BBC Sound of 2013: is the guitar band back? As the year ends, the music industry's thoughts turn remorselessly to the next. Or, more specifically, the next big thing. The BBC Sound of 2013 is an annual poll of predictions from critics and pundits, narrowing the field of up-and-coming pop stars to those the industry has already put its money on. This diversity of this year's long list reflects a music scene full of talent yet slightly bereft of new ideas. There are no dominant trends, although the list can probably be grouped into three rough categories: Commercial Singer Songwriters, Odd Pop and Guitar Bands. The success of Emeli Sande over the past year, a kind of lightweight and more blatantly commercial version of Adele, has led to a rash of signings of strong voiced, emotional yet pretty straightforward singer-songwriters. Of these, Tom Odell and Laura Mvula have made the list, although there are plenty more that didn't who will be pushed just as hard. Names missing include Josh Kumra, Matt Corby and Allen Stone. Two more straightforward female pop singers, Arlissa and A*M*E get the nod, both commercial enough not to care whether critics like them or not. By far the most crowded category, perhaps surprisingly, is guitar bands. Despite the almost complete absence of new guitar bands from the charts for the past couple of years, there is a tangible desire within the music industry to see the return of some noisy, tribal rock. Whether music fans feel the same way is another matter. Palma Violets are kind of junior Vaccines already heavily touted by NME, Savages are an edgy, leftfield post-New Wave band of girls who have the potential to make some very interesting music but probably not conquer the world, HAIM are an LA female trio whose blend of Fleetwood Mac and modern R'n"B has been widely heralded since their appearance at SXSW this year. There are two bands from Ireland, both playing epic, melodic, soulful rock with sweet voices and harmonies. Kodaline have the advantage of a singer who could be in One Direction, while Little Green Cars are producing a vigorous cross between Arcade Fire and Mumford & Sons. But somehow the poll has missed the hottest Irish band of them all, The Strypes, a bunch of 16-year-old school boys playing raw R'n"B in the style of the early Rolling Stones. And then there are Peace, sole representatives of what might be termed a post-Stone Roses reunion scene, guitar bands who emphasise dancey grooves and understated vocals (there are a lot of these about, Temples, Childhood, Splashh and Theme Park to name just four who didn't make the list). All the rest I have inserted into an Odd Pop category: mix and match mavericks making post-internet music. AlunaGeorge are a male-female duo concocting a kind of arty, British urban sound, ChVrches are a well-connected trio making perky retro synth pop, King Krule is (despite the suggestion of his name) a skinny, freckle-faced ginger urchin making dreamy, inventive, crooning post dubstep and The Weeknd is a Canadian protégé of Drake singing introverted, eccentrically brilliant hip hop R'nB (but who has been around releasing free music for so long I am surprised he qualifies as a new artist). Pick of the bunch has to be Angel Haze, a female New York rapper who makes last year's next big thing, Azealia Banks, already sound rather old hat. 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.