Artist of the Year 2026

What makes Olivia Dean the defining feel-good music story of 2026 isn’t just her soaring popularity (the UK singer-songwriter’s worldwide smash “Man I Need” hasn’t left Apple Music’s Daily Top 100 chart since it landed in August 2025). It’s also the warmth underneath it. The songs that make up her widely acclaimed sophomore album The Art of Loving are steeped in the tradition of ’60s soul and pop, with a little of Sade’s sensuality, a dash of Prince’s brazenness and a ton of Lauryn Hill’s honesty. Her blend of timeless glamour, best-friend relatability and messages of affirmation and connection—all on full display during her four-night headlining residency at NYC’s Madison Square Garden in August—also provided a welcome counterpoint to the chaos of the moment. “I’ve really come to realise that my fanbase is so diverse. You can’t really describe that kind of feeling,” Dean tells Apple Music. “It makes me feel like the music is reaching all hearts and all areas... It’s a dream come true.” Olivia Dean didn’t just make the best soul record we heard this year. She made the case that sincerity is still the most radical thing an artist can offer. And that’s what makes her Apple Music’s Artist of the Year.