BBC Radio 6 Music has revealed its 6 Music Artists 2026 list, with presenter Nick Grimshaw announcing the 13 acts on his Breakfast Show, according to musicweek.com. The picks mix established names with breakthrough artists, and the station’s two-part companion programmes are now ready to stream on BBC Sounds.

The list is an annual fixture, announced each November. It features acts who have defined the year through their creativity, musical innovation and cultural impact, as the station puts it. That wide framing explains why the names on it are so varied, rather than being built around a single hit or release.

“Artists are at the heart of everything we do,” said Cam Pia, 6 Music’s music editor.

Pia linked the list to the station’s own output. The music 6 Music plays and the stories it tells are driven by artists’ creativity and talent, she said, and it feels more important now than ever to shine a light on artistry and the community that creates it. Her comments show the list is as much about the people behind the music as the songs themselves.

“It’s been an incredible year for music, from iconic trailblazing returns to the thrill of something completely brand new,” said Cam Pia.

That description of both returning acts and fresh talent lines up with the names on the list. For the station, the list is also a way to mark a year its music editor calls incredible, with comebacks and new music sitting side by side in the picks.

Who made the 2026 list?

The 13 acts are Beabadoobee, Charli XCX, Corto.alto, Erykah Badu, Fontaines DC, Madra Salach, Mandy, Indiana, Phoebe Bridgers, Robyn, Show Me The Body, Shygirl and The Cure. The lineup pairs established acts with breakthrough ones, so fans of one artist may find a new name to follow alongside a favourite.

The names are divided across two programmes. Part 1 takes the first five, from Beabadoobee to Fontaines DC, and Part 2 covers the remaining eight, from Madra Salach to The Cure. Each episode runs for one hour, and both are airing this week.

How can fans hear the Artists Of The Year episodes?

Both episodes are on BBC Sounds from November 3. According to musicweek.com, they look back at each artist’s defining moments and achievements from the past year. They also bring in fans and fellow musicians, including AG Cook, John Cale, Olivia Rodrigo and The Alchemist, to talk about the impact the artists have made.

The episodes are the centrepiece, but the station has added more material. A 6 Music Artist Of The Year collection is now on the station’s YouTube channel. It includes Shygirl’s 6 Music session, performed for Lauren Laverne in October, so listeners can start there if they want a live-style taste of one artist on the list.

Further programming is on BBC iPlayer. It includes Charli XCX’s session, performed for the BBC earlier this year, and Fontaines DC’s session for Steve Lamacq, recorded at Maida Vale Studios in August. Together, the sessions and episodes give listeners several ways into the list.

What happens next on 6 Music?

The Artists Of The Year 2026 will also run across the 6 Music schedule over the coming days. Listeners who missed Grimshaw’s Breakfast Show reveal can still catch the names on air, and the episodes will stay available on BBC Sounds for anyone who wants the fuller stories.

For pop fans, the simplest route is to start with Part 1 and Part 2 on BBC Sounds, then move to the YouTube collection and iPlayer sessions for a closer listen. The list works as a guide to the year’s music and gives fans a fresh set of artists to follow.

Quick answers

When can I listen to the 6 Music Artists 2026 episodes?
Both one-hour episodes, Part 1 and Part 2, are available on BBC Sounds from November 3. They look back at the featured artists’ defining moments from the past year.

Who is on the 6 Music Artists 2026 list?
The list includes Beabadoobee, Charli XCX, Corto.alto, Erykah Badu, Fontaines DC, Madra Salach, Mandy, Indiana, Phoebe Bridgers, Robyn, Show Me The Body, Shygirl and The Cure.

When is the 6 Music Artists list announced?
The list is announced each November. Presenter Nick Grimshaw revealed this year’s version on his Breakfast Show.

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Source: musicweek.com