BBC Radio 6 Music have announced their chosen Artists of the Year for 2026. The list includes big contemporary acts like Charli xcx, Fontaines D.C. and Phoebe Bridgers, as well as long-serving icons like The Cure, Robyn and Erykah Badu. 6 Music will be keeping all 12 acts on rotation this week with additional special shows to celebrate.
As the BBC’s flagship music-first station, Radio 6 Music operates without pigeon-holing itself into only the biggest chart singles or nostalgic classics like its BBC sister platforms. In its eclectic 2025 Artist of the Year list, it identified acts who had a huge influence on the year, many of whom have continued to have a big impact into 2026 like Turnstile, CMAT, Geese and Pulp. The previous list also shone light on underappreciated and emerging acts, including British singer-songwriters Blood Orange and Jasmine.4.t.
This year’s list was unveiled by 6 Music DJ Nick Grimshaw on his breakfast show this morning. Standout names include international synthpop superstar Charli xcx; Irish indie rockers on a meteoric rise, Fontaines D.C.; and The Cure, with frontman Robert Smith continuing to have a big presence 50 years since the band’s formation. The complete list looks like this:
• beabadoobee
• Charli xcx
• corto.alto
• Erykah Badu
• Fontaines D.C.
• Madra Salach
• Mandy, Indiana
• Phoebe Bridgers
• Robyn
• Show Me The Body
• Shygirl
• The Cure
Charli xcx’s place needs no explanation – this year saw her set a UK Album’s Chart record as the first female artist to have two UK Number One Albums in the same year. Her soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights adaptation hit the top spot in February, before her eighth studio album ‘Music, Fashion Film’ did the same in August.
The Cure are enjoying a significant renaissance, with a string of outdoor shows and festival appearances including headlining this year’s Isle of Wight festival. Their founding lead singer Robert Smith has also curated a programme of popular concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in support of Teenage Cancer Trust, as well as appearing on US popstar Olivia Rodrigo’s single ‘What’s Wrong with Me’.
Swedish pop singer Robyn returned with her first album in 8 years with ‘Sexistential’, which scored her first ever UK Top 10 Album. American star Phoebe Bridgers also romped back into the spotlight with ‘Lost Weekend’, her first LP in 6 years and first UK Number One. The last long-awaited return was that of genre-crossing singer Erykah Badu, whose collaboration with the Alchemist, ‘Before the World Blows’, was her first full album since 2010.
Filipino-British singer-songwriter Beabadoobee cemented her spot at the top of the alternative scene with her second consecutive UK Number One Album ‘Pylons’ this year, and is currently conquering the world with her Powerlines Tour which starts its UK leg later in November. After headlining this August’s Reading & Leeds Festival, Dublin indie rock giants Fontaines D.C. built on the wild success from 2024’s ‘Romance’ and also landed their second UK Number One Album with ‘Dopamine Chamber’.
Also on the list are Scottish experimental jazz group corto.alto, project of multi-instrumentalist maverick Liam Shortall, who the Official Chart Company report have played over 200 shows around the world in the last 3 years. Irish folk act Madra Salach are part of the growing movement of traditional folk revival, while Manchester and Berlin-based Mandy, Indiana are making serious waves with their second noise rock album ‘URGH’. The list is rounded out by NYC hardcore trio Show Me the Body, whose 2026 release ‘Alone Together’ is packed with the sounds of many of New York’s renowned music scenes; and London DJ and singer-songwriter Shygirl, whose eagerly-anticipated second album ‘Swallow!’ releases this Friday, November 6.
Radio 6 Music have made posts recognising each act on their official Instagram account, with several of them including messages of thanks from the artists. Robert Smith writes “This is Robert from The Cure. Very excited that we have made the 6 Music Artist of the Year shortlist. Excellent! Thank you! I am adding it to my personal musical highlights list of 2026 so far…”, while Robyn says “I feel so flattered to be one of 6 Music’s Artists of the Year. To be considered for having in some way defined 2026 with my album Sexistential is so special and I’m really excited you feel that way.”
BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds will be continuing to champion the winners throughout this week, with special shows featuring highlights of the year, interviews with fans and peers of the artists, and more. Part 1 is available here, covering Beabadoobee, Charli xcx, The Cure, corto.alto, Erykah Badu and Fontaines D.C.
