{"id":2225344,"date":"2026-01-07T06:15:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T06:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2225344"},"modified":"2026-01-07T06:15:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T06:15:47","slug":"new-music-for-2026-the-top-10-bands-and-solo-artists-you-need-to-hear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/new-music-for-2026-the-top-10-bands-and-solo-artists-you-need-to-hear\/","title":{"rendered":"New music for 2026: The top 10 bands and solo artists you need to hear"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div class=\"hydrate-root sc-10wlkbs-0\" data-component=\"Newsletter\" data-loading=\"lazy\" data-theme-name=\"base\">\n<aside class=\"sc-y4bm30-0 jwWhkK newsletter-component sc-1ge0fwe-0\" data-newsletter-key=\"receiveMusic\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-1 inRDZn\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-3\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-4 hfveGa\">\n<p><h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-6 fvoxRM fafQAy\">Get the inside track from Roisin O&#8217;Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-8 fvoxRM fvWmZq\">Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-7 fvoxRM hkVmms\">Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 hKcUSR sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1ix0cah-0 PYnPb sc-y4bm30-10 fUEDPX\"><use href=\"#600f53465147d717\"\/><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk sc-y4bm30-9 iQYNfz\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/nowHearThis1_2.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Roisin O\u2019Connor\u2019s\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"big-letter\">W<\/span>e all know music is cyclical \u2013 trends come and go, then come back again \u2013 but the beauty of today\u2019s landscape is that several changes can happen all at once. Yes, there\u2019s an Irish folk revival, but there\u2019s also a brewing rock renaissance of ambitious young bands vying to be our next stadium act. Twenty-five years since The Strokes released their earth-quaking debut, <em>Is This It,<\/em> everyone\u2019s buzzing about <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/music\/features\/geese-cameron-winter-band-tour-getting-killed-b2889640.html\">their fellow New Yorkers, Geese<\/a>. Meanwhile, after something of a lull in the UK rap scene, things exploded last year, in such a way that it caused ripples on the other side of the Atlantic. <\/p>\n<p>The other great thing about music today? Very few people are content to restrict themselves by listening to just one or two genres. Here at<em> The Independent <\/em>we\u2019ll listen to anything as long as it\u2019s good, and there\u2019s plenty to get excited about this year: from spaced-out alt-pop to a Kentucky take on riot grrrl rock.<\/p>\n<p>Here are 10 acts I think you should be paying attention to in 2026. <\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>Absolutely<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 greYXW\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/16\/Absoluetly_PhHanYang_000067730001_v2_HR.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/16\/Absoluetly_PhHanYang_000067730001_v2_HR.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/16\/Absoluetly_PhHanYang_000067730001_v2_HR.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Alt-pop artist Absolutely is preparing to release her debut album\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537592\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Alt-pop artist Absolutely is preparing to release her debut album<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Han Yang<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Mentions of alt-pop artist Absolutely \u2013 real name Abby-Lynn Keen \u2013 often come with the addendum \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/music\/news\/raye-ivors-academy-honour-songwriters-per-diem-b2795069.html\">RAYE\u2019s sister<\/a>\u201d, but it can\u2019t be long before she\u2019s known in her own right. Her debut album, <em>Paracosm,<\/em> is a magnificent opening statement in which she conjures her own dreamy world. It\u2019s full of bright piano notes, limb-quaking beats, gorgeous harmonies and her own hypnotic voice, which shifts effortlessly from breathy falsetto trills to honeyed melismatic runs. The sheer range on the record is staggering: she\u2019s achingly vulnerable on the wide-eyed \u201cSimple Things\u201d \u2013 about the pure joy in finally meeting someone you can open up to \u2013 then bold and assertive on the thrilling, hook-filled \u201cPrototype\u201d. She\u2019s opening for her big sister at arenas around Europe and the UK from 22 January, then for Rene\u00e9 Rapp\u2019s UK arena run this spring. <\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>Dove Ellis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-left\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 gkvMWU\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/32\/image001-(1).jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/32\/image001-(1).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/32\/image001-(1).