
It's always exciting when artists enter the realm of bonafide stardom and bring new sounds and ideas to the music world. And it's even more exciting to follow along as it happens. That's why, at the start of each year, we tap our influential playlists to reveal our Artists To Watch.
With this list, we're amplifying the next wave of music stars who we predict will make an impact in 2023. As we considered this year's Artists To Watch, we were guided by four main playlists:
RapCaviar's Most Necessary, our playlist for the next generation of voices in hip-hop
Viva Latino, our flagship playlist for today's top Latin hits
Hot Country, our flagship country playlist
Are & Be's R&B Rising, our newest playlist for emerging artists
Spotify has always been a place for music discovery and artist growth, and our Artists To Watch lists allow us to showcase up-and-coming talent with serious momentum behind them, said Sulinna Ong, Global Head of Editorial. We use our fan-favorite editorial playlists, including Hot Country, Viva Latino, Most Necessary, and for the first time, R&B Rising, to tap into existing listener bases. In return, artists are introduced to listeners who will love their sound.
The end result is 40 artists-10 from each list- representing each playlist that should be on your radar in the coming year. Keep reading for our full list of picks.
Most Necessary's Artists To Watch
Our picks from Most Necessary, who hail from Atlanta, Brooklyn, London, and beyond, are ready to impact hip-hop culture and make their mark in the music industry.
GloRilla
Rising to prominence following her Grammy-nominated 2022 song F.N.F. (Let's Go), GloRilla has gone on to record chart-topping collaborations with Cardi B and Latto.
Finesse2tymes
Revered for his thunderous voice and motivational lyrics, this Memphis rapper recently collaborated with Gucci Mane, Lil Baby, and others on his debut mixtape 90 Days.
SleazyWorld Go
SleazyWorld Go went viral in 2022 with his track Sleazy Flow and later collaborated on an official remix with Lil Baby; he's also collaborated with Migos' Offset.
Central Cee
Known for his upbeat and melodic approach to UK drill, this British rapper and songwriter topped the UK album charts with his first two mixtapes, Wild West and 23.
Destroy Lonely
The No Stylist rapper resonates with fans for the dynamic and eclectic beats featured in his music.
Ice Spice
This Brooklyn drill artist seized the rap world's attention in 2022 with her viral, chart-topping track Munch (Feelin' U).
Babyface Ray
After collaborating with Big Sean and Hit-Boy on his 2021 single It Ain't My Fault, the Detroit native released his album Face in 2022, featuring collaborations with Pusha T, Wiz Khalifa, and more.
Saucy Santana
This makeup artist turned rapper commanded the spotlight when his tracks Walk and Here We Go went viral in 2021. Notable collaborations include the remix of his song Material Girl with the Queen of Pop Madonna, hip-hop duo City Girls, and Latto.
2Rare
This Philly rapper stands out for his 2022 collaboration Q-Pid with Lil Durk, and later appeared on NLE Choppa's Do It Again.
Real Boston Richey
Catching the ear of listeners with his Michigan-style hip-hop production, he's recently collaborated with Future and Lil Durk.
Viva Latino's Artists To Watch
With a selection of artists representing a wide range of styles and countries, Viva Latino's picks are ready to go worldwide in 2023.
Emilia
Finding fame with hits such as Recalienta and No Soy Yo featuring Darell, this Argentine artist continues to generate buzz. Her first album, T crees en m ?, debuted at No. 4 on Spotify's Top Albums Global chart.
Ivan Cornejo
A California native and one of the most promising voices in the sad sierre o scene, Ivan caught the attention of the music world with his debut album Alma Vac a, and is a pivotal figure in exporting M sica Mexicana out of the U.S.
Chris Lebron
This rising Dominican artist already has a few notable collaborations under his belt, most notably teaming up with Romeo Santos on his popular track SIRI.
Kevin Kaarl
His most recent album, Paris Texas, debuted at #5 on the Top Albums Global Chart which experiments with traditional folk, rock, and lush dream-pop and. In addition to being an Artist To Watch in 2023, the Mexican singer was also part of our RADAR Class of 2022.
Paopao
A Latin Grammy award-winning artist known for her mix of reggaeton and alternative pop, this Puerto Rico native released the all-female EP hembrismo in 2022.
YOVNGCHIMI
A rising star from Puerto Rico, this Latin trap artist is best known for his debut single Glizzy's Walk. He has numerous collaborations with prominent artists in the Latin trap scene, including Arcangel, Anuel AA, and Ozuna.
Villano Antillano
One of the leading figures of the queer movement within the urban genre in Puerto Rico, Villano was most recently selected as an ambassador for RADAR US, Spotify's global program for emerging artists.
Young Miko
This Puerto Rican artist burst onto the scene in 2021 with the release of her first single, 105 Freestyle. Her debut EP Trap Kitty and US Tour solidified her as a Spotify RADAR US artist.
3AM
A duo made up of Venezuelan brothers Richard and Christian Berm dez, 3AM started their musical career after leaving their home country and settling in Boston. They are best known for their songs Por Ti and Vuela.
Fuerza Regida
Trailblazers of the urban corrido movement, this California group is making waves for a new generation of Mexican Music artists.
