Everybody knows that female artists have been killing it in the pop music scene; artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, and Cat Burns have been taking over playlists, making the rise of the “pop girl” the gold standard when it comes to 2020s music. Just last year, we all had a BRAT summer, blasting out Charli XCX’s new album and making green the favourite colour of 2024.

However, a lot of people are wondering if there are any candidates for the “pop boys” of the decade. In the 2010s, we had the likes of Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber, and Harry Styles topping the charts. However, music listeners are left confused as the 2020s have failed to make a breakthrough when making the next male mainstream music stars.

We’ve had some strong contenders, such as Joshua Bassett, Troye Sivan, and Omar Apollo, who are some of the big names in the pop genre. However, if you’re looking for new kids on the block who I think could be the next big pop boys of the decade, then look no further. Here are some artists who I think could make the cut.

Alfie Jukes

Starting as a TikTok content creator who posted videos of himself singing covers in his bathroom, Alfie released his first song, “Kinda Wish”, in 2021. Since then, Jukes has supported the band “Only the Poets” on their tour. Releasing great music, my personal favourites including “Boys”, “Not Quite Gone”, and Cigarette, Alfie has amassed 494,002 monthly Spotify listeners.

With his unique sound that’s similar to artists such as Sam Fender, I genuinely think the Brighton artist is the next Harry Styles.

Ben Ellis

Moving on to Alfie Jukes’ current support act, our next artist, Ben Ellis, also got his start on TikTok, grabbing a guitar and singing covers of popular artists on TikTok Live. The Welsh singer released his first original song, “Not This Time”, in 2022 and has amassed 37,149 Spotify listeners since his debut

If you’re looking for an artist whose music is more in line with Shawn Mendes and Joshua Bassett, then you’re in luck. Ben’s discography includes the likes of “Does It Get Cold in California”, “Burner Phone”, and “Red Handed”. His songs are infectious, but he doesn’t rehash the same styles that have been done before. I could really see Ben selling out stadiums in the near future.

Daniel Seavey 

Probably the most popular artist on this list, Daniel Seavey was a member of the boy band Why Don’t We until the band announced a hiatus in 2022. Instead of throwing in the towel, Daniel decided to reinvent himself, constantly striving for self-improvement, which led to him dropping a surprise EP in 2023 titled “Dancing in the Dark”. Touring with the likes of Dean Lewis and Benson Boone, Daniel then released his album titled “Second Wind” as well as headlining a tour of the same name. 

Why listen to Daniel Seavey? Well, he’s literally a musical genius, able to play any song by ear. His raspy voice and ability to reinvent motifs that you’ve heard before make him a candidate for not just a “pop boy” but also a musical icon in the making. He’s a Grammy winner waiting to get his flowers.

Adrian Lyles

Say what you will about the Disney+ show “High School Musical: The Musical, the series”, but it knew how to churn out future pop icons. Next up, we have Adrian Lyles, who has a sound similar to Keiynan Lonsdale. Making his debut with his first song “Formalise Me”, Adrian’s cool but introspective songwriting is reminiscent of the likes of Lewis Capaldi, with his tracks such as “King of Everything” and “Somewhere to Go” exploring his mental health journey.

Adrian is an open book when it comes to his songs, so if you’re a fan of artists who are in their feelings, I would highly recommend his music. Also, “Formalise Me” is always stuck in my head.

Kevian Kraemer

Finally, the youngest artist on this list is Kevian Kraemer. Posting different music covers on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, Kevian released his first EP in 2024 and hasn’t released (in my opinion) some of the best music of the decade. Songs such as “Attention”, “Sweater”, and “Don’t You Dare” are instant radio hits that are underrated.

Kevian is where I think pop is going to go because Gen Z strives for authenticity. Kevian’s early 2000s indie sound is nostalgic and new at the same time, giving vulnerability to every lyric and maintaining the hook of a good melody. At just 19 years old, the kid is going to go far.

These five are my contenders for the male pop icons of the 2020s. So, the next time you hear someone declaring that there are no pop boys, show them this article and put them onto something new.