The end of the year is near, and we had another huge year of breakout hits, newcomers, and fun acts to see at music festivals.
As we go into 2026, there are a few acts I think (and hope) will keep going strong.
Let me know your favorites of the year in the comments, too!
My Top 5 Artists to Watch Out For…
I chose a mix of new artists who had major hits that defined the year, and underground artists who made huge waves about to breakout into the major scene!
HANA – The Empowering Breakout-Hitter
Hana is a seven member girl group created by the brilliant Korean-Japanese artist Chanmina.
They formed in 2023 during the filming of Chanmina’s The Voice-esque TV series No No Girls. What made No No Girls revolutionary is also what makes HANA so special. There was no height, weight, or nationality restriction for the auditions. Chanmina picked the girls based on their talent and personality, not just for surface level features.
Debuting this year, their breakout was quick – their first song rose to the top of the charts and immediately became the song of the summer in 2025. It was nice to see friends really feeling themselves this summer thanks to HANA’s empowering lyrics.
Chanmina continues to rock the boat with her vision for Hana. She celebrates her mixed Korean roots, something that is usually taboo, along with empowering girls to feel confident in their body – even if they don’t fit the usual perfect, cute, and docile ideals that a strict society has laid out for girls.
HANA simply say: it’s ok to look the way you were born, it’s ok to be a woman and want to dance, it’s ok to be loved. Simple stuff that is somehow still radical. And I hope they keep it up strong in 2026!
Muque – Alt Y2K Stars
Listening to Muque is like being transported back to the Wii Shop screen. Futuristic, polished, complete freedom… like you are about to go on a grand adventure through bright blue waters.
Muque commands that playful feeling throughout their songs. They incorporate game sounds and aesthetics into a hyperpop Y2K track complete with extra groovy basslines and vocalist Asakura’s serene voice. If you like Yui’s vocals in the song Again (FMAB OP 1), do not skip out on Muque.
Since performing One Piece’s opening, they saw a quick rise from the underground to now beginning to peek out to the surface.
I am so happy for the success Muque has seen over the past few months. They continue to play bigger and bigger shows, climbing the music festival ranks from the newcomer stage to the main stage.
LAVT – The Newest Faceless Songwriter
Lavt is a faceless singer/songwriter with a similar sound to Natori, Fujii Kaze, AKASAKI, and Vaundy.
He is 23 years old at the time of writing, and has been slowly releasing a few bangers the past two years. L4DY was his first song that garnered some attention from TikTok. A must listen if you like Overdose by Natori.
Now, I sense he is gearing up for a big year. He has started to play bigger shows and recruited a wonderful guitarist, the current touring guitarist for Japan’s iconic punk band GING NANG BOYZ, to tour with him and help with song production.
Lavt still has a small discography but I can’t wait to see more of his addictive funky pop tracks as he gets more attention and opportunities.
XAMIYA – Bridging Subcultures and Sounds
XAMIYA is a little different from the other artists I have mentioned so far. Her genre isn’t popular in Japan (hyperpop) and she isn’t playing music festivals, which is a typical indicator of being recognized as an “successful artist” (by industry standards) in Japan.
Despite this, she recently was featured on a track with Kesha. Not from fame, but from winning a social media contest where the best duet would become an official feature.
That describes XAMIYA perfectly. She is homegrown, in her own lane, and creating the art she wants to make. She isn’t fluent in English but has plenty of overseas fans, writes in both Japanese and English, and has music videos filmed abroad.
Hyperpop and electronic music have been close to breaking out in Japan for years, but with the lack of club, drug, and dance culture the genre has been mostly put on the backburner.
If anyone were to make a bridge between the genre and for audiences in Japan and abroad, I am rooting for XAMIYA to do it. She has been gearing up for a big 2026, playing SXSW in 2025 and releasing several music videos that feel like a pleasant trip to another planet.
I wish her the best in sharing her art to the world!
Zibaku – Rock and Roll isn’t Dead (and, my personal favorite)
I saw Zibaku play in a small livehouse with maybe five or six other people in the crowd a year ago.
They have since gone from a few hundred followers to 16K on Instagram and were featured in Fuji Rock’s showcase for the best upcoming artists this year, a huge win and indicator about what is to come for the band.
