Every day, Shazam receives tens of millions of requests from users around the world who want to know more about the artist behind the song they’ve just discovered. These Shazams can come from anywhere—social media, car commercials, coffee shops, the mall —making them a powerful tool for predicting the next class of global superstars.
Today, Shazam unveils its annual Predictions 2023 playlist, a 50-track selection of artists that are perfectly poised to have a breakthrough year. Additionally, Shazam is spotlighting 5 artists from the list who have the potential to break out globally in 2023 and, for the first time, 5 artists who are gaining popularity regionally. Based on Shazam’s uniquely predictive data and algorithms, and coupled with the expertise of Apple Music’s global editorial team, this incredible selection of artists show early indicators of future growth — early and consistent momentum in Shazam activity, as well as discovery trends in more than one country.
Looking back at last year’s predictions, Shazam demonstrated, once again, its ability to uncover talent from every corner of the world earlier than any other service. Artists like the incredible Ayra Starr, who was one of Shazam’s five featured predictions last January, made Shazam’s Global Top 10 in October and is now being heralded as an artist to watch in 2023 by other platforms. Looking at streams, several listed artists saw their plays more than double on Apple Music worldwide from Dec. 1, 2021 through Nov. 30, 2022, compared to the previous 12 months, including Ivan Cornejo (+329%), DannyLux (+189%), Mina Okabe(+217%), La Zarra (+308%) and Lojay (+696%)
Overall, around half the artists featured in the Shazam Predictions 2022 playlist made Shazam’s Top 200 National charts and Apple Music’s Daily Top 100 charts. These artists were featured on 44 Shazam charts and 148 Apple Music charts. Three artists made Shazam’s national Top 10 and 13 made Apple Music’s. And two artists made national No. 1 on Shazam, and seven did the same in Apple Music, showing a plethora of amazing accomplishments by these artists over the course of 2022.
This year’s selection represents another remarkably global and diverse group of talented artists, hailing from all corners of the globe including Japan, Colombia, Spain, France, and Nigeria.
Ten artists to watch out for in 2023, according to Shazam’s Predictions
5 artists with global breakthrough potential
Ice Spice
Origin: USA
Genre: Pop, Rap/Hip Hop
First Shazam: Hollywood, USA (6 Mar 2021)
Since it dropped in August, Ice Spice’s breakout hit “Munch (Feeling You)” has been a mainstay on Shazam’s Hip-Hop/Rap chart, peaking at No. 11.
Rosa Linn
Origin: Armenia
Genre: Indie Pop, Folk Pop, Pop
First Shazam: Payyannur, India (10 Sep 2021)
With “SNAP” the Armenian Eurovision entrant delivered one of the 100 most Shazamed songs of 2022, a devastating, folk-informed English-language breakup tune that first found an audience on TikTok, which led to Shazams peaking in October, months after the competition. It had eight Shazam No.1’s across Europe and Asia.
charlieonnafriday
Origin: USA
Genre: Hip Hop/Rap
First Shazam: Kirkland, USA (26 Aug 2020)
“Enough,” an inspiring pop-rap hybrid, made a mark on Shazam charts in 40 countries.
Young Miko
Origin: Puerto Rico
Genre: Latin Urban
First Shazam: San Juan, Puerto Rico (16 July 2021)
“Riri” has been Young Miko’s most-Shazamed song to date, resulting in her all-time Shazams peaking in September.
Benson Boone
Origin: USA
Genre: Pop
First Shazam: San Jose, USA (15 Oct 2021)
Benson Boone made his debut on the Shazam global chart over the past year with two songs entering the top 200, each getting more than one million Shazams: “GHOST TOWN” and “In The Stars.”
5 artists gaining popularity regionally
Carterefe
Origin: Nigeria
Genre: Worldwide, Afrobeats
First Shazam: Enugu, Nigeria (29 July 2022)
Carterefe’s first single charted on 13 different national Shazam charts, including No. 1’s in Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana.
Adé
Origin: France
Genre: French Pop
First Shazam: Port Louis, Mauritius (20 Nov 2020)
“Tout savoir” was Adé’s first song to surpass half a million Shazams. It has been on the Shazam chart in France every day since the week of release; over 200 consecutive days.
Munic HB
Origin: Spain
Genre: Hip Hop/Rap, Trap
First Shazam: Madrid, Spain (1 Dec 2020)
"Pico y Pala" charted on Shazam in nine countries across Spain and Latin America this past year.
natori
Origin: Japan
Genre: J-Pop
First Shazam: Tokyo, Japan (7 Sep 2022)
“Overdose” by Natori was the most-Shazamed debut single within J-Pop over the last year.
KEITYN
Origin: Colombia
Genre: Latin, Latin Urban
First Shazam: Bogota, Colombia (28 Oct 2021)
KEITYN’s most Shazamed song "El Egoísmo", with Mike Bahía and DEKKO, spent two weeks on Shazam's Peru Discovery Top 10 and a month on the full national top 200 chart.
