Buzz words and fads aside, 2025 was an underwhelming year in popular music. Albums that morphed into cultural movements like Charlie XCX’s Brat were at a premium abroad, while locally, though amapiano still slaps, the scene is just not churning out the hits quite like 2023.
However, where popular music faltered, the underground scene really began to simmer in ways that elicit genuine excitement about where the rest of the decade can be. Here are a few trends to look out for in 2026, both locally and abroad.
Is amapiano fatigue real?
We all…
