“We as have this responsibility of using ideas to keep the community fresh and alive” Meet the rising Asian guitar artists you should get excited about in 2026
The power of the guitar as a vehicle of musical expression is an almost universal concept. No matter where you go in the world, you’ll find unique, interesting artists and bands building scenes that speak authentically to their cultures, backgrounds and passions.
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There’s also no doubt that the age of music streaming has made music a truly global experience. Whether it’s BTS, Bad Bunny or Rosalía, the place of Western, English-language music as the dominant power in pop is slowly shifting – the music tastes of Gen Z and Gen Alpha are global in ways we’ve never seen before.
Today, we’re seeing Spanish songs with billions of streams, performed by a Puerto Rican megastar, played out at the Super Bowl, while K-pop musical numbers snag Golden Globe Awards.
In this climate, it’s no surprise that guitar-centric artists from all across the globe are starting to win new fanbases across the globe. This is increasingly true across the Asia-Pacific region – where bands that have been part of thriving local and regional scenes rub shoulders with bands who stand out from the crowd in their homelands, finding common new audiences.
Now, when flipping through music libraries, you’ll find J-rock acts sitting next to Pakistani metal tracks, as well as K-rock bands. Guitar music – especially rock, metal and punk – has found a growing audience across a new generation, creating an eclectic new fusion phase of guitar music across countries like Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Korea.
Let’s meet some of the most exciting and interesting bands that are poised for a breakthrough in 2026.
Anton of RIIZE. Image: Press
RIIZE
Formed in 2023, K-pop newcomers RIIZE have over 4.8 million followers on Instagram and 2.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Achieving accolades across the Asia Artist Awards and nominations at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the Korean boy band is one of the fastest emerging boy bands in K-pop. While often affiliated with genres of pop, R&B and dance, RIIZE’s first debut song (and single) was titled Get A Guitar.
RIIZE singers Wonbin and Anton are incorporating their love for guitar music into the band’s work. Wonbin first picked up the guitar after following his dad and, later, learned electric guitar in middle school. Meanwhile, Anton learned how to play bass and then moved onto playing the guitar. “John Mayer was what first drew me to the guitar. His music and lyricism spoke to me and hearing his playing made me want to try and learn a couple of his songs,” Anton tells Guitar. “Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, too. Another modern-day guitar icon I admire would be Mk.gee.”
In bringing guitar music to a globally successful K-pop group, Wonbin highlights how the instrument can translate across languages and genres, adding that there’s a reason why South Korea’s alternative scene has rapidly grown in the last few years. “I think the unique character of each artist adds that special charm that draws people in beyond just the good music itself,” he says, name-dropping DAY6, JANNABI, Silica Gel, and HYUKOH as Korean artists that can bring guitar music into a mainstream space.
“Playing guitar has helped broaden my perspective on music, which has been a really positive influence on me as an artist and with RIIZE’s debut song being Get A Guitar, it makes my relationship with the guitar even more meaningful,” he adds. “The thrill of playing guitar on stage left such a strong impression on me that I can’t forget it. It’s something I want to keep showcasing going forward.”
After Mdnight
Hailing from Malaysia, After Mdnight are the internet’s latest pop-punk breakthrough band. Forming in 2022, members Riff (bassist), Mamu (drummer), Arfa and Hafiz (guitarists), and Iza (lead singer) have connected with fans online through viral videos by tapping into alternative music algorithms and comparing their songs to artists like Paramore and Neck Deep. “We’re a Malaysian band that’s attracting interest from all over the world right now – we have that sense of pride to represent the nation, especially being recognised internationally,” Riff says.
Taking stock of some of Malaysia’s previous rock bands – Lefthanded, Butterfingers, Wings, and Black Rose – and one of Malaysia’s most renowned singers, Siti Nurhaliza, After Mdnight is redefining what pop-punk looks like, as well as who gets to be a part of the scene. While contemporary 2000s Malaysian rock bands, like Hujan, have shown the collective that there’s still a scene to enrich.
“As a band, we’re all Muslims. We want to put out an image where being a Muslim and playing music is not inherently bad,” he explains. “We’re just playing what we are passionate about and not necessarily following a certain stereotype. Nurturing music publicly and widely in Malaysia is very difficult.” Yet, by bringing together influences from Malaysia’s industry names to the band’s own favourite artists – Paramore, Avril Lavigne, Neck Deep, Blink-182, Green Day – After Mdnight have a message to prove: “If music is something that’s within you, you just have to go for it.”
After Mdnight. Image: Press
HANABIE
Artists nowadays can feel more reachable than ever. You can hop online and see Towa Bird charmingly ripping through some guitar chords on a custom Gibson Firebird or endless guitar renditions and remixes of K-pop songs across TikTok. The outcome, unsurprisingly, is a music world interconnected to a new height. Alexander Milas, journalist and former editor of Metal Hammer, considers this shift in industry and culture a milestone-making cultural exchange.
“Clearly, the internet has had a tremendous role to play as well as massive shifts in the way that music is discovered and promoted, thanks to social media and streaming,” Milas says. “The term global village comes to mind, but I don’t think this has happened overnight and so whatever’s happening now is a culmination of years and decades of groundwork and a lot of really brilliant music.”
