presence and a debut that resists easy categorisation, Blizzard positions Dove Ellis as an artist moving entirely on his own terms.

drainfly

Formed after leaving the countryside for London, drainfly make music rooted in folklore, fragility and the things we try to wash away. Led by Gwen and Ben, their songs move between whispered confession and soft hauntings, shaped by synaesthesia, old rituals and a commitment to keeping everything handmade and imperfect. Their recent EP, bracken of her bones, deepens that world, drawing on imagery of growth, decay and memory, while their live shows channel the intensity of London’s DIY scene. Intimate, unsettling and deeply human, drainfly invite listeners into a space where vulnerability and community sit at the centre.

Glass Eel

Glass Eel is the South East London project of Alice Western, a songwriter working with restraint, vulnerability and emotional precision. Her debut single ‘The Line’ is quiet and deliberate, built around space, clarity and a willingness to sit with uncertainty rather than resolve it. Drawing on mythology, mental health and personal ritual, the song feels deeply considered without ever overexplaining itself. As a project rooted in trust and collaboration, Glass Eel is about learning when to let go, and what becomes possible once you do.

Idioteque

Idioteque operates in a hazy, downtempo space where atmosphere and emotion take priority, drawing from trip-hop and electronica. His work feels patient and immersive, built around subtle shifts in mood and carefully layered production. Seeing the project translated live at Sebright Arms during our Bargain Bingo Disco was genuinely striking, with live drums, guitars and vocals giving the material a physical weight that held the room throughout. Recent single ‘34,33’, featuring Isa Sin, captures that same pull. It feels restrained and unassuming on first listen, but the emotional core slowly reveals itself, with Isa Sin’s vocal adding a quiet intensity.

Maddie Ashman

British artist and multi instrumentalist Maddie Ashman is emerging as one of the most distinctive voices in avant pop right now. Her recent double single, ‘Jaded / In Autumn My Heart Breaks,’ shows the full stretch of her world, from uneasy microtonal rhythms to expansive choral and classical arrangements. Her music makes complex ideas sound intuitive and emotionally direct. Following viral home performances and a European tour performing with King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Maddie Ashman is a technically adventurous songwriter whose music uses microtonality and classical ideas to explore instability, grief and emotional intensity.

Nantas

Italian born and now based in London, Nantas makes music that treats pop as something cinematic and emotionally charged rather than disposable. Drawing on early 2000s nostalgia, classical mythology and his own experiences of loneliness and displacement, his songs feel deliberately theatrical without losing their intimacy. Recent single ‘Bring Out Your Clouds’ turns isolation into quiet defiance, pairing mandolin, synths and dramatic songwriting with a belief that art still matters. With a larger myth inspired project on the way, Nantas feels like an artist intent on slowing things down, reconnecting emotion to spectacle, and carving out a space for romanticism in modern pop.

Normal Village

Leeds based and proudly DIY, Normal Village are a band built through constant gigging, shared chaos and a community first mentality. Their debut EP, Pile On, captures the feeling of ideas colliding in real time, jagged instrumental turns, sudden shifts in tempo and a sense of humour that runs through both the music and everything around it. Shaped by the city’s DIY circuit, their songs have been tightened on stage, gaining confidence, speed and bite with every show. Normal Village are one of the best bands to come out of Leeds' DIY scene in recent memory.

Opal Mag

Brighton based and quietly self assured, Opal Mag makes dream pop that finds meaning in stillness. Her songs linger on late night rituals, soft focus memories and the comfort of being alone without feeling isolated, pairing lo fi intimacy with gently expansive melodies. Recent single, ‘Kitchen Song,’ captures that balance perfectly, turning a quiet night in into something tender and transportive. With a growing run of radio support and a sound that rewards close listening, Opal Mag is building a world that feels personal, warm and completely her own.

The Opera

Vocals that recall Kim Gordon, give The Opera a scrappy, raw intensity that feels increasingly rare. Their sound is dark and distorted, shot through with a restless dance-punk pulse that keeps it moving. The 2025 EP I Want This To Last is an ideal entry point, while the ‘111 Club Mix’ hints at a pop-leaning dance energy creeping into indie-adjacent music, not unlike Water From Your Eyes’ ‘Playing Classics,’ but murkier and more brooding. The Opera feel poised on something moody, interesting and different.

Pack of Animals

Pack of Animals feel purpose-built for anyone raised on big, anthemic rock, but what sets them apart is how well they actually pull it off. These are wide-screen songs with real weight behind them, avoiding the usual hollow music that often comes with that territory. There’s a sense that they’re tapping into something timely, pairing scale with a grounded, brash attitude that brings to mind the laddish confidence of Fontaines D.C. without feeling like a copy. Bristol-based and clearly comfortable in their own skin, they’re easily one of the strongest bands on this list. That rare mix of immediacy and authenticity gives them genuine cross-generational appeal, and it’s not hard to imagine them taking a serious step forward in 2026.