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Irish artist Dove Ellis surprised everyone with his brilliant debut in 2025\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537593\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Irish artist Dove Ellis surprised everyone with his brilliant debut in 2025<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Xander Lewis<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Galway-born, Manchester-based musician Dove Ellis\u2019s debut was aptly named <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/music\/features\/2025-best-albums-rosalia-lily-allen-addison-rae-b2877177.html\"><em>Blizzard<\/em>,<\/a> blowing him as if from nowhere into our collective consciousness towards the end of 2025. Made, as he put it, \u201cfor friends\u201d, it\u2019s a beautifully wrought collection of abstract songwriting set to music that\u2019s part punk, part chamber pop. Think Perfume Genius if he was being backed by Geese \u2013 the latter of whom he supported on their headline tour last year. He sings in an appealing, off-kilter drawl, with a loud-quiet dynamism that maintains your attention even as the song itself meanders. <\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>EsDeeKid<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Much has been made of UK rap\u2019s \u201cunderground\u201d scene in the past 12 months, though it feels more like a new generation of artists have simply taken <em>over<\/em>. The arrival of masked rapper Esdeekid heralds a wider wave of ambitious, pioneering young things \u2013 from Fakemink to Feng and Ledbyher \u2013 deploying a defiantly British sound that has their somewhat lacklustre US cohorts pricking up their ears. He exploded in 2025 with tracks including the viral \u201cPhantom\u201d, delivered over spooky synths, and \u201c4 Raws\u201d (also viral). It didn\u2019t hurt that the video for \u201c4 Raws\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/music\/news\/timothee-chalamet-esdeekid-rap-song-marty-supreme-b2888352.html\">starred Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet<\/a>, previously the subject of rumours that he was, in fact, leading a double life as EsDeeKid. But the track itself stands on its own, owning his background with pride: \u201cI\u2019m a scumbag, I was raised in Liverpool slums, lad (OK)\/ I was broke, no joke, but I spun back.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 fFOHQn\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/52\/Screenshot-2026-01-06-at-15-33-26.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/52\/Screenshot-2026-01-06-at-15-33-26.png?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/52\/Screenshot-2026-01-06-at-15-33-26.png?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rapper EsDeeKid has been keeping his identity under wraps\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537594\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Rapper EsDeeKid has been keeping his identity under wraps<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Press<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2><strong>Feng<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Croydon rapper Feng\u2019s tracks are like Polaroids from a house party \u2013 brief snapshots of a good time. Very few pass the two-minute mark. He nods to the cloud rap of the early 2010s, using vocal chops and 808s to conjure dreamy, lo-fi soundscapes mirrored in his videos. In interviews, he\u2019s acknowledged that at 19, he\u2019s not old enough to have experienced the era he\u2019s drawing from, but that doesn\u2019t matter to him. It represents a simpler time, one where \u201ceveryone was less serious\u201d and young people could be silly without fear of going viral on social media. <\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS88lpOFAxK\/embed\/captioned\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"sc-wn0aau-1 dZPXBi\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I love the drowsy loop on \u201cWhen I Met You\u201d and the video game buzz of breakup track \u201cXY\u201d, both from his 2025 debut, <em>What the Feng.<\/em> There\u2019s a hyper-specificity to his songwriting that\u2019s startlingly redolent of Charli XCX or Lily Allen. On \u201cXY\u201d, he raps: \u201cCheckin\u2019 on your Instagram, I really shouldn\u2019t \u2019cause it makes it worse\/ I can\u2019t leave a comment, but I like your Gucci purse\/ But I know someone bought it for you, so it really hurts.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>The Guest List<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-left\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 iLjzbR\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/31\/Photo-28-08-2025-17-21-20-by-Ewan-Ogden-(1).jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/31\/Photo-28-08-2025-17-21-20-by-Ewan-Ogden-(1).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/31\/Photo-28-08-2025-17-21-20-by-Ewan-Ogden-(1).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Guest List offer bold rock music with a message\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537595\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">The Guest List offer bold rock music with a message<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Ewan Ogden<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>This Manchester five-piece are on course to become one of the UK\u2019s next big guitar bands, thanks to some ambitious songwriting and a dose of enjoyably self-aware pretentiousness. You might wince at the French verse on their lust-ridden anthem \u201cRuine\u201d, until you see the music video with its black-and-white, beret-sporting scene, and realise \u2013 much to your relief \u2013 that tongues are firmly in cheeks. Similarly, the outrageous Oasis-ness of the guitar on \u201cWeatherman\u201d is redeemed by its hard-hitting climate crisis theme. In terms of influences, frontman Cai Alty seems more drawn to the bristling swagger of Fontaines D.C.\u2019s Grian Chatten, whom he emulates on the slurring \u201cRuine\u201d as well as the brilliant \u201cLoose Tongue\u201d, with its slouchy backing harmonies and squalls of electric guitar. Their debut EP <em>When the Lights are Out <\/em>dropped last November; more music is expected this year.