We are almost at the end of 2025, and now we are basically at the end of our Year in Tunes series. Our last poll for 2025 focuses on the Breakout Artists for 2025. This poll captures which artists really catapulted their career to a new level in 2025. We try to keep this to artists who were relatively unknown before, or at least flew under the radar. For reference, you can check out our 2022, 2023, and 2024 Breakout Artist lists as well. We asked our team to nominate and vote for the breakout stars of 2025 and the results are below. JOA exploded onto the scene in 2025 via Armin van Buuren. At just 21 years old, this Miami resident started making a name for himself in the melodic techno and trance scene this year. JOA teamed up with Armin van Buuren for the smash hit, ‘Heavy’ which was a banger track throughout festival season. ‘Heavy‘ was premiered at Ultra Miami to kick off festival season, but also played at EDC Vegas, Tomorrowland, and more. It’s safe to say you’ll be seeing a lot more of JOA in 2026. French DJ and producer Matt Sassari solidified his status as a titan of the tech-house scene in 2025, a year defined by massive chart success and high-profile festival appearances. Building on the momentum of his 2021 breakout hit “Give It To Me”—which surpassed 1 billion streams and earned gold or platinum certifications in 20 countries by late 2025—Sassari dominated the year with a string of new club anthems including “Rise,” “On Me” (with DVBBS), and “Baiana.” His 2025 “breakout” was further cemented by a prestigious debut at Tomorrowland Winter and a heavy touring schedule that saw him performing at major global venues, from Armania Phuket to a headlining New Year’s Eve show at Spybar in Chicago. Matt Sassari got particular attention from John Summit and his Experts Only label this year. SCRIPT started off years back with a different name and sounding like i_o, before a rebrand which saw him begin producing melodic techno under the purview of Afterlife. After a few big remixes and singles, SCRIPT came into his own in 2025. He kicked off the year with ‘Flex My Ice’ on Experts only and then he released on belonging, Insomniac Records and more. Perhaps his biggest track of the year was ‘Where I’m From’ with Cassian. Looking ahead to 2026, it’s safe to say you’ll be seeing more festival slots and club bookings for this rising star. Argy has been quietly killing it in the melodic techno scene for a few years, but in 2025 he truly exploded. He was on all the major festival stages and got rave reviews for every set. In a time where the melodic techno scene is a bit disjointed, Argy is holding it down for those Afterlife fans looking for melodic techno energy. He had massive collabs with MEDUZA, Anyma, Adriatique, and more this year. He also showcased his New World visual show at Tomorrowland’s Freedom Stage. HNTR had an explosive year, primarily driven by his viral ‘Stephanie’ remix that was so popular, the sound from that track became his signature. He released on Arcane, Hellbent, Drumcode, Blacklizt, and more. His tracks have blown up in 2025, but 2026 is the year you’ll start seeing him play a lot more shows. Be on the lookout. 2025 has been a definitive breakout year for Sammy Virji, cementing his transition from an underground favorite to a global leader of the UK Garage (UKG) renaissance. A major catalyst for this momentum was the September release of his sophomore album, Same Day Cleaning, which featured high-profile collaborations with UK legends like Skepta, Giggs, and MJ Cole, as well as the chart-topping anthem “925” with Chris Lake. His influence expanded significantly across North America, where he performed a career-defining set at Coachella and headlined major venues like New York’s Forest Hills Stadium. By combining his signature “bouncy” basslines with high-energy performances at festivals like Lollapalooza and Tomorrowland, Virji has successfully brought the UKG sound to a massive international audience, concluding the year with a sold-out debut tour across Asia. This one was an easy choice for us. GENESI simply did not miss during 2025. Every single and every remix was a certified banger. GENESI got major support from MEDUZA, Max Styler, Layton Giordani, Gorgon City, and Solomun throughout the year, all names that are bound to get you some serious street cred. GENESI went from a relative unknown at the beginning of 2024 to a heavily demanded artist. While GENESI’s releases were huge throughout the year, he has not exploded onto the live show circuit. You can expect that to change in 2026 and we are excited to catch GENESI live on our favorite stages. Year In Tunes – Top 7 Breakout Artists Of 2025
7. JOA
6. Matt Sassari
5. SCRIPT
4. Argy
3. HNTR
2. Sammy Virji
1. GENESI