When the BBC's Sound Of ... débuted two years ago it was seen as just another stab at predicting who the big musical names of the forthcoming year would be. Now in its third year, it has surprisingly become the most famous global talent-spotting competition around - largely thanks to the success of its predictions.
For 2003, Sound Of had 50 Cent, Dizzee Rascal, Sean Paul, Interpol and The Thrills in its top 10. Last year they pinpointed Keane, Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters and Razorlight.
Over 100 people drawn from all layers of the industry contribute to the poll - broadcasters, A&R types (probably the only real work they do all year), labels (both major and indie), booking agents, press agents and a few of us print journalists as well. It's all very simple: the artists with the most tips are ranked in order. Keane were the overwhelming winners last year and went on to have the second biggest selling album of 2004 in Britain/Ireland just behind another tipped act, Scissor Sisters.
This year's top 10 has just been announced and in there you'll find the already Ticket-endorsed K T Tunstall; Dr Dre's new discovery, The Game; retro-Britpoppers Kaiser Chiefs and new hip-hop talent Kano. There was a bit of a battle for the top spot between Bloc Party and The Bravery, with the latter just winning out.
Signed to the Loop indie label, The Bravery are a remarkably good band, not least because they succeed in actually doing something with the much-derided and by now, quite old-fashioned, electro-clash sound. With only one single out, Unconditional, they are being described as a "heady mix of The Cure and New Order", "spiky, but in love with pop" and "having great guitars and a mastery of the electro-clash sound".
From New York, they have that fashionably dishevelled pretty-boy look patented by The Strokes and they're right on top of the blokes-wearing- eyeliner scene. What really distinguishes them is their inflammatory live act, and, with the Brit awards announcing that they're ditching their Dance category (because there is no dance any more) in favour of a "Best Live Performer" category, this can only help their cause.
Still virtually unknown, they played in a small London pub a few months ago and their performance that night was enough to get them a slot on Jools Holland's Later programme - quite a feat in that some of the "cool" bands you see being all nonchalant on the show have been lobbying/begging for years to get on.
Later's producer, Alison Howe, was in the pub the night they played. "It was like they were headlining the main stage at Glastonbury," she said. "Great songs, a good look, a touch of attitude and a cracking live band."
The Bravery are fronted by singer Sam Endicott, who sounds like Leonard Cohen on meth-amphetamine. He says the band's main influences are hardcore acts such as Fugazi, but he also namechecks The Clash and the electro-clash sound.
While most everyone else is referencing The Smiths when it comes to The Bravery, Endicott is not impressed. "I have to say I know nothing about The Smiths. I know one song, the one that has the cat noise - that's the only thing of theirs I know."
When you hear the band, you'll quickly realise how above/below any music scene they sound. "We're not here just to impress our own musical clique," says Endicott. "What's the point in being part of any scene. That's part of the reason why popular music is so bad, most of the stuff on radio or MTV - it's like listening to an air conditioner."
Despite their name - "We're called The Bravery because we're about standing tall and not being afraid," he says - you'll be hearing a lot of them this year. The next single is called Honest Mistake, the album is due in a few months and then it's just a simple case of world domination it seems.