<\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>Girl Tones<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 ejLPve\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/50\/Girl-Tones-(credit-Kate-LaMendola).png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/50\/Girl-Tones-(credit-Kate-LaMendola).png?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/50\/Girl-Tones-(credit-Kate-LaMendola).png?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Kentucky rock duo Girl Tones have got grit\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537596\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Kentucky rock duo Girl Tones have got grit<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Kate LeMendola<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kentucky-based sister duo Girl Tones could have stomped right out of the Riot Grrrl movement of the Nineties, but in fact, they\u2019re still in their early twenties. Single \u201cAgain\u201d revs up like a vintage Harley, kicking up dust before singer Kenzie comes in with her distorted yowl. There\u2019s a buzzsaw of a guitar riff while her sister Laila pounds out a thunderstorm on the drums. Recent track \u201cBurnout\u201d, meanwhile, is Yeah Yeah Yeahs level sardonic. They\u2019ll no doubt draw comparisons to Britain\u2019s own Wet Leg by dint of being two women in a rock duo, but this is much, much better. Girl Tones have got grit. They played their first shows on UK soil last year, supporting Cage the Elephant, but hopefully they\u2019ll be back very soon. <\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-0 ijrISW\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-9\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-3 bnPMtb\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-4 hqeEpq\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Music.png\" width=\"129\" height=\"36\" alt=\"Amazon Music logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-5 erkCqL\">\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-6 fwMNvw\">Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-7 euVGoL\">Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. 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If you sign up to this service we will earn commission.<span class=\"disclaimer-break\"> This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-1 bfZJxf\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-9\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-3 bnPMtb\">\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-4 hqeEpq\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Music.png\" width=\"129\" height=\"36\" alt=\"Amazon Music logo\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-118zqaw-5 erkCqL\">\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-6 fwMNvw\">Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-7 euVGoL\">Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-1aus1tj-1 jseGHe sc-118zqaw-2\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/32gdyhr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Try for free<svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 kjmIzh sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1aus1tj-2 cChEZI\"><use href=\"#baddbaa17d236bd5\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/div>\n<p class=\"sc-118zqaw-8 jIxPoZ\">ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission.<span class=\"disclaimer-break\"> This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2><strong>Leah Cleaver<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 bQYcYv\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/23\/unnamed-(3).jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/23\/unnamed-(3).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/23\/unnamed-(3).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Leah Cleaver released her fantastic debut EP last year\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537597\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Leah Cleaver released her fantastic debut EP last year<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Press<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The thrills and spills of life as a twentysomething navigating London formed the basis of Leah Cleaver\u2019s debut EP <em>Pushing Up Flowers,<\/em> released last October. Think big, squelchy beats and sultry rhythms bolstering her low croon. There\u2019s a touch of Prince-indebted soul on \u201cGet You Home\u201d, a seductive invitation to leave the party early (together), while \u201cLast Time\u201d is brilliant pivoting from a low-thrumming bass to a heady concoction of jangling guitars and buzzing synths. While there\u2019s a fantastic cohesion to the whole project, it\u2019s also testament to Cleaver\u2019s extensive music education \u2013 her influences span everything from The Dubliners and Arctic Monkeys to Mary J Blige and Frank Sinatra. <\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>Ledbyher<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-right\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 hRnrOF\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/30\/unnamed-(4).jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/30\/unnamed-(4).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/30\/unnamed-(4).