Now, we know you might be thinking that we are late to the party, but there is no such thing as too late to talk about artists that are poised to have a big year! So, here are artists that our writers think are on the rise in 2026.
Cameron Winter
Things I love: Geese, Cameron Winter, and Men of the Reef—the Geese rabbit hole goes deep. Anyway, coming into 2026, Cameron Winter, the frontman of Geese, is speculated to have one of the most important years of his career following last year’s release of the band’s third studio album, Getting Killed. With a lighter piano sound that is distinctly different from that of Geese, Winter’s solo projects are more intimate and perhaps even more approachable as a casual listener. At the end of 2024, he released his debut solo album, Heavy Metal, which received heaps of praise. “Love Takes Miles,” one of the standouts on the album, was even listed as Pitchfork’s number one song of 2025.
This year, the expectation is that another album is on the way. With one simple YouTube search, you would find a massive amount of unreleased music, most of it based around some religious theme, in the same vein as artists like Leonard Cohen or pre-electric Bob Dylan. What makes me the most excited about 2026 for Cameron Winter is that, in all honesty, it is completely unpredictable. He could release, he could not. He could show up at a show under a fake name (Chet Chomsky), or he could do nothing at all. That’s what makes him so intriguing.
– Fenton Wright, Web Services Coordinator
mary in the junkyard
Self-proclaimed “angry weepy chaos rock trio” Mary in the Junkyard is cooking up some of the coolest tunes I’ve ever heard. The London-based band, made up of singer, guitarist, and cellist Clari Freeman-Taylor, bassist and viola player Saya Barbaglia, and percussionist David Addison create atmospheric, haunting, and unique songs that are unique to them, and absolutely enchanting. Clari’s soft soprano mixed with the grungy instrumentals and their creative usage of their classical training (Saya playing electric bass with a viola bow) allow mary in the junkyard to operate within a space that is entirely their own, where they design the rules. From the sisterly themes of “marble arch” to the grotesque imagery of “goop”, the band is making music full of feeling and intentionality. Last year was big for the trio; they accompanied Wet Leg on their “moisturizer” US tour, and released the singles “drains” and “midori”. With heavy hints at an album coming soon, mary in the junkyard has me excited for whatever they come up with in 2026.
– Ahni Brown Harbin, Program Coordinator
No Pressure
Coming into the new year it is an exciting time for the world of punk-rock. Iconic bands that helped shape the punk scene during its early days, such as Descendents, Social Distortion, and Buzzcocks, are all revving up this year to create new music. However, an up and coming punk-rock band, No Pressure, is one to keep your eye on. They’re a California based band formed in 2020 known for their raw, fast-paced sound; however, they’re not new to the music scene. Their frontman, Parker Cannon, is also the vocalist for The Story So Far, with other band members also stemming from separate punk bands. No Pressure is expected to release their second album this year after giving fans a sneak-peek with their 2 new songs, “Good Enough” and “Wearing Thin,” which were released in November of 2025. Both these songs envelop the traditional aggressive and gritty sound that punk-lovers crave, while also fusing together pop undertones that defined the 2000s punk era. Cannon’s harsh and powerful vocals bring this instrumental combination together perfectly, pairing nicely with his emotional lyricism that tugs on the emotions of every listener. While Cannon is mainly known for The Story So Far, this side project is shaping up to be equally as energetic and exciting as they continue to add more depth to their discography and kickstart their 2026 North American tour this March.
– Scarlett Heikkila, Staff Writer
DJO
The New Year calls for an energetic entrance, wouldn’t you agree? The first thing I tend to think of when it comes to music to get me hyped up for my new years entrance is most definitely any kind of Indie or Pop. After saving Hawkins from yet another monster attack, Chicago-based actor Joe Keery made his Spotify debut as Djo on September 13th, 2019, with his album Twenty Twenty (following the single “Roddy”). Today, Djo is still rockin’ on top with his most recent 2025 release, The Crux, and his most streamed song End of Beginning sitting at over 2,170,000,000 streams. Keery describes the primary objective with his music being to “create music that people can revisit again and again without getting sick of it,” making reference to albums such as Abbey Road being a strong point of inspiration during his early experimentation in finding his signature sound. Through both his Stranger Things audience as well as his music alone, Joe attracted an incredibly supportive fanbase through his success with his next release DECIDE in 2022. He would go on to play several music festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Laneway Festival, and Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Djo brings a unique energy to his music, combining electric guitar with synth contributing to a very rock-y, yet modern indie sound. His music is refreshing and brings a sense of uplifting energy to the listener. Though previous albums focused more on synth elements, with the Crux, there is even more experimentation with adding more percussion as well as spoken dialogue in the background of the instrumentation itself. I love listening to Djo’s music especially when I am out and about in the city and even when I am working my tech jobs on campus.
