Music 2006

Jim Carroll gets the lowdown from the insiders on what will be big this year

TOM DUNNE (Today FM DJ)

I'm really looking forward to the Arctic Monkeys album as I've loved everything I've heard so far - B-sides, downloads, demos, you name it. The person I think might surprise us most is Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley. Her solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, would have been my album of the year had it been released this year. Can't wait also for any new Sufjan Stevens or Arcade Fire, not to mention Amadou and Mariam, as long as Manu Chao produces. Of course, the album that Jack White and Brendan Benson recorded together will also be getting a release. Those who have heard it have spoken in terms of, ahem, the next Nevermind. Well, you'd have to be intrigued about that.

ALISON CURTIS (Today FM DJ and producer)

Internationally, I'm tipping The Long Blondes (gritty and good), Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (huge buzz about them already), Kalev (hard edge, unique sound) and Regina Spektor (the world might be ready for true quirky once again). From here, look out for The Dirty Sweets (a wonderful mixture of The Sundays, MBV and Joy Division), Delorentos (already had an impressive year), The Flaws (great pop-punk songs), Panda Kopanda and Channel One.

DYLAN ROCHE (The Chalets)

We recently played a couple of gigs in the UK with a band called Rumble Strips. They were brilliant and we all seemed to agree on this fact, which makes a pleasant change round these parts. They are a very talented bunch of musicians from Devon who collectively fit somewhere in the realm of Jonathan Richman meets Dexy's Midnight Runners meets Ben Folds Five. Apart from them, I would imagine Arctic Monkeys are a pretty safe bet.

DAN HEGARTY (2FM DJ)

It doesn't take a genius to figure that Arctic Monkeys are going to be huge in 2006. They have the tunes, the attitude and their live show is pretty damn good. Julie Feeney's 13 Songs was a real surprise. She has something different that I can't quite put into words. Sunday Morning are a group from Cork who I've been playing a lot for the last year or two. They've put together some amazing tunes, really original and catchy in an Orb meets The Postal Service meets Stereolab way.

SEAMUS CARROLL (Lazybird Records/Cavallerro Distribution)

I reckon Queen Kong are the Irish act for next year. Of the stuff I am working with, Ten Past Seven should rock the 2006 house and the Dry County album will be awesome. Schroedersound's record should definitely be a release to mark 2006 for electronic Ireland. Lots of great new material due from Messiah J & The Expert. But most of all, 2006 should see Giveamanakick get the credit they deserve.

JOE TAYLOR (Record of the Day music editor, www.recordoftheday.com)

The Feeling are a band who know how to write great songs and aren't afraid to do it. The demos are awesome. They list their influences as Supertramp, Queen, ELO, 10cc, The Beatles, Beach Boys, The Carpenters, Jellyfish and Abba, which sums them up. With Orson, all of the above applies except they sound more like Whitesnake meets Maroon 5. I'm biased when it comes to The Crimea, but I don't think anyone released a better collection of songs than their Tragedy Rocks album during 2005.

DEREK TURNER (The Spirit Store, Dundalk)

I was very impressed with Driving By Night. They have a dramatic frontman and epic songs. Delorentos are the best of what's coming out of Dublin right now and I'm hearing great things about the new album from The Delays. I like where Sanzkrit are coming from. They sound like a heavier Hüsker Dü/Jesus Lizard and have a new EP out in 2006. And watch out for The Flaws from Monaghan, just signed to Polydor. But I'm biased - I manage them!

ANDY OSBORN (Trust Me I'm a Thief Records)

Schroedersound will be releasing an album in early 2006. It is going to win the Mercury Music Prize. Remember where you heard it first!

DAVE REID (Atlantic Records A&R; Choice Music Prize co-ordinator)

Fear of Music from Manchester, My Latest Novel from Scotland and Howling Bells are worth a listen. Things are already shaping up well for bands like Kubicheki, Guillemots and Forward, Russia! I'd say either Sway or Akira the Don will be one of the UK hip-hop acts to break. Lesley Roy and Shelley are two Irish acts worth watching.

MARK MURPHY (Choice Cuts club promoter)

Corinne Bailey-Rae has a beautiful voice. She just got a big record deal in the UK and will really be pushed next year. Georgia is on the Platinum Pied Pipers LP and is a very talented singer. RSL are a Manchester-based collective making very classy music.

JOHNNY DAVIS (BMG Publishing A&R; co-founder of Sound Foundation Recordings)

Humanzi represent all that is vital and hungry about the next generation of Irish musicians. The Flaws deliver straight-down-the-middle big songs that you will be singing in your sleep. I expect Declan O'Rourke to translate his Irish success to foreign shores. The Young Knives have made a strong impression at the tail end of 2005 and they are attracting the right support for spreading their message in 2006. The Guillemots will do well, with memorable songs with a nod to Deacon Blue/Prefab Sprout and a frontman who will divide opinion but won't leave you sitting on the fence. It will be a huge year for Arctic Monkeys. What a pity there won't be a Glastonbury for them to dominate this year.