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ledbyher is a leading figure in the UK rap explosion\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537598\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Ledbyher is a leading figure in the UK rap explosion<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Luke Ellis-Gayle<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Indonesian-Scottish artist born Rachel Diack has described her sound alternatively as \u201cbedroom drill\u201d and \u201clady trap\u201d, but whatever it is, it\u2019s good. There\u2019s a restlessness to it, in the shapeshifting synths that float like clouds above her voice, with its post-cigarette husk. Perhaps it\u2019s down to her upbringing: she moved around with her family from an army base in Germany to a village in Indonesia, then a small town in rural Norfolk. As with her peers, there\u2019s a pleasing specificity to her songwriting, but she also throws in the occasional literary reference \u2013 whether that be Wordsworth or Harry Potter \u2013 that elevates it just a touch above. She\u2019s got a way with earworms, too, which has caught the attention of veterans including Skepta, who invited her to perform at his Mains show at London Fashion Week. Her first major label release, mixtape <em>The Elephant,<\/em> is due out soon.<\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>Madra Salach<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 dWwrJu\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/21\/Madracolour2.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/21\/Madracolour2.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/21\/Madracolour2.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Madra Salach are a key band in Ireland\u2019s folk revival\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537599\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Madra Salach are a key band in Ireland\u2019s folk revival<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Press<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The first time I heard this Dublin-based six-piece, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Influenced by fellow Irish folk revivalists Lankum, their music demonstrates an innate understanding of tradition, heritage, myth and culture while managing to sound wholly contemporary. Frontman Paul Banks knows how to hold a room, singing in a slanted yelp that frequently slips into a throat-tearing snarl. He\u2019s an extraordinary storyteller, as are his bandmates, who turn each instrument into its own character, building layer upon layer to create an effect that\u2019s almost overwhelming. \u201cBlue and Gold\u201d, their first single, opens in ominous, dirge-like fashion \u2013 from there unfolds a story of financial woes, narrated by a hopeful gambler. \u201cI Was Just a Boy\u201d, only their second release to date, stretches on for more than seven minutes, pushed onwards by stony drums and the bright, urgent strum of the mandolin. Their debut EP, <em>It\u2019s a Hell of an Age<\/em>, is out 23 January. <\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>The Scratch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"10\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 LipKR\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/27\/THE-SCRATCH-Pull-Like-A-Dog-credit-Evan-Doherty-(1).jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/27\/THE-SCRATCH-Pull-Like-A-Dog-credit-Evan-Doherty-(1).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/01\/06\/15\/27\/THE-SCRATCH-Pull-Like-A-Dog-credit-Evan-Doherty-(1).jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The Scratch are back with bite on their third record, \u2018Pull Like a Dog\u2019\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-537600\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">The Scratch are back with bite on their third record, \u2018Pull Like a Dog\u2019<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Evan Doherty<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>While they\u2019re not exactly \u201cnew\u201d \u2013 in fact, they\u2019ve been knocking about for the better part of a decade \u2013 The Scratch are on the cusp of something big. Their new album<em>, Pull Like a Dog, <\/em>comes from the now-famous remark by Irish Olympic rowers Gary and Paul O\u2019Donovan the year the band formed, when asked to describe their game plan for a race: \u201cClose your eyes and pull like a dog.\u201d The Scratch seem to have taken that sentiment of no-nonsense tenacity to heart; the album is full of gusto, a tight 10 tracks of breathless, relentless rock. While you\u2019ll have to wait until 13 March to hear for yourself, you can satiate yourself with what they\u2019ve put out so far, including their awesome 2023 record<em> Mind Yourself<\/em> and their more trad\/folk-leaning debut, <em>Couldn\u2019t Give a Rats.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.independent.co.uk \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get the inside track from Roisin O&#8217;Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This We all know music is cyclical \u2013 trends come and go, then come back again \u2013 but the beauty of today\u2019s landscape is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2225345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2225344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/New-music-for-2026-The-top-10-bands-and-solo.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2225344"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2225346,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2225344\/revisions\/2225346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2225345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2225344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2225344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2225344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}