Best Music Poll 2010 :: PORTLAND

Underground breakouts prepare for launch
Every year, it seems, the competition gets fiercer, and yet still the write-in winners keep coming. This year, Graeme K in Best Electronic Act and Eric Bettencourt in Best Folk Act were uppity enough to overturn the precious apple cart of our lovingly crafted ballot. A fair few rising stars are here, too, showing off the depth of talent Portland's music scene offers.

The list of winners this year also spotlights the heights some local bands have reached. Unseating the juggernauts that are Rustic Overtones and Pete Kilpatrick has always been a daunting challenge, but since those bands keep changing things up for their growing legions of fans by relentlessly pushing themselves, working with new and different musicians, and playing out with surprising frequency, they'll stay powerhouses — and good examples for other musicians looking to build their careers even more.

But let's not dismiss the underground — Spose's breakout this year shows the success that is possible by working in your own basement, splurging for black-and-white photocopies for fliers, and just keeping your nose to the grindstone. Brenda may be on the verge of being "discovered" too — but whoever blows up next, we'll be able to say we heard them "way back when."