And there's the rub. These kind of polls are almost too urgently in need of trend setting freshness. Azealia Banks came third in last year's poll but, a year later, has yet to really make her mark, not because she lacks talent but rather because sometimes it takes a while for an artist to find their feet. I wouldn't bet against her coming through big in 2013. But the BBC usually do pick a commercial winner, not often the kind of artist hardcore music fans really care about. Since Adele won in 2009, we've seen poll topping success for Ellie Goulding, Jessie J and Michael Kiwanuka. This year it is probably between the much touted HAIM and the highly saleable Tom Odell. But I would like to see somebody more maverick scoop the prize for once, perhaps Savages, the kind of group you can really believe in.
The lack of a really dominant band or character suggests that the field is still open, so overlooked artists shouldn't give up hope. To these ears, there are plenty about every bit as exciting as the 12 on the long list: LA rock duo Deap Valley, hardcore rapper K Koke, kooky singer-songwriter Foxes, superfast rapper Scruffizer, New York hipster duo Foxygen, sassy British R'n'B pop girl Little Niki, Brooklyn reggae duo Wild Belles to name just a few. Whatever the pundits predict, it is the always the music listeners who decide.
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