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 ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
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...
15/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
15/05/2026
Rebranded show announced
Ahead of their 2026 return, Music Expo have announced that they have now officially changed their name to the MONO Music Conference...
15/05/2026
Fuzz pedal joins UK companys line-up
UK-based pedal makers Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices have recently unveiled their latest creation, the Bolster. Said to pay...
15/05/2026
Join Calrec at MPTS 2026 | May 13-14 | Stand A40 | Olympia, London We're looking forward to meeting up with customers and partners at this year's Media ...
15/05/2026
The six-part series is a co-commission with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television...
15/05/2026
Against that backdrop, IAB UK has added retail media to its Gold Standard. Jan Pitt, Commercial Director at ABC, spoke with Liv McCullagh, Retail Media Lead at ...
15/05/2026
Further to RT 's statement released yesterday and in the interest of full transparency, with the full permission of Derek Mooney, we are now publishing the ...
14/05/2026
At Spotify, we're focused on making every listening experience feel intentio...
14/05/2026
Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students t...
14/05/2026
New articulations, ostinatos, Motion Scoring Articulation Sets & more
Sonuscore's flagship cinematic string library has just been treated to a significa...
14/05/2026
World-class studio opens on T rkiye's Aegean coast
P r Recording & Residence have announced their official opening, introducing a new world-class reside...
14/05/2026
Now supports channel layouts up to 9.1.6
Nugen Audio have just released an update for their AI-powered dialogue intelligibility and compliance tool. Set to ...
14/05/2026
New recordings & one-key chord tool
UVI have just announced the release of Orchestral Suite 2, a ground-up redesign of their all-in-one symphonic orchestra ...
14/05/2026
Two new arrivals & expanded factory content
Rob Papen's all-encompassing plug-in and virtual instrument collection has just been treated to another upda...
14/05/2026
Embed QR codes into DAW sessions
FSK Audio's latest plug-in doesn't process audio, but serves as an organisational tool that allows QR codes to be e...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz transforms spectrum complexity into situational awareness and ef...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Quantum Systems join forces to redefine EW and C-UAS-enabled...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases STANAG aligned ARDRONIS Counter UAS capability at NATO...
14/05/2026
Code of Silence has won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series at Sunday night's ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
The series, starring Rose Ayling-Ellis and w...
14/05/2026
Vivid Broadcast was embracing remote production long before it became the industry norm. Now, with Calrec's True Control 2.0-enabled Argo M and Type R conso...
14/05/2026
Comscore Reports First Quarter 2026 ResultsRESTON, Va., May 14, 2026 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating...
14/05/2026
RT is today publishing the earnings of its top 10 highest-earning presenters for 2025, ahead of the publication of RT 's Annual Report 2025 later this year...
14/05/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...
14/05/2026
The high-stakes chase thriller from Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Matt Charm...
14/05/2026
Back From The Brink airs Sunday 17 May and Sunday 24 May at 6.30pm on RT One an...
13/05/2026
13 May 2026
VEON Delivers Strong Start to 2026 1Q26: Revenue 17.0%, EBITDA 17...
13/05/2026
Thousands of props donated from Skys longest-running original seriesWednesday 13 May 2026
How a neon windmill from A League of Their Own ended up in a dogs'...
13/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 13, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that I...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
FOX Announces Schedule for 2026-27 Season FOX'S POWERFUL NEW SERIES PIPELINE FUELS A BREAKOUT SEASON WITH RETURNING HITS AND BOLD NEW STORYTELLING ACROSS ...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...
12/05/2026
The latest drama underscores Sky's continued investment in regional production and Welsh creative talent.Tuesday 12 May 2026
Wales takes the spotlight in S...
11/05/2026
As Eurovision fans gear up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic song ...
11/05/2026
Pela primeira vez na hist ria, o Brasil figura entre os oito maiores mercados de...
11/05/2026
New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance
Bastl Instruments have announced the Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modellin...
11/05/2026
Compact sampling workstation gains new features
1010music have announced the blackbox 2, a new version of their compact standalone sampler designed for DAWl...
11/05/2026
Performance-focused sequencer with microtonal control
Berlin-based KOMA Elektronik have announced Monoplex, a new 42HP Eurorack sequencer designed for hands...
11/05/2026
Boasts wireless control from mobile devices
The latest iteration of IK Multimedia's compact amp and effects modelling pedal expands on the capabilities ...
11/05/2026
Spans traditional orchestral and experimental sounds
Sonora Cinematic have recently released the third instalment in their Transfigured Orchestra series, de...
11/05/2026
Our exhibition coverage
Watch all our SUPERBOOTH 2026 video coverage in one place. Check back to this page regularly as we will be updating with more video ...
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. 