– Jadore C. Lasner, Staff Writer
Sharp Pins
One humid summer night in 2024, I stumbled upon The Saturn in Birmingham, Alabama. The Saturn is this charming venue on a sort of strange and desolate-looking road, and in about forty minutes, I was about to hear what was to become my favorite band ever for the first time. Kai Slater, known as Sharp Pins (or Thee Sharp Pins when he’s accompanied by bassist/guitarist Joe Glass and drummer Peter Cimbalo), came on stage in dress pants and a striped dress shirt, looking like the spitting image of a mod from fifty years ago. I felt like I had entered a time warp. Sharp Pins is truly something special; Slater blends 60s and 70s jangle-pop with a 90s alternative sound, resulting in songs that give you no other choice but to dance. Together, Thee Sharp Pins trio can put on a rock and roll show like they were there to see its prime with their own eyes.
I was lucky enough to see them for the fourth time about two weeks ago at The Center for the Arts at the Armory. Songs like “I Don’t Have The Heart” and “Popafangout” off their newest album, Balloon Balloon Balloon, had the audience jumping up and down. I danced with strangers while Slater leaped around the stage, backed by Glass and Cimbalo’s beautiful harmonies. Hailing from Chicago’s thriving DIY music scene, Thee Sharp Pins are gaining fans across the world. This February, they’re taking Spain and Italy, bringing rock and roll to the people. With a sound similar to classics like The Beach Boys and The Hollies, this young trio deserves every bit of attention that they’re receiving. I could go on forever and ever about how awesome I think these guys are, but I’ll spare you the time. Go hear them for yourself!
– Ana Achata, Staff Writer
300 dreams – After
Imagine walking in the park on a sunny day, sunlight bouncing back off of the windows of reflective buildings. In Boston, there’s the additional wind blowing in your hair. It’s bright everywhere (you can’t see, but that’s the vibe), the grass is greener, the sky’s still blue, I’m on Earth, my headphones are on, and I’m listening to After.
The LA-based duo, Justine Dorsey and Graham Epstein, met on a Hinge date, and enjoyed working together as a musical duo. They connected not just over their shared birthday, but also their shared love for the y2k, pop rock sound. They worked together starting in 2023 and called themselves After. They appeal with a 2000s trip hop type of nostalgia that is showcased in their music and visuals (such as album covers, and music videos), which, in my opinion, works amazingly in recent times. While they lean into the nostalgia factor, there isn’t anyone like them in the music scene currently. The resurgence and cycle of trends years later is not a new phenomenon (e.x. 2016 trend in 2026), and their tech sound and inspirations (tech commercials and JCPenny) makes their brand seem interestingly futuristic. As if you were from the 2000s predicting the future.
300 dreams is best described as a nostalgic, shoegaze, and trip hop type of sound. It’s part of their EP titled ‘After EP’, and the single itself was released on the 14th of March 2025. The song starts with some percussion and Dorsey answering the phone (“Hello?”), in which we are then introduced to this light, synth melody. The instrumental is fun and engaging, with lots of interesting light percussion choices and a nice, addictive melody (particularly in the chorus). Dorsey’s voice is easy-listening and clean, and her voice carries the song entirely. Their positive approach to writing lyrics for this song, while they didn’t mean to, is very Coldplay-coded. After’s favorite songs, featured on their spotify, include songs by Michele Branch (my personal favorite), Fauxliage, Linkin Park, Frou Frou, the Sundays and many more.
– Emma Elliott, Staff Writer
Wet Leg
Though Wet Leg is not a ‘new’ band, or even new to me, I am elated to be going into the new year with some new music from them. I’ve been a fan since their song “Wet Dream” came out in 2022, but it wasn’t until last year when their stellar sophomore album moisturizer came out that I really “got” them. It’s clear that between their first album and second, they really found their sound as a duo. Their song “Mangetout” is the perfect indie-rock jam ballad, transporting you to a scene from a movie, and transforming you into someone much, much cooler than yourself. Luckily, the song gained a whole new audience after being featured in Heated Rivalry.
– Avieana Rivera, Music Coordinator
