Future of music 2026 - Rolling Stone Australia

Ivan Cornejo, Megan Moroney, and Rema star in this year’s Future of Music special, and our Future 25 list runs through the artists who have us most excited now — from a U.K. rock band to a South Korean girl group to Atlanta’s hottest rapper to a party-starting duo from Argentina to an unforgettable voice from Nigeria, and much more. Plus: How musicians are using AI like never before.

The Future 25

Future of Music 2025: The Full List

Our editorial team compiled a list of 25 of the most exciting and innovative artists from Australia and New Zealand. Check out the acts we believe are destined for the very pinnacle of music

Gut Health

The dance-punk band were nominated not once but twice at the 2025 Rolling Stone Australia Awards, including for Best New Artist

SPEED

The Sydney hardcore crew's breakout into the mainstream was one of the most encouraging success stories in Australian music last year

King Stingray

Boasting a thrilling signature style, the Yolngu surf rockers are already working on new material following their second album

Drax Project

The NZ pop-rock band recently embarked on a headline tour of Europe and will do it all again this May

KUCKA

Having already worked with the likes of Flume and A$AP Rocky, the producer's status as one of Australian electronic music's leading lights shouldn’t surprise

Delivery

The Melbourne five-piece make the kind of primal garage-punk designed to peel the paint off the walls of small, sweat-soaked clubs

Nick Ward

Australia's next pop superstar opened for Troye Sivan on his most recent Australian and New Zealand tour

The Grogans

The Melbourne-based band have released four full-length albums in less than six years, with more new music promised for 2025

Sycco

The First Nations indie-pop artist has been nominated for an award every year of this decade so far

Ayesha Madon

Netflix series star. Logie Award nominee. Cosmo cover girl. Budding pop star. Ayesha Madon can do it all

Kita Alexander

Dua Lipa getting Alexander to support her on tour was a crowning moment for the Australian pop star

Thelma Plum

Plum accumulates trophies like the rest of us collect handshakes, including Best Single at the 2025 Rolling Stone Australia Awards

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CHAII

Stylishly blending Persian and Western music, CHAII has positioned herself as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting artists

Montell2099

The Auckland-based producer was the first New Zealand artist booked to play the iconic Tomorrowland festival

Ninajirachi

The DJ and producer creates the kind of epic and universal EDM that takes you from creating music in your bedroom to playing festivals the world over

Mia Wray

The Melbourne-based singer-songwriter just dropped her long-awaited first album, 'hi, it’s nice to meet me'

Miss Kaninna

The genre-blending rapper is responsible for one of the best debut singles and EPs in recent memory

JessB

Big names like Sampa the Great, Sister Nancy, and Kehlani want to work with the Auckland-based rapper and artist

Georgia Lines

The pop singer-songwriter's trophy cabinet now contains a total of four New Zealand Music Awards, including Best Breakthrough Artist in 2023

The Buoys

Buoyed by their endless energy and raw lyricism, the indie rockers might be the hardest-working band in Australia

Lane Pittman

The country musician has gone from being mentored by Keith Urban on 'The Voice' to supporting Luke Combs on his stadium tour

Grace Cummings

The Australian singer-songwriter possesses one of the most powerful singing voices of her generation

Vacations

The self-professed 'boyband' are finding massive success overseas, with millions of streams and several US TV appearances to their name

PARK RD

The Auckland band are carving their own path in pop-rock with festival-ready anthems and raw, heartfelt songwriting

MACEY

The Auckland-based singer-songwriter's honest storytelling has struck a chord with listeners