There was no scarcity of excellent music in 2025. And as a lot as we love our mainstays, rising artists clearly performed an enormous half in shaping the yr, too. In rap and R&B particularly, we watched PLUTO break by with “WHIM WHAMIEE,” noticed JayDon earn a major co-sign from Chris Brown, and watched OsamaSon assist carry the underground ahead.

That nonetheless barely covers the quantity of expertise that confirmed up and confirmed out all year long. With that in thoughts, Rap-Up compiled a listing of 14 artists value holding tabs on as we head into 2026. From Chris Patrick to PARTYOF2, test them out under.

1. PLUTO

“That was my second time recording on the mic,” PLUTO advised music/rb-hip-hop/pluto-june-rookie-month-interview-whim-whamiee-sexyy-red-1236009529/”>Billboard in regards to the studio session behind “WHIM WHAMIEE,” her breakout hit and first music to the touch the Hot 100. Her come-up is similar to Sexyy Red’s — who seems on the monitor’s remix and on “Motion” — within the sense that they are merely right here to make good music and have enjoyable. PLUTO doubled down on that vitality along with her sophomore mission, PLUTO WORLD, which options YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Hunxho and Rylo Rodriguez, amongst others. Whim whamiee!

2. DESTIN CONRAD

2025 has been a extremely thrilling yr for R&B, particularly the progressive aspect of it. There’s most likely no clearer instance than the continual rise of DESTIN CONRAD, who launched his debut album, LOVE ON DIGITAL, in April. He’s open to slightly PDA on “KISSING IN PUBLIC,” handed the ladies their anthem together with his Kehlani collab “BAD B**CHES,” and teamed up with fellow queer icon Lil Nas X on “P.B.S.”

All of that, plus the drop of his feature-packed jazz album, wHIMSY, in August, factors to an artist who’s prepared to step into different genres and bend their guidelines a bit. CONRAD retains widening the body for what R&B will be, so it wouldn’t be stunning in any respect if LOVE ON DIGITAL took house Best Contemporary R&B Album on the 2026 Grammys.

3. Odeal

To deal with the elephant within the room: Odeal sounds extraordinarily related — if not virtually equivalent at occasions — to Brent Faiyaz at first pay attention. You’ll discover it virtually instantly on tracks like “Blame U” and, for the DMV crowd, Wale’s “City On Fire.” That comparability isn’t a foul one, and we absolutely imagine it’s one thing the British Nigerian singer will shed as his catalog expands.

If you’re new to Odeal, we would advocate beginning together with his Summer Walker-assisted “You’re Stuck” or “Miami” with Leon Thomas, who someway sounds good subsequent to everyone. He additionally launched The Fall That Saved Us in November, which actually sees him coming into his personal throughout tracks like “Pretty Girls” and “Cold World.”

4. JayDon

JayDon has been having the type of yr most artists dream of. He not solely signed to Usher and L.A. Reid’s mega imprint but additionally earned a co-sign from one of many greats: Chris Brown. JD’s sound carries hints of each R&B superstars, with “Boujee Baby” and “Lullaby” being simply two information which have taken the web by storm. The Los Angeles native has been placing in work since his teenagers, so it’s nice to see all the pieces paying off with Me My Songs & I.

5. Chris Patrick

Chances are you’ve seen or heard Chris Patrick by now. If it wasn’t his monster of a freestyle throughout Kai Cenat’s “Mafiathon 3,” the Nas co-sign that adopted or his time supporting JID’s “God Does Like Paradise Tour,” then it was most likely the regular stream of music he’s launched all through 2025. He’s dropped tracks like “Ramen Noodles,” “Can You Stand The Rain (Freestyle)” and “Frankenstein.”

“Frankenstein” is arguably a number of the greatest we’ve gotten from Patrick thus far, largely as a consequence of manufacturing from Conductor Williams, who’s labored with heavyweights like J. Cole, Drake and Westside Gunn. That, plus its haunting visible companion.

6. Chxrry

Everything Chxrry does has this star-level magnetism to it. She hasn’t dropped a ton of music in 2025, however the songs she has shared have been particular. “Groupie” tapped into that dizzy rush you’re feeling if you first begin liking somebody, whereas “Main Character” is all about proudly owning each room you step into. Heading into 2026, count on to see Chxrry becoming a member of Mariah the Scientist on the “HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY TOUR” and gearing up for her debut album.