BRIAN ADAMS (Today FM Head of Music)

If Lisa Hannigan can find the right songs and producer, she will surely be massive. If Damien Rice can do a David Gray, it must only be a matter of time before Hannigan "does a Dido". Potentially the best Irish singer of her generation - lets hope 2006 sees her find her niche.

CIAN O'CIOBHAIN (Radio na Gaeltachta DJ)

I'd expect to see the likes of Halfset, Dry County, Dark Room Notes and the Lazybird label make an impression on scenesters in 2006. Hot Chip look set to have the style mags foaming at the mouth. The new Rapture album could be interesting, with Ewan Pearson and Paul Epworth working on it. The Long Blondes have been excellent to date and they could well travel the same hype highway that brought Arctic Monkeys to the masses. Next big dancefloor track will be John Dahlback's Now It's Not Summer.

STEVIE G (Red FM Cork DJ)

Corinne Bailey-Rae is a Leeds-born soul singer recently signed to EMI and already being compared to everyone from Erykah Badu to Billie Holiday. I reckon she could be huge by this time next year. Sa-Ra Creative Partners have been around a few years, but they are now signed to one of Kanye West's labels and could blow up in 2006. I Wayne is a young reggae star who is huge in Jamaica and the US and could breakthrough over here very soon. Havana is best described as future soul. She's a breath of fresh air and another one to watch.

FEARGHAL McKEE (Whipping Boy)

Bands like Explosions In The Sky and The Dears coming from the Bella Union label, and also keep an eye on the Rocket Girl label. Twin Cranes are making magical electronica and there's great music to come from Dublin band Retards and a band I heard rehearsing called Sickboy. I don't know about new Whipping Boy material, but you can expect Shadow Cabinet to be releasing stuff.

BARRY O'DONOGHUE (Sony-BMG Ireland A&R)

Humanzi's future single Out on a Wire sounds like a classic to me. Delorentos have the songs and then some. Two years of playing dark basements from Berlin to New York via Dublin on a wet Wednesday have made The Things the country's finest live band. Internationally, Cut Copy are the band "most likely to do a Mylo" and everybody everywhere is going to move to Berlin!

GERRY GODLEY (Improvised Music Company)

On the domestic jazz scene, saxophonist Michael Buckley should broaden his reach considerably next year. Likewise young composer Dylan Rynhart is at the head of a significant and motivated posse of young Irish players coming through. The unlikely pairing of Buenos Aires guitarist/singer Ariel Hernandez and Dublin classical accordionist Dermot Dunne are well worth catching when they tour their debut album, Pal Que Se Va, in March. In Europe, two pianists stand poised for major recognition: 23-year-old Londoner Gwilym Simcock and the amazing Stefano Bollani from Italy. My other hot tip is Istanbul. Our EU soul-searching has us orientated toward this city of 15 million plus, which has an incredibly diverse scene, much of it informed by traditions like Sufism and the Rom Gypsies, but placed in a defiantly contemporary context.

RICHIE EGAN (Jape/Redneck Manifesto)

Annie will be interviewed in the Irish Independent and namedrop Battles. Oak and Humanzi and Schroedersound will make it big on The Late Late Show. Damien Dempsey, you'll be cool bro, even if a load of idiots I know slag your voice. The Microphones, Madlib, M83 and some girl band I just saw on E4 music, The Likes I think they were called. Also watch out for the first Irish/Nigerian/Polish/Chinese metal band.

NIGEL WOOD (Anna Livia FM and RTÉ Radio One DJ)

Think of One are from Antwerp and have made albums with Moroccan musicians and Brazilian musicians and performed concerts with Inuit singers from the north of Canada. Fantazia are a combination of Algerian Berbers living in London and English musicians who perform a nicely judged balance of North African styles with funk, like James Brown at the Casbah. Bellowhead are a 10-piece English folk band who could do a Fairport Convention. If their version of Rambling Sailor doesn't shiver your timbers, then you're a land-lubber.

KEN ALLEN (Faction Records)

There's a whole load of acts I'm working with who'll be releasing stuff in 2006. Both Director and Marshal Stars have singles in February and there's also music to come from DC Pakt and Red Organ Serpent Sound. I think people will like what The Flaws, Republic of Loose and Humanzi are doing. I'm really interested in hearing new music from Cathy Davey and I think Laura Izibor, who has signed to Jive in America, will be worth watching.

JIM CARROLL (The Ticket)

In 2006, expect to call both Broken Social Scene and Wolf Parade "the new Arcade Fire". Corinne Bailey-Rae has an exceptional soul voice and her debut album should be one of the year's best. Rhymefest co-wrote Kanye West's Jesus Walks, so let's hope his Blue Collar debut album contains more of that form. Irish singer Julie Feeney should continue to thrill. Also keep an ear out for Dublin teen rapper MC Krisma, rising Philly soulster Jazmine Sullivan, Orson (No Tomorrow sounds like a hit), The Flaws, the mighty Ten Past Seven, hip-hop producer 9th Wonder, and a hugely promising Northern Irish band called V-Formation.