I am not alone in my Zibaku love, even the trap artist Yuki Chiba (yup, the Watashi wa Star guy) said on a livestream that Zibaku was his favorite artist at the moment!
Zibaku is far from trap, though. They are garage punk and the purest of rock and roll. And, they make me wonder…
what year is it again?
The Zibaku community of helmet wearing anarchist rock and rollers and moshers at their shows remind me that rock and roll never had to die.
I wasn’t alive when rock and roll wasn’t dead. But, Zibaku feels so authentic. It is rock and roll right now. Their sound is real, and it is special.
Their name means “self destruction” and their motif is this dope eyeball symbol. They released their first album “To the Masses” last week.
It is fantastic. Go listen!
Runner Ups
There were too many artists to choose from this year, so here are a few other artists to keep on your radar!
Luv – The Funky College Kids
Luv is a funk, soul, and dare I say City Pop artist that had a BIG first year. They went viral thanks to a TikTok introducing soul music from Japan for their song Send to You and toured Taiwan and the US.
Their vocalist Hiyn spends his free time in two other successful bands. All the members are still in college, so that is some insane traction for managing three bands and back-to-back soulful hits.
I love Luv, and they were one of the artists I constantly had on repeat this year. Hoping for another big break for them in 2026!
Aooo – Vocaloid Producer Flare
Aooo is a new super group of four talented musicians, who you might know already if you like Vocaloid or indies music. Surii, their guitarist, is a well known (and insanely catchy) Vocaloid-P. Their drummer tsumiki plays in indies band NOMELON NOLEMON, and is a big fan of wowaka.
Their name comes from each member’s blood type. It isn’t pronounced like the color blue, (ao) which I thought was the origin of their name at first… but more like “ah ew”.
Aooo is making a name for themselves balancing technical playing with unique pop and rock sounds. Since their debut, their traction both in Japan and overseas has been on an upward spiral. I think they will be a big draw at music festivals in the summer of 2026.
F5ve – Hyperpop on Fire
F5ve isn’t a new artist in 2025, but the group had some major breakthroughs, some of which include a collab with Kesha and some big shows in the US.
F5ve actually didn’t even debut in Japan – instead, they got their start at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. The members are all from Japan though, and they are dedicated to bringing an authentic Japanese sound mixed with the bold pop sounds of overseas artists.
They are the only girl group based in Japan attempting this sexier and bolder style of pop, and they serve it hot. F5ve is also unique for giving plenty of love to their overseas fans, even doing Reddit AMAs and communicating with fans in English. Hoping for an official world tour in 2026…
Saba Sister – The Cutest Punk Rockers
Saba Sister is a girl youth punk group that ran into the scene this year with raw energy and talent. They have been releasing music since 2022 but ramped up their releases this year gaining many new fans.
Yet another girl rock group with fish (saba or mackerel) for a name, they are cute, fun, loud, energetic, infectious, and everything else you would want from punk.
Just being in their crowd makes me smile. Their traction this year came a batch of new songs (my favorite is MY GIRLFRIEND IS PIZZA OF DEATH, a homage to Hi-Standard) and advertising for some type of goats milk soap? But, regardless, their songs will get you smiling, and I hope they keep going strong in 2026. They are a must see at rock festivals (if you like fun).
Cutie Street – Viral Spotlight on Idols
It’s impossible to talk about idols without mentioning Cutie Street. They blasted to the top of the game after their debut single went viral last year, and are working on reigniting kawaii Harajuku idol culture alongside their sister group Fruits Zipper as we continue into 2026.
K-pop style groups like NiziU have been more popular in recent years, but Cutie Street is here to capture the hearts of the next generation of Idol Otakus.
I think we will keep seeing the push towards the more traditional style of idols this year thanks to viral sounds like Kawaii Dake Jya Dame Desuka.
As we go into 2026, I hope the wonderful artists of the past year continue their journey healthy and strong. That goes for everyone reading this, too!
This blog, OFGF, is almost officially one year old. It has been a fun ride for me, too! I loved getting to make new friends and share my thoughts here. Let’s see how far we can get in 2026! ❤
Until next time.
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