Sonic boom: what to expect

When it comes to music, local will be even more lekker and the west wilder than ever as musicians and contemporary artists throw it back to bring it forward in a year of genre-defying greatness

- By S'bo Gyre

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 have that one friend who is an edgelord preaching “amapiano is falling off”. But I’m glad to inform you and any other lovers of the log drum that this is simply not true.

Amapiano, or yanos, is still the number one genre in Mzansi and without a doubt our beloved Rainbow Nation’s most potent cultural export. What is true, though, is the growth of other genres in the country that are either a derivative of the now global genre or inspired by its aesthetics.

This year, 3-step and Afrotech took a leading role on South African and international dancefloors. Ciza’s Isaka was unequivocally the soundtrack of the year and will likely go down as the genre’s breakthrough record. 3-step is likely to be at the epicentre of South Africa’s biggest hits in 2026 and beyond.

Hip-hop was the greatest casualty in the rise of ‘piano (I hope you read that with the thickest South African accent), but the genre is showing signs of not backing down without a fight.

Four Horsemen, Stogie T’s mammoth record with fellow stalwart Maggz and contemporary greats A-Reece and Nasty C, was the genre and community's “moment of the year”. It’s celebration of penmanship and pure rap skill was a fitting finale to a year in which South African hip-hop had a bit of a reckoning.