As we progress through 2025, the music scene is brimming with old and new talent across various genres. Below are five artists you MUST look out for in 2025.

1. Kendrick Lamar

One of the most influential hip-hop artists of the modern era, Kendrick Lamar, is perhaps the biggest name in the music industry in 2025. He released his first album, Section.80, in 2011. Lamar gained widespread recognition with his 2012 album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.

Gradually, hit albums like To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), D*MN (2017), and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022) followed.

In 2024, Lamar released his sixth studio album, GNX. That same year, he engaged in a high-profile rap feud with rapper Drake, resulting in the creation of number-one hits like "Euphoria," "Meet the Grahams," and, of course, "Not Like Us," with the last song winning Song of the Year and Record of the Year at this year's Grammys. A week later, he performed at the annual Super Bowl to an audience of 133.5 million, making it the most-watched halftime show performance of all time. As 2025 unfolds, we can certainly expect the unexpected from K. Dot.

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2. SZA

Who could talk about Kendrick Lamar in 2025 without mentioning SZA? The duo has given us many iconic songs and performances throughout the years, such as "All the Stars" (2018), "30 For 30" (2024), "Luther" (2024), and—most recently—this year's Super Bowl halftime show.

SZA started with self-released EPs. In 2017, she signed with the record label Top Dawg Entertainment and released her Grammy-nominated debut studio album, Ctrl. Her second album, SOS (2022), topped the Billboard 200 chart for 12 non-consecutive weeks. Lana (2024) further continued this success.

This year, SZA will embark on an all-stadium tour across North America alongside Kendrick Lamar, starting on April 19 in Minneapolis, MN, and concluding on June 18 in Washington, D.C. (Tickets are available here).

3. The Weeknd

Another household name to pay attention to this year is The Weeknd. He started in 2009 by releasing music anonymously before bursting into the limelight with his 2011 mixtape House of Balloons. Since then, he has released sensational hits like "Starboy" (2016), "Die For You" (2016), "Blinding Lights" (2020), "Save Your Tears" (2020), and a handful more.

Earlier this year, The Weeknd dropped his sixth and newest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow—co-starring the likes of Travis Scott, Future, Playboi Carti, and Lana Del Rey. The album amassed over 302 million streams on Spotify in its first week, making it The Weeknd's biggest album debut on the platform. However, this album also represents his final as The Weeknd, as he plans to retire his stage name soon and perform under his real name—Abel Tesfaye.

Regardless of the name, the Canadian artist plans to tour across the U.S. and Canada from early May to early September (Tickets are available here). As 2025 passes by, we can undoubtedly anticipate The Weeknd putting his ambition into reality.

4. yung kai

Unlike the names above, yung kai is a relatively new artist in the industry, but his potential is being seen. Nothing about him is publicly known except that he is based in Vancouver, Canada. He gained popularity in 2024 with his single "blue"—a song yearning for one's lover to love them in return.

After the success of "blue," yung kai released "wildflower"—a short yet lively love song—in 2025, once more demonstrating his musical talent. He is active on several social media websites, often engaging with followers and updating them on his music.

5. wave to earth

Based in Seoul, Korea, wave to earth (stylized all lowercase) is a band consisting of three members: singer-songwriter Daniel Kim, drummer Dong Kyu Shin, and bassist John Cha. As they describe themselves, "wave to earth creates indie pop with a lo-fi sound rooting in jazz drumming under the motto 'All self-made.'" The name "wave to earth" reflects their desire to "become the new wave" and expand their influence worldwide.

The group dropped their debut song, "wave," in 2019. Throughout the past years, they've dropped two studio albums: 0.1 Flaws and All (2023) and Play with Earth! 0.03 (2024), and various singles in both English and Korean, such as "light" (2019), "surf" (2020), "pueblo" (2020), "daisy" (2021), and "nouvelle vague" (2021). The tracks illustrate the different feelings one goes through in life, ranging from homesickness and desperation to love and ecstasy.

Back in 2024, wave to earth embarked on their "0.03 world tour," with concerts in various cities in America. This year, they are taking their tour to Europe, stopping off at places such as London, Berlin, Madrid, and so on (Tickets are available here).

Final Thoughts

As 2025 continues, we can certainly expect the music industry to gain further momentum with the artists mentioned above. But the discussion doesn't end here—comment below with your take! Who do you think will be on top in 2025? Comment with your top breakout artists, and let's find new songs together!