TL;DR
Shazam published its Fast Forward 2026 list, a curated set of emerging artists identified through early song-recognition trends. The playlist spans 65 artists across 20 genres and is available on Apple Music and Spotify.
What happened
Shazam released its annual Fast Forward playlist for 2026, a selection of emerging musicians the service says are positioned for wider recognition next year. The 2026 list contains 65 artists representing roughly 20 genres, from Afro‑beat and country to electronic, K‑pop, rock and urbano latino. Named examples in the announcement include Lelo, Bella Kay and Irish rock group Florence Road, alongside other cited acts such as K‑pop group CORTIS and Alabama country singer Kashus Culpepper. Shazam’s approach leans on user song‑recognition activity from around the world — including queries triggered by short‑form video, ads and casual encounters — with editorial review applied to the data. The full Fast Forward 2026 playlist is available on Apple Music and on Spotify. The story notes past Fast Forward selections that later expanded their profiles, including Benson Boone and Young Miko (2023), Ayra Starr and Teddy Swims (2022), and aespa (2021).
Why it matters
- Provides an early indicator for artists that may gain broader attention based on real user music‑identification behavior.
- Highlights the role of global, real‑time recognition data in spotting cross‑genre and cross‑border trends.
- Placement on curated playlists can increase streaming visibility and discovery on major platforms.
- Signals how editorial review can be combined with automated data to surface potential breakout acts.
Key facts
- Fast Forward 2026 features 65 artists.
- The playlist spans approximately 20 genres, including Afro‑beat, Country, Electronic, K‑Pop, Rock and Urbano latino.
- Featured example artists include Lelo, Bella Kay, Florence Road, CORTIS and Kashus Culpepper.
- Shazam bases selections on early song‑recognition trends from users worldwide, supplemented by editorial review.
- Shazam has issued Fast Forward lists since at least 2021.
- Past Fast Forward picks that later raised profiles include Benson Boone, Young Miko, Ayra Starr, Teddy Swims and aespa.
- The Fast Forward 2026 playlist is available on Apple Music and on Spotify.
- Apple Music access requires a paid subscription; the article cites a price of $10.99 per month with a one‑month free trial.
What to watch next
- Availability of the complete Fast Forward 2026 playlist on Apple Music and Spotify (confirmed in the source).
- Which artists from the 2026 list convert Shazam momentum into mainstream chart or streaming success (not confirmed in the source).
- How social media and sync placements influence which Fast Forward artists break through in 2026 (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Shazam: A music recognition service that identifies songs when users record short audio samples; used to discover song and artist information.
- Playlist: A curated list of tracks compiled on a streaming service for listening or discovery purposes.
- Song recognition data: Information gathered from user queries to identify tracks; can reveal what music listeners encounter and seek out in real time.
- Editorial review: Human curation applied to algorithmic or data-driven selections to shape final recommendations or lists.
Reader FAQ
What is Fast Forward?
Shazam's annual list that highlights rising artists identified through early song‑recognition trends and editorial review.
How many artists are on the 2026 list?
The Fast Forward 2026 playlist includes 65 artists spanning about 20 genres.
Where can I listen to the Fast Forward 2026 playlist?
The playlist is available on Apple Music and Spotify; Apple Music access requires a paid subscription (source notes $10.99/month with one month free).
Has Fast Forward previously identified successful artists?
Shazam cited earlier Fast Forward selections that later gained wider attention, including Benson Boone, Young Miko, Ayra Starr, Teddy Swims and aespa.
Apple debuts ‘Apple Creator Studio’ subscription, here’s what you get Chance Miller Jan 13 2026 Shazam reveals its Fast Forward 2026 playlist of breakout artists to watch Marcus Mendes | Jan…
Sources
- Shazam reveals its Fast Forward 2026 playlist of breakout artists to watch
- Fast Forward 2026: 65 Artists
- Shazam reveals Fast Forward 2026 new talent list
- CORTIS, no na, KickFlip & more join Shazam's Fast Forward …
Related posts
- Apple falls to seventh in U.S. patent rankings as grants drop 11% in 2025
- Nogic: VS Code extension visualizes codebases as interactive graphs
- Lunar hotel startup seeks $250k-$1M deposits for planned 2032 Moon stays