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Artists come and artists go quickly in the music business, and many unfortunately tread the same ground covered by many others before them. But there are other artists who make a strong effort to break out of the rut with music that's more thoughtful and significant. Here are twelve such new artists (in alphabetical order) from 2005.

Stereo: The Evolution of HipRockSoul (Gotee)

An exceptionally good band that didn't quite take off in 2005 as hoped, though 4th Avenue Jones still seems destined for success. They can rap with hip-hop's best—Kanye West, GRITS, Common—but think of them more as a skilled band that blends the energetic funk of Earth, Wind and Fire with the modern urban sensibilities of The Roots. There's musicality and talent here, which is especially apparent in their awesome live show. The stage is also where the band's love for God comes across most clearly; their faith is a little more subtle in the lyrics on their albums. But 4th Avenue Jones deserves props for their strong mainstream sensibilities, and thus outreach potential. They are the freshest sound of 2005 in Christian music.

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I Wish We All Could Win (Simple/INO/Epic)

After only two years riding the independent circuit in their home state of Texas, The Afters signed a deal with Simple Records and then landed co-distribution with Epic Records—before their debut even released. They found success on Christian radio with "You" and in the mainstream with "Beautiful Love." The Afters don't seem like a strong crossover candidate with their straightforward pop/rock sound and sometimes overtly spiritual lyrics, but there are hooks aplenty on their catchy debut, and anyone who's seen them live can confirm that the band's talent outweighs the album's studio polish. The Afters have handled both sides of success impressively, and their debut seems to be a springboard for greater things.

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Sarah Brendel (Inpop)

This list's sole international import, Sarah Brendel has already topped the charts and played to sizable audiences in her German homeland—impressive considering that Germany doesn't distinguish between mainstream and Christian radio singles. So, Brendel isn't just finding success because she's a Christian artist, but because she's simply that good, especially at wording her faith in a way that's accessible to secular listeners. Though she launched her career with a love for coffee shop folk, Brendel's thoughtfully written songs have evolved into polished Euro pop/rock reminiscent of Plumb, The Benjamin Gate, Alanis Morissette, and Rebecca St. James. She's doing better than most U.S. Christian artists at establishing inroads in Europe; perhaps she'll inspire similar greatness Stateside.

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Casting Pearls (Inpop)

You might not expect Casting Pearls to still be together, since frontman Bryan Olesen was asked to become the newsboys' lead guitarist in 2003. But instead of disbanding, the trio was signed to Inpop and allowed to co-exist with newsboys by playing the same tour schedule. It speaks well of their sound—crunchy melodic rock similar to other loud-but-catchy modern alternative bands like Sanctus Real, Foo Fighters, and Switchfoot. At times, their self-titled effort treads into familiar worship territory, but most of it is openly spiritual without sounding contrived or formulaic. At a time when many Christian rock bands are here today and gone tomorrow, Casting Pearls is poised to persevere.

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