Many of the same artists continued to dominate the music charts in 2016, from Adele to Beyonce to Justin Timberlake, but this year also featured the debuts of many great new artists.

The music industry continues to be more competitive as enthusiasts are now able to stream all their favorite singers, rappers and bands. It can be tough for new artists to stand out, but it's safe to say that 2016 was a good year for many new artists in varying ways, from chart success to critical acclaim to award nominations.

Here are our five favorite new artists from 2016 (note: while some released albums or singles before 2016, this year essentially became their debut year for mainstream success):

Alessia Cara
 

Alessia Cara's "Here" became a breakout hit in 2015, which led to a very successful 2016 for the young R&B artist. The singer had a pretty major hit with the inspirational track "Scars to Your Beautiful" and recorded her own version of "How Far I'll Go" for the hit movie Moana. The singer also receiving an American Music Award nomination for Best New Artist earlier this year.

S U R V I V E
 

Synth quartet S U R V I V E felt a huge swell in popularity thanks to the success of two its members, Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein. They are behind the iconic score for the Netflix series Stranger Things, whose work has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. As synth music continues to grow thanks to the newfound nostalgia for '80s music, S U R V I V E will only benefit.

Maren Morris
 

Many female country stars made their debuts in 2016, including Kelsea Ballerini, Cam and Margo Price, but Maren Morris has found huge acclaim throughout the year. Her song "My Church" was a big hit, and helped lead to her win at the CMA Awards for Best New Artist of the Year. She is also nominated for four Grammys, including Best New Artist and Best Country Album for Hero.

Anderson .Paak
 

After years of mixtapes, collaborations and underground success, Anderson .Paak broke out in 2016. The hip-hop artist released two albums in 2016, Malibu and Yes Lawd! The former received huge critical acclaim, and currently ranks as one of the best-reviewed albums of 2016.

BLACKPINK
 

K-pop is endlessly growing in popularity all over the world, but it was BLACKPINK that really stood out from the pack as artists to watch. The girl group has released a series of catchy songs, including "Boombayah", "Whistle", "Playing With Fire" and "Stay", and gained a large amount of fans through their online presence.

Tags: Best New Artists Music