Hot Country's Artists To Watch
Our picks from Hot Country bring a fresh and unique sound to the world, and these artists are primed to make their mark on the country music scene thi
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
19/03/2026
In 2021, we launched EQUAL, a program designed to address an industry reality that persists: Women artists, songwriters, and producers too often face fewer oppo...
19/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
19/03/2026
New generative AI plug-in due in May 2026
Roland have announced the upcoming launch of a new generative AI tool created in collaboration with Sony Computer ...
19/03/2026
Nick Williams updates users on insolvency process
Nick Williams, the CEO of Native Instruments, has released the following official statement regarding thei...
19/03/2026
Iconic Swedish mic manufacturer back in action
Legendary Swedish microphone manufacturer Milab have announced that production is now fully underway, and mic...
19/03/2026
Acclaimed saturation unit goes virtual
Freqport's Freqtube FT1 (reviewed here in SOS February 2023) offers a convenient way to integrate real valve-base...
19/03/2026
The discontinuation of loss-making business activities as part of the restructur...
19/03/2026
Thursday 19 March 2026
Sky TV customers can enjoy a taste of Hayu's most po...
19/03/2026
Other Voices presents a legendary night of music as Foo Fighters bring their stadium anthems to St James' Church, An Daingean. The surprise performance teas...
19/03/2026
***Issued by RT on behalf of RTS Ireland Awards / Gradaim RTS 2026...
18/03/2026
Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville
Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...
18/03/2026
Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded
Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...
18/03/2026
Mix-reference plug-in overhauled
iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...
18/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
18/03/2026
Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...
18/03/2026
London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...
18/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
18/03/2026
X-Rite Pantone Demonstrates Advanced Color Management Solutions to Support Smart...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
BAFTA winner James McAvoy to star in Sky Original serie...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing announce multi-year agreement for the UK and Ireland
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing have announced a new mult...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Unveils Poster and Trailer for Original Feature Fil...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
UP NEXT: Sky presents a bold slate of new, premium acquired content
Sky reveals slate of newly acquired premium drama and comedy, as i...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
UP NEXT: Sky unveils an unmissable genre-spanning slate...
18/03/2026
New Playout-to-Delivery Capabilities Elevate ATSC 3.0 Experiences, Lower DTV In...
17/03/2026
Fresh Finds Africa spotlights emerging artists and movements across the continent and its global diaspora, with listeners tuning in to discover new Afro-forward...
17/03/2026
Last month, more than 60,000 fans piled into Bangkok's Rajamangala National ...
17/03/2026
Vintage-inspired channel strip joins line-up
Black Rooster Audio's latest plug-in provides an all-in-one mixing tool inspired by classic analogue consol...
17/03/2026
Level and EQ voice, reverb and noise independently
The latest plug-in to join Accentize's collection is said to take a new approach to dialogue processi...
17/03/2026
UHF radio mic & IEM bandwidth at risk
Once again, the UHF bandwidth that is currently allocated to RF audio gear is at risk of being reassigned to high-spee...
17/03/2026
Last Friday, the first Plant Fire Department Training Week in Bavaria successf...
17/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
17/03/2026
Comscore Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results RESTON, Va., March 17, 2026 - Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transact...
17/03/2026
17 Mar 2026
VEON Strengthens Leadership Team to Accelerate Digital Ambition Senior executive appointments are to enhance country operations and VEON Group'...
17/03/2026
UKTV today announces the appointment of Sam Tewungwa as Chief Executive Officer, who will lead the company's next phase of growth.
Tewungwa, currently Mana...
17/03/2026
Tuesday 17 March 2026
Disney included in the Sky TV subscription from today, b...
17/03/2026
The five-part thriller, formerly known as Inheritance, also stars Jonny Lee Mill...
17/03/2026
Tuesday 17 March 2026
Sky Arts welcomes Fearne Cotton as co-host of Landscape Artist of the Year
Sky Arts' much-loved Landscape Artist of the Year is set ...
17/03/2026
Season 2 of the darkly comic thriller will launch on Sky in 2026Tuesday 17 March 2026
Ella Purnell returns as wallflower-turned-killer in Sky Original Sweetpea...
16/03/2026
Promises studio-grade fidelity for the stage
Cloudvocal have announced the launch of a new instrument mic designed for professional live performers and engi...
16/03/2026
Popular MIDI/CV converter & interface overhauled
Kenton have announced the launch of the USB Solo Mk2, a new and improved version of their compact MIDI to C...
16/03/2026
Running from 16-29 March 2026
Starting from today (16 March) and running until 29 March 2026, Sonarworks are offering discounts of up to 40% across their ra...
16/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, is delivering the first commercial 100-Gigabit systems following successful validation and certification for customer n...
16/03/2026
VIZ Media Releases Official Teaser Trailer and Key Art For Hirayasumi Anime
SAN FRANCISCO, CA March 16, 2026 Leading global manga and anime producer VI...
16/03/2026
16 Mar 2026
VEON Files its 2025 Annual Report on Form 20-F Dubai and New York, March 16, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON'...
16/03/2026
Six Couples. 100 Days Apart. One Question: Does Absence Make the Heart Grow Fond...