5 Top Breakthroughs

BY: India McCarty

So many amazing artists made their mark this year, whether that was blowing up on TikTok or releasing music that showed off their artistic growth. Here are five of our favorite artists who had their breakthrough moment this year.

Celeste

British singer-songwriter Celeste released her debut album Not Your Muse this year, earning her a No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and nominations for Best New Artist, Best Female Solo Artist, and Album of the Year at the BRIT Awards. The artist has built up buzz with singles and EPs, but her first longform body of work has exploded onto the UK music scene. With the success of this album, Celeste is poised for international stardom.

 

Porridge Radio

This British band has been knocking around the UK music scene for years, even getting included on The Guardian’s 2018 list of top new artists. This year, Porridge Radio released an expanded version of their 2020 album, Every Bad, gaining them new fans all over the world. This album sees the band finding themselves as musicians, working together to create groundbreaking music that people everywhere can relate to.

 

OSTON

Rising pop artist OSTON released her excellent sophomore EP this year, Am I Talking Too Much?, a collection of songs about the highs and lows of being young and trying to figure out what you’re doing with your life. If you’re OSTON, you’re making songs that are destined to be hits. The artist is creating buzz for herself with songs going viral on TikTok, music videos getting MTV play, and a slot at Lollapalooza. OSTON is currently touring with collaborator and friend JORDY and is slated to open for The Greeting Committee early next year, so there are plenty of opportunities to see her talent for yourself.

 

Dominic Fike

Dominic Fike has been poised for success for awhile now, from guest verses on songs for more established artists, to songs of his own that go viral. In 2021, he made the leap to household name. Between the success of 2020’s What Could Possibly Go Wrong? to his upcoming role on HBO’s hit series Euphoria, Fike is getting ready to take over our playlists and our TV screens.

 

Leith Ross

While some see TikTok’s contribution to the music scene as just catchy songs and silly dance videos, it can also present us with some interesting and talented songwriters. Leith Ross shot to the top of the TikTok charts after a snippet of their song “We’ll Never Have Sex” went viral, with thousands using it in their own videos. The singer-songwriter pairs delicate acoustic guitar melodies with personal lyrics, making songs that you’ll want to listen to over and over again.