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There were plenty of 2024 releases that helped to define the year in music in 2025. And in 2026, we expect the same carryover impact, led by the artists from the chart below showing both the top global and US releases from this year. These WMG artists’ YouTube channels (which UPROXX Studios represents exclusively) are safe bets going into the new year for brands looking to buy into music culture movers.
Let’s take a look at a few of these artists and their success stories.
Long-beloved mainstay Ed Sheeran had a superlative year with his “Sapphire” video leading the Warner Music Group year-end global charts, proving he still has plenty of staying power this far into his illustrious career. Besides the release of his new album, Play, Sheeran also dropped his One Shot special on Netflix, showing him playing and hanging out with people all through New York City.
Up-and-comers are making waves, too. Keep an eye on Alex Warren (#2 on the global chart and #1 on the US chart), Jisoo (#3 & #5 on the global chart), and sombr (#4 on the global chart), whose goings-on increasingly sway the tide of the industry at large. The calendar may foreshadow further buzz surrounding those three. In Q1 of 2026, Blackpink’s world tour comes to an end, which could pave the way for Jisoo to drop new music. At the Super Bowl, all eyes will be on Warren, who is set to be part of the pre-game festivities. Lastly, there’s the Grammys, which will expose sombr (and Warren) to an even bigger audience thanks to their Best New Artist nominations.
Warren also enjoyed some crossover success, drawing eyeballs on TikTok and on Netflix’s Love Island, driving growth to his YouTube channel and to his status as a music personality outside of his releases. Speaking of crossovers, beloved multi-hyphenate Jack Black had a viral hit with his bite-sized Minecraft movie song “Steve’s Lava Chicken.” On the soundtrack front, Charli XCX’s music for Wuthering Heights is something to keep an eye on in 2026.
Another artist to bet on in 2026 is Kehlani. She’s already a beloved veteran in her space, but she had a major mainstream breakthrough this year with “Folded,” her first top-10 single. She also joined the narrative of Cardi B’s massive comeback album Am I The Drama? with a feature on “Safe.” With more exposure than ever and proven abilities, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her further her ascent in the new year.
Check out the year-end rankings below.
Uproxx