Every month, we highlight some of our favorite rising artists in the Best New Artists feature, but we know that not everyone is interested in discovering a dozen new artists every month. For those who are: we appreciate you. For everyone else, kick rocks we tried to take a step back at the beginning of 2020 and round up some acts that we're especially excited to watch this year.

These artists are all in different places in their career—some are still gearing up for a debut album, some are reaching a tipping point and on their way to mainstream success, and a handful are just a few singles in. The common thread is that all of these artists are looking like they're about to level up in 2020. That could mean commercial domination, or it could mean realizing the full potential of their creative vision. Success means different things for different artists, and our goal is never to simply predict "the next big thing."

If we made this list a couple months earlier or a couple months into the future, it would probably look very different. The music world moves fast today, and that coveted quiet before the storm doesn't usually last long. We also want to make it clear that this feature is by no means an exhaustive list, just a reflection of some artists we think deserve your attention as we kick off the new decade. Hope you find something you like, and as always, feel free to let us know who else you're excited to hear from in 2020.