Tipsters place their 2005 bets: as a New Year treat, a selection of UK tastemakers say who they think will make an impact.(Tipsters)

Conor McNicholas

Editor, NME BLOC PARTY: "Silent Alarm is the debut album of 2005 and it's not even 2005 yet. There is loads of Radiohead mashed up with The Cure, sprinkled with beats and put through the Paul Epworth production filter to create an intensely' edgy record that is achingly now: It's so good it hurts. If you mention Bloc Party, you're now legally' required to mention Frauz Ferdinand, so here goes: I've not been this excited about a record since I first heard the Franz Ferdinand album. That's why I've got them on the NME Awards "Four in January."

Christian O'Connell

Xfm ISOBEL: "Isobel were the deserved winners of our massive Rock School competition in which more than 230 school rock bands entered. I think we have discovered something special in Isobel and record labels are already falling over themselves to sign them. All four of them had incredible stage presence; they look the part, sound amazing and have an album's worth of material already, and all at just 16 years old."

James Curran

Head of music, Virgin Radio THIRTEEN SENSES: "These Cornish boys emerged quietly" onto the scene this year with their debut album, The Invitation, and cracked the lower regions of the Top 40 with a couple of singles Thru The Glass and Into the Fire, both of which will be re-released in 2005, with Into the Fire tipped to explode as it has been adopted as the theme to the new Vodaphone campaign. Thirteen Senses evoke a swirling mass of beautiful noise underpinned by great melody--sitting somewhere between the pop sensibility of Snow Patrol and the artistry of Muse"

Jon Newey