We always look back on this kind of list and think, “Damn, we jumped the gun on a few of these.” In the past, it usually took a year or two for an artist to really find their groove and reach their audience. One or two early singles would lead to initial buzz, but that breakthrough moment took time. Not anymore.
In 2018, we saw how fast things move. Juice WRLD might be the perfect example; he went from a virtually unknown artist with a couple of popular songs on SoundCloud to a bona fide superstar in a matter of months. There’s no right or wrong path to a successful music career—we’re still seeing a lot of artists take the slow and steady route—but in 2019, it’s clear that anything is possible.
So this year, we’re not worried about a definitive list. By next month, 2019’s breakout star could emerge out of nowhere. This list is by no means an attempt to name all of 2019’s potential breakthrough acts. There are plenty of other artists who could have been included, but these are some of our favorites.
