Those who called the tune in Irish music during 2005

To set the scene for the first part of our Top 50 poll, Joe McNamee looks at the state of play in the Irish music industry.

BONO and Bob loom large over everything. We might indulge ourselves for a moment with the notion that they are chuffed to hear they are being considered for the Irish Examiner’s list of the top 50 most important and influential people in Irish music during 2005.

But 2005 was the year in which Bob Geldof and Bono truly stepped beyond the world of pop music and onto centre-stage of the global geopolitical arena as anti-poverty campaigners.