The acts tipped for the top of the charts

But who's on the shortlist?

While last year Britain rocked to synth pop princess La Roux and the fantastical Florence and the Machine, this year's hotly-tipped acts include a glamourous half-Welsh, half-Greek pop singer and four lads from Sheffield.

Known as The Crookes, the Sheffield foursome play light, catchy indie pop. And while the group write and record in Yorkshire (they're even named after a Sheffield suburb), their audience goes far beyond God's

Own County. Last year the band were hand-picked by MTV Canada to star in the channel's feature on Sheffield, along with fellow indie rockers the Arctic Monkeys.

The Crookes are also playing at the prestigious SXSW festival in Austin, Texas this March, along with dozens of bands from across the globe.

The festival is an industry spectacle, where stages are flocked not by the public, but by deal-thirsty A&R men and label bosses. Rhythm guitarist Daniel Hopewell said: "We're massively excited about this year. I can't wait to play at SXSW but I know it will be hard work – we're playing between 10 and 15 shows."

Doncaster rockers Black Spiders are also an act with loud prospects.

The group, who play wild, raucous rock that nods to Velvet Revolver

and AC/DC, have already starred on Radio 1's Rock Show, BBC 6 Music, Planet Rock and MTV.

This year, Black Spiders will release their second EP and a full album. Already hailed by the likes of Kerrang and Classic Rock, Black Spiders mark a return of the big riff. The group have just returned from touring with Northern Irish rockers The Answer – also tipped as one of this year's bands to watch after being chosen by AC/DC to support

them throughout their 118-show tour last year. The group have also supported the Rolling Stones, The Who, Aerosmith and former Free frontman Paul Rodgers.

And then, in contrast to The Answer's huge licks and Black Spiders' wild rock 'n' roll is Ellie Goulding, the 22-year-old Welsh electro-pop singer who landed the Brit Awards Critics' Choice prize last year.

She will perform at the Brit Awards ceremony this January and will

collect her award in February.

The singer's debut single, Under the Sheets, is a catchy dance track

whose big beats could transcend both radio and dance floor.

Goulding recently toured the UK as Little Boots' support act and appeared on Later with Jools Holland in November last year. The singer's second single, Starry Eyed, will come out in February, followed by the release of her debut album in March.

On a similar electro tip is Manchester group Delphic, who have supported Kasabian and Orbital and live by the motto "the guitar is dead, long live the guitar" – a statement incongruous with the musical heritage of their home city, whose home-grown bands include the Stone Roses, The Smiths, Elbow, Joy Division and the Courteeners.

The electro-orientated Delphic even admitted to the BBC they "wanted

to make Manchester dance again". The group has already supported The Streets and Bloc Party.

One band who do like guitars, however, among this year's ones to watch is Detroit Social Club.

Unlike Delphic, the Sunderland blues-rockers have five guitarists.

Songs range from the slow-tempo, harmonica-drenched Black and White to the super-cool Sunshine People.

The band are signed to Fictions, a subsidiary of Polydor, and are releasing their debut album this year. But they're in good hands as their manager, Geoff Barradale, knows a thing or two about the industry – he also manages the Arctic Monkeys.

Far from the thick distorted riffs of Detroit Social Club is Marina and the Diamonds, whose frontwoman, Marina Diamandis, is the half-Welsh, half-Greek epic singer whose vocals echo the new-romanticism of the 1980s while nodding to the solemn sincerity of Antony and the Johnsons.

Diamandis is renowned for her outlandish glitzy costumes and theatrical music videos, and has already been backed by the likes of Perez Hilton and Kanye West. And while Marina and the Diamonds' songs don't possess the instant catchiness of Ellie Goulding's Between the Sheets, the striking Diamandis will definitely be this year's darling of music television.

Less glamourous than Marina Diamandis, though far more catchy, are Manchester indie pop group Everything Everything, who cite Radiohead and The Beatles as their primary influences. The band will join The Crookes for this year's SXSW festival and played at the BBC Introducing stage at last year's Reading and Leeds festivals.

Everything Everything have been dubbed as "Manchester's new musical heroes" and have already toured Europe and venues throughout the UK.

Further down the M62 from Everything Everything is Liverpudlian group

Bicycle Thieves, who have been quietly making their mark since 2008.

Last year the group were invited by Emily Eavis to play at Glastonbury. The big-beat epic pop rockers have just released their debut single, Stop to Start, and the catchy beat will ensure much airplay throughout

2010. So with rock 'n' roll riffage, catchy electro-beat tracks and glitzy glamour, 2010 sees a musical miscellany of hot acts from across the UK. The question is, which one is the fittest to survive?

FIVE TO WATCH IN 2010

The Crookes

Sheffield foursome playing light, catchy

indie pop.

Black Spiders

Doncaster rockers with a wild, raucous sound.

Ellie Goulding

22-year-old Welsh electro pop singer.

Marina and the Diamonds

Glamorous half-Welsh, half-Greek frontwoman Marina Diamandis will be this year's darling of music television.

Bicycle Thieves

Big-beat epic pop rockers who have been quietly making their mark since 2008.