Music stars to watch and listen to in 2020 while we wait for Justin Bieber, Adele and Gaga comebacks
From rising indigenous star Baker Boy to rap sensation Megan Thee Stallion, here are some of the artists whose tunes will turn you on in 2020.
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The profound influence of streaming playlists and Triple J’s Unearthed to reveal new talent in 2019 thrust a raft of young artists onto the mainstream in 2019.
Billie Eilish exemplified the game-changing sound of now from a new generation of songwriters and performers who have busted the genre barriers with their inventive takes on the pop song.
From the back of a van in Byron Bay, homegrown pop superhero Tones and I joined the parade of young sonic alchemists who found millions of fans with their infectious and authentic songs and personalities.
Dance Monkey continued to resonate around the world, breaking chart records in Australia and the UK and busting into the American top 10 as the year closed out.
Here’s some of the artists to keep an ear on in the Class of 2020, some of the comebacks we’ve got our fingers crossed for and the big albums which have been confirmed to drop this year.
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BAKER BOY
This prodigiously talented songwriter, dancer, rapper and didgeridoo player was on our 2019 list and returns because it should be an even bigger year for the 23-year-old with a debut album expected to drop. He has released a succession of seven perfect singles combining indigenous and English language since 2017 and collected three ARIA Award nominations and won NIMA Artist of the Year last year in 2019. The latest release Meditjin (featuring JessB) signals he is a master of fusing infectious melodic hooks and beats with an inclusive message.
BENEE
The captivating Kiwi indie pop star has been all over Triple J since releasing Soaked in 2018 but was inescapable on their high rotation with her single Glitter and then recent release Find An Island. The influential video platform TikTok, which helped propel Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road and Lizzo’s Truth Hurts to global success in 2019 will push Benee further into the mainstream in the new year courtesy of Glitter being adopted as the soundtrack of a new dance challenge. She’s on everyone’s must-see list for the upcoming Laneway Festival.
CRY CLUB
The Wollongong “queer bubblegum punk” duo, as described on their Triple J Unearthed bio, topped that the nursery of new talent station’s top 50 most played artists for 2019. They burst out of the blocks with their DFTM single which turned an invasion of space at a club into an anthem of empowerment. They closed out the year with the bratty Yeah Yeah Yeahs-conjuring Robert Smith.
FERGUS JAMES
The Sydney teen songwriter also found a legion of champions via Triple J Unearthed’s talent scouting station, coming in at No. 3 on their most played artists roll call last year. He scored a coveted slot on Splendour In The Grass courtesy of owning ears with his anthemic power pop sound exemplified on his single What Are We Waiting For? and confirmed by the epic recent release Mistakes.
MAISIE PETERS
The English songwriter, who describes her music as emo girl pop, is on every Next Big Thing list in the UK and for very good reason. She has the conversational sweary storytelling style of Lily Allen but anchored in melancholic piano-driven melodies you might expect from Norah Jones.
YUNGBLUD
The English songwriter is the rock star with pop pulsing in his veins that the world needs now. Teens have fallen madly in love with this artist via his punkish anthems of alienation. He epitomises the gender-bending wave of pop stars destined to rule in 2020, who have built their fanbases with the two-pronged approach of compelling live performance and social media connection.
INHALER
The Dublin rockers have inevitably drawn quick comparisons with U2 courtesy of their frontman, Elijah Hewson, happening to be the son of Bono. The vocal similarities float in and out of their repertoire but the band’s sound probably has more in common with the synth-infused rock riffs of Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen.
BEABADOOBEE
The Filipino-British singer-songwriter is ushering in a fresh take on the 90s indie pop rock of Throwing Muses, Belly and Lush. Her alternative pop attitude is perfectly encapsulated in songs such as She Plays Bass and I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus. Another artist who has popped up on all of the UK ones to watch lists, the sweet-voiced rocker armed with a plethora of hooky riffs will be owning the airwaves in 2020.
ELECTRIC FIELDS
Australia thrilled to the groundbreaking electronic duo of Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross when they performed at the inaugural Eurovision: Australia Decides contest in February. They almost won the damn thing with 2000 and Whatever, combining indigenous language and instrumentation with electro production. Crossing fingers for more new music from this unique act in 2020.
MEGAN THEE STALLION
The Texan rapper’s name was on everyone’s lips after dropped her Fever mixtape in 2019 with Jay-Z signing her to his Roc Nation management agency. A twerking force of nation known for her explicit lyrics, Megan Thee Stallion is on course to be one of the biggest rappers of 2020.
COMEBACKS
For every fresh voice shaking up the airwaves is an artist we want to hear do their thing again in 2020.
After taking time out to get his health in order, Ozzy Osbourne appeared back on the charts with the bats... crazy collaboration Take What You Want with Post Malone. He further whetted appetites for his own solo work at year’s end with the single Under The Graveyard and a mini biopic.
It was a bit mean for everyone to speculate Adele would be channelling the heartache of her marriage breakdown into a new record but … can we please have a new Adele record this year?
Having scratched her acting itch to huge success with A Star Is Born, the world needs Mother Monster to get her pop alter ego Lady Gaga back into gear in 2020 and deliver her sixth album.
Justin Bieber has also been enjoying some time out, with the exception of Ed Sheeran and Dan and Shay collaborations, to enjoy married life but has started teasing fans his first new record since Purpose will be out this year.
Other artists fans are hopeful will return with new tunes in 2020 include Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Pearl Jam and Britney Spears.
FRESH TUNES
January used to be a dead month for new releases. Record labels shut down and all those Christmas gift vouchers were dedicated to snapping up the big albums released in the final months of the year.
But on-demand streaming has put that music tradition in the bin so artists are taking advantage of the new year to make a noise.
Kicking off 2020 with her first new album in five years is Selena Gomez with Rare out on January 10.
Hot on her heels is Halsey with her latest opus Manic on January 17, the Pet Shop Boys with Hotspot on January 24 and Kesha delivers High Road to close out the month.
Justin Bieber gave fans an early Christmas present with the news he would release his comeback single Yummy.
Its release on Friday fuelled even more fan fever for Bieber’s YouTube documentary series Seasons which kicks off on January 31.
Other records fans will be keen to hear in early 2020 include Green Day’s Father of All Motherf...ers (Feb 7), Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush (Feb 14) and The 1975’s Notes On A Conditional Form (Feb 21).