Japanese metalcore HANABIE formed in 2015, when vocalist Yukina, guitarist and vocalist Matsuri, and bassist Hettsu came together. In 2023, drummer Chika joined, completing the current lineup. The band, who have toured across Hong Kong, Taipei, and Bangkok as support for While She Sleeps and, more recently, performed in Taiwan in 2024, recall a positive response from Asian Pacific fans.
HANABIE. Image: Press
“[We] remember the energy of the crowds being incredible, and we had such a fun time performing,” they tell Guitar. As HANABIE continue to evolve as a band, they credit their style and on-stage presence as a way they’ve been able to “shine” and “carve out our place in the [guitar] scene”.
On their recent EP, HOT TOPIC, HANABIE showcase their neo-Japanese genreless flair – a leading reason why the band have almost 400K listeners on Spotify, with hubs of fans across Mexico, Brazil and Germany. “We’re still in the process of growing, so it’s hard to say for sure, but I think we’ve always tried to pursue things that other artists haven’t done before,” HANABIE share. “That applies to many aspects—our music, band name, video production—because at the core, we never wanted to blend in or look the same as others. Maybe that’s what worked in our favour.”
As bands like HANABIE continue to push the frontier of fusion rock, innovative guitar music continues to deepen its roots with younger generations. Milas, founder of the World Metal Congress, says the development of global guitar scenes, particularly those spotlighting minority voices, has been on the cusp for several years.
“I think it’s been there for some time; only what’s happened is that we in the West have no choice but to sit up and pay attention, at last,” he explains. “It wasn’t always like that, and you have examples of artists with astonishing creative output who’ve had difficulty being recognised outside of their initial sphere of influence. HANABIE are a tremendous band: would they be there without the road that was paved by say, X Japan who were creating a whole world around themselves back in the 80s? And you can spend a lot of time theorising, but the bottom line is, no matter where you’re from, you’ve got to have songs, which HANABIE absolutely do.”
Death Of Heather
While the region is seeing a wave of new bands come through, underground alternative shoegaze acts like Thailand’s Death Of Heather have built a dedicated pool of fans, with a cult flock of listeners across Thailand and Singapore. Tay, the lead singer of the four-piece, is reflective on the new phase of momentum hitting the guitar scene across Pacific Asia.
For a band that began in 2017, Tay and his fellow bandmates (Non on drums, Thong on bass, and Nine on guitar) became a gang of like-minded university friends who all lit up at the idea of being in a band. After Tay shared some bedroom demos with the group, DoH was formed. Nowadays, Tay and co play monthly shows and have just wrapped up recording their new album. No longer teens, but in their 30s, Tay (and fellow band members), are no strangers to how the guitar music and local scenes are steadily evolving.
“Honestly, the reason guitar bands from different regions are growing is because of the internet,” he tells Guitar. “Music scenes are connected everywhere now. People are more open, and bands from Asia can reach listeners way easier than before. It feels like guitar music from all over the world finally has a space.”
Whether streaming on SoundCloud or racking up views on YouTube, Tay is appreciative of how globalised online music has become, with it supporting new and established acts. “The rock and alternative scene in Bangkok is pretty active. It’s not as big as mainstream pop or hip-hop right now, but there’s a solid group of listeners, and new bands keep popping up,” he explains.
While there’s no single-purpose method of putting more Pacific Asian bands in the spotlight, Tay advocates for intercommunity platforming: “I think guitar and alternative bands in Asia can grow faster if we all support each other more—sharing show opportunities, touring together, promoting each other across countries. The Asian scene feels stronger every year, and it’s nice seeing bands push one another forward.”
Death Of Heather. Image: Press
Last Minute
As Gen Z steps up to the music industry, bands like Last Minute are looking to create a stir in the guitar scene. Forming in 2024, Last Minute are creating music that feels like “a blend of 5 different minds” all under the “interpretation” of rock music that will resonate with younger audiences. Like most new bands, Last Minute have faced their challenges with funding, balancing jobs and locking down time to invest in the band. Yet, the quartet remain optimistic about where Singapore’s music scene is going. Affordability and accessibility within guitar music has helped Last Minute’s guitarist, Meryl, play around with new tech, including plugins and pedals.
“I learned guitar during this era of convenient and accessible guitar technology, with plugins emulating the real-time sounds of professional setups that are customisable to your own preferences, with tiny digital multi fx pedals that would blow the minds of older guitarists,” he says. “Its definitely cheaper and easier to achieve the sounds you want nowadays.”
As for the future of guitar-leaning music in Singapore, Last Minute’s vocalist, Renjin, has a few suggestions on how to nurture and support new alternative acts. “I think [we need] more third spaces and venues. But still, it’s a business venture and a business at the end of the day needs its supporters. If you’re an avid enjoyer of rock music and haven’t supported local shows yet, please do, there are many amazing bands in Singapore, especially metalcore ones,” he says.
“If you’re an event organiser, you need to start targeting the general audience. New concepts with creative designs. Make it fun! Make it so that someone who doesn’t need to understand music will enjoy it. It’s going to be tough, but we can do it. I think we as artists have this responsibility of using ideas to keep the community fresh and alive. We can do it, one show at a time.”
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