A good pop song doesn't have to arrive with a massive campaign behind it. Sometimes it turns up on an artist page you've never visited, and suddenly there's a new name in your saved songs.
Here are five worth looking up, starting with Shawn Isaac. There's soul, dream pop, disco, and a little club influence in the mix. Some of these artists already have loyal audiences; if they're outside your usual rotation, these songs are a good way in.
1. Shawn Isaac
Shawn Isaac doesn't draw his influences from just one corner of music. His artist biography names soul, reggae, hip-hop, rock, and EDM, with Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley among the musicians who shaped his outlook. That range makes him an interesting name to follow if you like pop artists who leave themselves room to move.
Start with “Girls Like You” and “Bad Lover.” Both are on his Spotify page, alongside “Loved” and a bass edit of “Bad Lover” if you want to keep going. They're a straightforward introduction to an artist whose stated priority is emotion rather than sticking to a genre.
2. Hatchie
If you like pop with some guitar haze around it, try Hatchie. The project of Australian songwriter Harriette Pilbeam brings dream pop and shoegaze together, with songs that look beyond romance into confidence, anxiety, and learning to take up space.
Put on “Quicksand,” then spend some time with Giving the World Away. “This Enchanted” and “The Rhythm” are on the same record, so you won't have to go far for another song. It's a useful place to begin if your listening already sits somewhere between indie guitars and pop.
3. Georgia
Georgia is a natural next listen for anyone who came here from our house artist list. Her album Seeking Thrills draws on Chicago house and Detroit techno while keeping pop songwriting at its center. The club influence is part of the music's foundation, rather than something added through a remix.
Begin with “About Work the Dancefloor.” Georgia has described the song as a response to the club culture she encountered while touring. “Started Out” and “Never Let You Go” are on Seeking Thrills too. If you'd rather keep the night going, the After Hours EP reworks four of the album's songs for the club.
4. Pearl Charles
Pearl Charles belongs on the list for anyone with a soft spot for older pop records. Her music draws from the sounds of 1960s and 1970s California, bringing synths, classic-rock touches, and country guitar into the same world. You don't have to choose between a disco mood and a singer-songwriter record here.
Start with “Only for Tonight,” the opening track on Magic Mirror. Then let the album continue: “What I Need,” “Don't Feel Like Myself,” and the title track give you more to explore beyond the opener. Her Bandcamp page also has Desert Queen when you're ready for another record.
5. Telenova
Telenova describe their music as cinema for your ears, and the visual side is worth making time for. Their official video page is full of places to begin, including “Power,” “Discothèque Inside My Head,” and “Teardrop.” For a list of new pop discoveries, a band with a whole visual world to explore is a welcome change of pace.
Try the “Teardrop” video, then follow it with “Time Is a Flower.” Both songs appear on the debut album Time Is a Flower. Their official links page will take you to the streaming platform you prefer.
Give a couple of these songs a play before moving on. You might end up following an artist, working through an album, or just finding something you want to hear again on the way home. That's plenty of reason to step outside the usual playlist.