As a new year of releases, risks and reinventions comes into view, our 2026 Ones to Watch spotlights the artists reshaping the next wave of alternative music. From boundary-pushing newcomers to quietly rising cult favourites, this list gathers the names already carving out their own corners, the voices setting the pace for the year ahead.
1. The Pill
The Pill have quickly established themselves as an exciting force in British alternative music. Originally formed on the Isle of Wight as a lighthearted teenage social-media stunt, they soon evolved into a dynamic band with real substance.
Their signature blend of sharp humour, frenetic energy, and a sardonic outlook has created a unique sound that resonates with listeners. As they carve out their identity, The Pill exemplifies how genuine artistry can emerge from unlikely beginnings. With an infectious blend of catchy melodies and punk-inspired rhythms, they’re a rising act worth keeping both eyes firmly on.
2. Fcukers
New York’s Fcukers are injecting a much-needed jolt of energy into the city’s alt-dance landscape. Their music intertwines pounding house beats with ‘90s-inspired electronics and incisive hooks, resulting in a dance-pop sound that exudes both attitude and immediacy. The band’s ability to capture the essence of club culture while infusing it with punk spontaneity has created a distinct sonic footprint. As they continue to release new material, Fcukers are clearly positioning themselves as an act destined for greater visibility in 2026.
3. Mariae Cassandra
Mariae Cassandra is emerging as one of the most compelling new voices in left-field pop. Blending diaristic songwriting with hazy, off-kilter production, her music feels like a late-night confession wrapped in dreamlike textures. Here, solitary bedroom recordings have evolved into a striking artistic identity marked by emotional sharpness and quiet unpredictability. With each release, Mariae Cassandra edges further into her own universe, one that is quickly drawing listeners in.
4. Radio Free Alice
Rapidly emerging as one of the most captivating new bands in the post-punk scene, Radio Free Alice blend wiry guitars, jittery rhythms, and sharp storytelling. They embody the restless spirit of classic indie while crafting a sound that is distinctly their own. What started as a collection of scrappy demos has evolved into a polished, exhilarating experience. As their magnetic live shows continue to captivate audiences, Radio Free Alice are poised to break out far beyond the underground.
5. Chalk
Belfast trio Chalk are shaping up to be one of the most distinctive forces in alternative music. Their eerie blend of industrial electronics, shadowy post-punk, and cinematic tension creates a world that feels unnervingly immersive and entirely singular. With each release hitting harder than the last, Chalk are quickly becoming essential listening.
6. Bleech 9:3
Bleech 9:3 are carving their own path through the underground with a sound that fuses abrasive punk impulses with glitchy, future-leaning production. Emerging from a wave of DIY experimentation, the band have grown from late-night sonic tinkering into a thrillingly unpredictable band with real bite. Their music feels like a controlled detonation, sarcastic, noisy, and bursting with chaotic charm. As their following balloons and word of mouth spreads, Bleech 9.3 are shaping up to be one of the year’s most exciting new disruptors.
7. Eaves Wilder
Eaves Wilder has become a standout figure in the next wave of British indie thanks to her sharp wit, understated charisma and a knack for turning personal chaos into melodic gold. Her sound sits somewhere between grunge-tinged melancholy and crisp, hook-heavy pop, delivered with an honesty that feels both youthful and wise. Having already earned a loyal cult following, Wilder is rising fast, and her ascent shows no sign of slowing.
8. Marsy
Marsy are emerging as one of the UK’s most quietly arresting new bands, rooted in the intimate songwriting of Hannah Rodgers but fully realised through the quartet’s instinctive chemistry. What started as bedroom sketches in Chipstead has grown into spacious, slow-burning indie-folk that favours honesty over spectacle. With Luke, Ruby and Paeris shaping Hannah’s raw, diaristic ideas into atmospheric, emotionally precise arrangements, the band create music that glows with vulnerability and unhurried confidence. Their debut double A-side, the tender swell of Let No Other Change Your Mind and the hook-filled lift of Chance the Dancer, offers a striking first glimpse of a group whose restraint and sincerity feel quietly magnetic. Marsy are a band to keep close watch on.
9. Ain’t
Ain’t are injecting fresh urgency into the UK post-punk scene with their raw energy, serrated guitar lines and unfiltered emotional weight. What began as a no-frills DIY project has grown into a band with real intensity and presence; one that favours catharsis over polish. Their live shows buzz with a kind of combustible volatility that’s becoming harder to ignore. Ain’t are quickly establishing themselves as one of the most riveting new acts on the circuit.
10. Alessi Rose
Alessi Rose is emerging as one of the most exciting new storytellers in the alt-pop genre. Her songs are intimate, clever, and infused with soft-focus vulnerability, capturing the chaotic beauty of coming of age in a way that feels immediately relatable. With a sound characterised by warm melodies and subtle emotional shifts, she is carving out a distinctive niche for herself. As her audience continues to grow, Alessi Rose is demonstrating that she has staying power that transcends the initial buzz.
11. Flowerovlove
flowerovlove is fast becoming one of the most magnetic new forces in alt-pop, pairing breezy, sun-lit melodies with a quietly confident creative vision far beyond her years. Her music radiates warmth and emotional clarity, blending dreamy production with sharp, instinctive songwriting that feels both youthful and timeless. With a growing global fanbase and a sound that continues to expand in colour and ambition, flowerovlove is steadily evolving into a true generational standout.
12. Bricknasty
Reinventing the landscape of Irish alternative music, Bricknasty effortlessly blends elements of soul, jazz, R&B, and experimental electronic sounds. Their songs combine raw emotional honesty with unpredictability, fueled by a vocal intensity that is impossible to ignore. What began as a collaborative effort has blossomed into one of Dublin’s most exciting acts, showcasing a forward-thinking approach to music that not only entertains but also challenges musical conventions. Not just one to watch, the band are changing the rules as they go.