7. wolfacejoeyy

wolfacejoeyy was certainly one of a number of artists we had the pleasure of spotlighting in our Quintessential Sexy Drill Songs list again in June. Since then, the story’s been just about the identical. He’s nonetheless one of the crucial compelling voices within the subgenre, as evidenced by the 2 tasks he dropped this yr: cupid and SUMMERSONGS. Both push horny drill into corners we most likely wouldn’t have pictured earlier than urgent play.

8. PARTYOF2

Duos are beginning to really feel like a misplaced artwork in rap. Aside from Clipse’s huge return earlier this yr and the occasional rapper-producer collabs, there actually aren’t many left — particularly not co-ed ones. PARTYOF2, who carried out at November’s Camp Flog Gnaw, are particular for that cause alone.

Formerly referred to as grouptherapy., Jadagrace and SWIM dropped AMERIKA’s NEXT TOP PARTY! in October. Much just like the LP’s title suggests, it undoubtedly carries some political weight. On “VANESSA WILLIAMS,” they ask, “Will the real Miss America stand up?” Meanwhile, SWIM boasts about having “more hits than the CIA” on “JUST DANCE 2,” maybe certainly one of their most recognizable tracks alongside “POSER.” With any luck, PARTYOF2 can be round for an extended whereas.

9. Alex Jean

Christian rap continues to be rap, even when some individuals dismiss it as too churchy. That stated, the beats and the bars have gotten a lot better in recent times, particularly with artists like Alex Jean. The Orlando native put out THEE AUTHORS BALLAD in July, a nine-track mission he produced himself.

From the gospel woven by “Stand Firm, You’ll Win” to the appearances from different acquainted faces within the style like Hulvey and Kijan Boone, it’s an awesome mission to get into. “Promise you God, they not like us like back in the day when I listened to Kendrick,” Jean spits on “When Air Refuses To Answer,” referencing Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Good lyricism will all the time go a great distance.

10. BunnaB

BunnaB was in every single place this summer season. Between her repping for the “itty bitty titty committee” on her YKNIECE-assisted “Innit” and giving the streets one other block occasion favourite with “Bunna Summa,” the East Atlanta rapper is rapidly turning into one of the crucial thrilling new faces in rap. She confirmed up on Cash Cobain’s “H**s Be Mad,” Metro Boomin’s A Futuristic Summa, and PlaqueBoyMax and Rakai’s “TURN UP,” so it is laborious to think about she will not be in every single place in 2026 too.

11. Jae Stephens

We’re all the time rooting for extra Black ladies in pop. Jae Stephens, particularly, appears like a real celebrity on the rise. She dropped TOTAL SELLOUT, a mix of her earlier SELLOUT EP collection plus some new materials, in November. Across songs like “Afterbody” and “Freakie,” she strikes between R&B and dance-pop with zero hesitation. And hey, did we point out she’s signed with Issa Rae’s Raedio?

12. OsamaSon

OsamaSon is carrying the torch ahead for rage rap, which naturally brings comparisons and loads of strain on all sides. The effervescent South Carolina artist launched his synth-heavy, distortion-soaked mission psykotic in October. With it got here tracks like “Habits” and “Addicted,” each of which really feel just like the world collapsing in audio type. In any case, OsamaSon is ready as much as be an enormous deal in 2026, whether or not or not he manages to shake the Playboi Carti comparisons.

13. ilham

It takes so much to dwell as much as the title of “NYC’s sweetheart,” however ilham is making it occur. The R&B multi-hyphenate bought individuals speaking with final yr’s “uhm…ok?,” her first single after leaving Def Jam Recordings, and she or he’s managed to stretch that success even additional. In September, she dropped her mission of the identical identify, government produced by Fridayy, who additionally pops up on the monitor “for me.” ilham has been rolling out one infectious monitor after one other, and hopefully that streak carries into subsequent yr.

14. Stunna Sandy

When Stunna Sandy first popped urp on the timeline, individuals instantly dubbed her an “Ice Spice 2.0.” She might by no means chase that title — or care to — however the comparisons are most likely right here to remain for so long as she’s round. Her debut and largest single thus far, “Make It Look Sexy,” principally seems like Instagram captions rapped over an attractive drill beat (humorously sufficient, she threatens to show her opps “to a hashtag” on the monitor).

That stated, it’s robust to disclaim how good the Ice Spice blueprint sounds on tracks like “No Waist” and “Freakquent,” particularly for anybody within the temper for a enjoyable pay attention. The world can by no means have too many rap girlies, so fingers crossed Sandy can parlay her 15 seconds of fame into one thing that lasts.