Adrian Lyles | © Shervin Lainez
I’ve seen a lot of online discourse about 2025 being labeled a “bad” year for pop music. While a comedown from 2024’s musical peak was inevitable, I would argue that 2025 still offered plenty of fantastic releases, especially from smaller artists flying under the mainstream radar. For the final issue of The Pop Drop before the new year, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite rising artists who truly made my 2025 listening more enjoyable.
For this list, I defined “small artist” as anyone with under 200K monthly listeners on Spotify, and I only included artists who released a song within the past year. Without further ado, let’s dive into eight small artists that have absolutely rocked the music scene (or at least my playlist).
1. Adrian Lyles - 52K monthly listeners
I’ve rarely seen an opener grab the audience’s attention as quickly as Adrian Lyles did at the almost monday San Diego show that I attended in February 2025. Before that night, I wasn’t very familiar with the LA-based singer-songwriter, but after witnessing his electric stage presence and sound, I knew I had to check him out. I quickly became a fan and was thrilled when he went on to release three alt-pop sister EP’s, Horizons: Dawn, Horizons: Dusk, and Horizons: Night, along with a handful of additional singles, all within the past 12 months. Truly impressive.
FFO: Dominic Fike, Jon Bellion
Song Recommendations: “Concrete Boy,” “Peace of Mind,” “Formalize Me.”
2. Ally Salort - 171K monthly listeners
Ally Salort first caught my attention on TikTok, singing pop covers while effortlessly accompanying herself on the piano. Enchanted by her voice, I had to check out her original music. Since then, she’s released a catchy pop EP, Change of Plans (which I briefly reviewed in issue #4 of The Pop Drop), and the single, “We’re Not Friends.” The EP navigates matters of the heart—from trying to change yourself for someone you like, to coping with the aftermath of toxic dynamics, all delivered with clever, endearing songwriting.
FFO: Gracie Abrams, Maisie Peters
Song Recommendations: “Before and After,” “Swiss Army Knife.”
3. Beeson - 74K monthly listeners
Beeson’s vocals and songs are uniquely captivating, but it’s her pen that really sets her apart. Her lyrics are existential and melancholic in a way that makes you want to stop everything to listen. The deluxe version of her EP Ritual is one of my favorite bodies of work from the year, but she also released a stripped-back version of one of her more popular songs, “everybody’s baby,” and a beautiful single called “Tommy,” which captures the anxious push-and-pull of love through introspective lyrics.
FFO: Maggie Rogers, Ashe
Song Recommendations: “Keeping Score,” “Swimmer”
4. Ben Ellis - 72K monthly listeners
Despite being a relatively small artist, Ben Ellis has been impossible to miss this past year. Over the past 12 months, the Welsh singer has opened for Alfie Jukes and Sadie Jean, and even embarked on his own headline tour. His punchy, indie-pop sound has been showcased on his sophomore release, The Hollywood EP, along with a handful of singles this year.
FFO: Ruel, New Hope Club
Song Recommendations: “Red Handed,” “Ed’s House”
5. Ellie Evans - 7K monthly listeners
I discovered Ellie Evans on TikTok, where she shares glimpses of her life as an aspiring UK singer who bartends at a pub to make ends meet. I was immediately drawn to the themes of girlhood, youth, and living life to the fullest that run through her music. This year, she released two singles, “Literally Nothing” and “21,” and if these tracks are any indication, Ellie Evans is just getting started, and I’m excited to see what she’ll release next.
FFO: Mimi Webb, Caity Baser
Song Recommendations: “Breakfast On The Roof,” “21.”
6. OSTON - 120K monthly listeners
Though the song that initially got OSTON on my radar was “Burton St.” back in 2023, her two singles this year, “luv u 4ever” and “True-ish,” officially freed her from artist-I-only-know-because-of-one-song purgatory. OSTON blends emotionally vulnerable lyrics with cathartic pop choruses, perfect for belting out at the top of your lungs.
FFO: Holly Humberstone, Olivia Rodrigo
Song Recommendations: “Burton St.,” “Carsick.,” “luv u 4ever.”
7. OZAIS - 4K monthly listeners
At just 19 years old, OZAIS is already hard at work in the alt-pop scene, releasing eleven tracks this year alone. He writes, produces, and performs all of his music himself, combining guitar-driven choruses and smooth, conversational vocals with the occasional rap verse.
FFO: Dominic Fike, Malcolm Todd
Song Recommendations: “thats all she wrote,” “paper towns.”
8. patrick witkowski - 27K monthly listeners
I first came across patrick witkowski’s music in 2021, when he was filming guitar covers in empty parking garages, forests, and other unexpected locations. I was immediately intrigued by his technical skill and the genuine passion for music that he possesses. Though his popularity has grown since then, it’s still surprising how underrated he is. His earlier releases leaned toward pop-influenced indie-rock, but his recent releases embrace a grittier indie-rock sound. He has put out three fantastic singles this year: “Wide Awake,” “Top of the World,” and “Calm Down.”
FFO: Pierce The Veil, Wallows
Song Recommendations: “Wide Awake”, “Nuisance”
If you’re interested in checking out any of these artists, you can find every release I mentioned here: The Pop Drop: December 2025 (Issue #9)
