The 10 biggest breakthrough artists of 2017, from 21 Savage to SZA

This year saw several No. 1 hits from performers most Americans had likely never heard of before 2017 -- including a former stripper and the creators of what would become the most streamed song and most watched YouTube video in history.

With the rise of streaming platforms and social media in recent years, it's become far more viable for under-the-radar acts to get noticed without being signed to a major label. Musicians can suddenly rise from obscurity into the public consciousness since they can now expand their reach by addressing their listeners directly and uploading their music to Soundcloud and other audio distribution sites.

Billboard announced in October that its charts would begin to weigh streaming listens, giving the online community more influence on an artist's commercial success. So don't expect the phenomenon of "out of nowhere" artists to stop anytime soon.

Click through the gallery below to learn more about 10 artists who could be here to stay after experiencing huge breakouts in 2017.