Piss

Piss have built serious momentum on the back of their captivating live shows. Lead vocalist Taylor Zantingh brings an energy that feels immediate, emotive and undeniable, something real to hold onto. Rooted in hardcore, noise and punk, their music is driven by sharp, uncompromising lyricism that confronts themes of sexual violence head on, offering listeners a cathartic space where rage and release can coexist. It is music that is just as likely to reduce a room to tears as it is to ignite it. Piss feel vital right now, a band offering something genuinely necessary.

Pleisured

Pleisured arrived fast and loud with I’m Not Pleisured, a debut EP that wastes no time getting to the point. Signed to Big Richard Records, the London four-piece deal in tight, high-pressure noise punk. Tracks like ‘ROT’ and ‘Wait Away’ are simple on paper but driven by disciplined playing, jagged guitars and drumming that pushes everything forward without spilling over.

Prostitute

Formed in Dearborn, Michigan, Prostitute operate at the intersection of post punk, no wave and Arab rock, using abrasion as both aesthetic and critique. Their debut album, Attempted Martyr, is a loose concept record written in lockdown, charting religious extremism, violence and collapse through a deliberately confrontational lens. Built from warped guitars, corrosive synths, ritualistic rhythms and samples drawn from African, Middle Eastern and East Asian traditions, the record is as theatrical as it is unsettling. Known for volatile live shows and politically charged performances, Prostitute are now pushing further into electronic and Arabic dance influences, expanding their sound without losing its urgency or bite.

Red Ivory

South East London four piece Red Ivory channel grunge grit and post punk tension into songs that feel restless, direct and emotionally unguarded. Formed at just fourteen, the band have grown in public, using volume as both release and self definition. Their EP, Please Leave, I Need To Wake Up Now, captures years of change and persistence, pairing sharp dynamics with a growing sense of confidence in the studio and on stage. Still young and still evolving, Red Ivory sound driven by momentum, honesty and the urge to keep pushing forward.

she’s green

Minneapolis based quintet she’s green make spacious, introspective music shaped by nature, movement and quiet moments of change. Their recent EP, Chrysalis, captures a period of transition, written in the midst of touring, shifting relationships and time spent in the Midwest’s open landscapes. Built around lush guitar textures and reflective songwriting, their sound feels patient and emotionally grounded, allowing songs to unfold at their own pace. With new material already in motion, she’s green are steadily carving out a world that feels deeply connected to place, growth and emotional honesty.

Silver Gore

London duo Silver Gore make music that finds euphoria inside darkness, turning difficult emotions into something immediate and strangely uplifting. Their debut EP, Dogs In Heaven, is restless and instinctive, driven by feeling rather than form, with songs that move quickly between intimacy and overload. Built during a period of personal upheaval, the record balances warmth and despair with a rare emotional clarity. As a partnership between Ava Gore and Ethan P. Flynn, Silver Gore feels defined by trust, urgency and a refusal to smooth out the rough edges.

Spanish Horses

Spanish Horses tap into a strain of mid-2000s indie that feels instantly familiar without sounding recycled, sitting somewhere in the orbit of early Arctic Monkeys. While they’ve already put out an EP, their recent single ‘Spells’ really shows the band sharpening their edge, pairing wiry guitars with a sense of momentum that recalls a slightly cooler Rolling Blackouts C.F. The lead vocalist carries a confident, conversational charm that brings to mind Jarvis Cocker at his most observant and self-aware. There’s a clear sense of crossover appeal here, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Spanish Horses taking a bigger step forward in 2026.

The Sophs

Los Angeles six piece The Sophs operate with a rare mix of confrontation, humour and total musical abandon. Signed to Rough Trade on the strength of cold emailed demos, they have built a reputation on songs that refuse comfort, leaping between pop punk, funk, blues and theatrical rock with no concern for restraint. Frontman Ethan Ramon writes from the ugliest corners of impulse and ego, using exaggeration and satire as a way to expose. With debut album GOLDSTAR arriving in 2026, The Sophs sound restless, explosive and deliberately unruly, a band driven by tension, excess and the thrill of pushing ideas until they break.

sugarglaze

sugarglaze makes pop music that glimmers on the surface while carrying real emotional weight underneath. Based in South East London, she writes with a sharp focus on language and feeling, pairing soft, playful production with lyrics that reveal more the closer you listen. Tracks like ‘wishing’ feel light on first contact but quickly show a deeper unease and honesty, built around themes of longing, self-soothing and quiet perseverance. The visual world is just as central to the project, with sugarglaze creating her own artwork and animations so sound and image feel fully intertwined. With a clear creative identity already in place, 2026 looks set to be a year of real expansion for sugarglaze.

Tooth

Tooth have built their name without giving the internet anything to latch onto. No released music, no teaser drops, just a run of shows that’s earned them a real following through word of mouth alone. The London four-piece are now signed to Soil To The Sun, the new Relentless imprint, and managed by Raw Power. Upcoming debut single ‘Age of Innocence’ is an immediate statement, tightly written, raw and bristling with energy, and one of the most convincing British debut singles in recent memory. Drawing from 80s alternative rock, 90s emo and early-2000s indie, Tooth sound focused and restless, helped by the fact they’ve already put in the miles on the live circuit.