What is the ‘Sound’ of Pop in 2026?

[Mirrion Rizzons 12,499]

With the way music is consumed nowadays, there isn’t really a defining sound of pop music anymore. In the late 10’s it was a mix of tropical house/hip hop etc, the early 10s was EDM galore. 
 

What I’ve noticed though is that outside of little niches such as hyperpop, most mainstream pop sounds derivative of past decades, notably the 80s 

For instance, 

80s influence 

- the weeknd

- Doja cat on Vie 

- House tour by Sabrina 

- The funky songs on mayhem 

- Dua Lipa

- Tame impala (although he’s always sorta had this style) 

Then you have artists like Tate McRae who go deep on the 2000s wave

 It’s not an attack on the artists, as most artists/songs I mentioned are great.

ButIs Pop having an identity crisis? Have we exhausted new sounds/styles that are ‘radio friendly’? How come the 80s revival isn’t dying? Will the 2020s be remembered as the decade of 80s nostalgia music?

There’s many genres on the charts now, but I find it fascinating that the 80s sound just won’t die 
 

 

Edited April 1 by Mirrion Rizzons

[NUTELLA 22,675]

I feel like I've been hearing about "80s revival" in regards to music all my life lol. I don't think it's ever been "revived," so much as it has "continuously lingered" for 40 years (with good reason), hand-in-hand with whatever the main sound-trend of the time was/is.

But I'd say the current modus operandi in pop music (for many younger artists especially) is milquetoast "waiting room vibes" production with more focus being given to "relatable lyrics"

[Mirrion Rizzons 12,499]

14 minutes ago, NUTELLA said:

I feel like I've been hearing about "80s revival" in regards to music all my life lol. I don't think it's ever been "revived," so much as it has "continuously lingered" for 40 years (with good reason), hand-in-hand with whatever the main sound-trend of the time was/is.

But I'd say the current modus operandi in pop music (for many younger artists especially) is milquetoast "waiting room vibes" production with more focus being given to "relatable lyrics"

Yes the likes of Taylor, Gracie Abram’s and other khia’s seem to be leading this trend 

[Ziggy 13,592]

Tbh I think Slayyyter’s new album and Justice’s sound. Blogcore music, etc. imo the idea of the music industry as it used to be is gone and looking for the “moment” you need to be tapped into certain online and offline spaces 

[Vicixs 3,531]

I truly anticipate Slayyyter’s album being the sound of 2026. This whole idea of iPod music could take off in conjunction with the nostalgia feeling people are having about 2016 and years prior.

[TheBeast 1,549]

Tbh, I see a jazz/big band revival being brought back in a huge way.

Raye's new album is a great example.

[gagzus 20,419]

It’s all still just electropop oriented like it has been since Gaga debuted really

[Bling 31,658]

1 hour ago, NUTELLA said:

I feel like I've been hearing about "80s revival" in regards to music all my life lol. I don't think it's ever been "revived," so much as it has "continuously lingered" for 40 years (with good reason), hand-in-hand with whatever the main sound-trend of the time was/is.

But I'd say the current modus operandi in pop music (for many younger artists especially) is milquetoast "waiting room vibes" production with more focus being given to "relatable lyrics"

" 'Waiting room vibes' production" took me OUT 

[Bling 31,658]

1 hour ago, Vicixs said:

I truly anticipate Slayyyter’s album being the sound of 2026. This whole idea of iPod music could take off in conjunction with the nostalgia feeling people are having about 2016 and years prior.

Can you explain iPod music to me? I'm obsessed with her album and I had an iPod but I don't really understand the term as any music can be loaded onto an iPod? 

[Ziggy 13,592]

2 hours ago, TheBeast said:

Tbh, I see a jazz/big band revival being brought back in a huge way.

Raye's new album is a great example.

I’d say classical based on the Rosalia response. But fundamentally very analog stuff

[Karl 3,541]

I don't think we are in a place of dominant genres anymore since the rise of streaming. Artists can make anything they want and find success with their audiences. In terms of radio hits, I actually wouldn't know I haven't listened to the radio in years.

If you look at some of the biggest releases this year, Harry is doing indie disco, Raye is doing big band jazz mixed with hip hop influences and edm, slayyter is doing maximalist electronic production with heavy guitar instrumentation. Then you've got the success of Bad Bunny with his Latin rap, Rosalia with classical/operatic music, Taylor doing straight singer songwriter pop, Olivia dean doing her Soul/R&B thing. It's a total mix of everything! 

[Mirrion Rizzons 12,499]

5 hours ago, Ziggy said:

Tbh I think Slayyyter’s new album and Justice’s sound. Blogcore music, etc. imo the idea of the music industry as it used to be is gone and looking for the “moment” you need to be tapped into certain online and offline spaces 

I would agree but we had brat two years ago and a few artists have found success with that sound but it didn’t take over the way I thought it might.

Katseyes output feels very brat inspired but apart from that the sound didn’t really take off majority 

[Mirrion Rizzons 12,499]

4 hours ago, TheBeast said:

Tbh, I see a jazz/big band revival being brought back in a huge way.

Raye's new album is a great example.

Raye has a lot of good will but isn’t dominating the charts - she is here in the uk and has been for a while so I guess we’ll keep an eye out and see if it catches on! 
 

I do think we’ll see artists follow the Olivia Dean textbook however. In the uk it feels like everyone and their nan listens to her, everyone at work knows every song including deep cuts

[Vicixs 3,531]

4 hours ago, Bling said:

Can you explain iPod music to me? I'm obsessed with her album and I had an iPod but I don't really understand the term as any music can be loaded onto an iPod? 

The way I interpret it is like pressing shuffle on your iPod in the 2000s. It’s a mixture of all the music that MySpace artists were making and putting in their pages. A mixture/accumulation of high’s and lows. Electronica & acoustic. Clash and damn near screamo. Idk if that made sense at all lol

[Ziggy 13,592]

10 hours ago, Mirrion Rizzons said:

I would agree but we had brat two years ago and a few artists have found success with that sound but it didn’t take over the way I thought it might.

Katseyes output feels very brat inspired but apart from that the sound didn’t really take off majority 

Yeahhhh but I think brat was so encompassing you couldn’t really take its sound without being compared. That said, pink pantheress, slayyyter, Ninajirachi, etc. all are percolating in that internet, early digital sound with different degrees of expression. I think a lot of pop is doing that to cope with the last 10 years of internet but then on the flip side, orchestral pop like raye and Rosalia are on the rise imo bc their lushness signifies human touch and quality and grandness in a very unromantic time.