The nominations are in!
The Mercury Prize have announced the shortlist for this year’s award. They include former Crack cover stars Skepta and Savages who released Konnichiwa and Adore Life respectively, the late David Bowie whose final album Blackstar was released at the beginning of this year and the Mercury’s most-nominated group Radiohead for their recent effort A Moon Shaped Pool.
Other nominees include ANOHNI for her stunning, climate change-inspired, HudMo and Oneohtrix Point Never produced album Hopelessness, indie rockers Bat For Lashes, melancholy solo artist Jamie Woon, OG grime MC Kano, Birminghan born singer Laura Mvula, breakthrough soul singer Michael Kiwanuka, pop rock act The 1975 and jazz group The Comet is Coming.
Musicians Jarvis Cocker, Jessie Ware, Jamie Cullum, Kate Tempest, Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell and Naughty Boy will sit on the panel as will critics and DJs including Radio 1 presenter Annie Mac, 6 Music chief Jeff Smith, Clara Amfo, Q, Kerrang! and Mojo editor-in-chief Phil Alexander, The Times critic Will Hodgkinson and The Guardian’s Harriet Gibsone.
2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the prestigious music prize which will see one British artist take home a £25,000 prize. The winner of the 2016 Mercury Prize will be announced during a live TV broadcast presented by Lauren Laverne on BBC Four and 6 Music on 15 September. Notable omissions for this year’s prize include two-time Mercury winner PJ Harvey’s The Hope Six Demolition Project, former Mercury nominee Metronomy’s long awaited Summer 08 and Adele’s phenomenally successful 25. Last year’s winner was the relatively unknown Benjamin Clementine but we’ll just have to wait and see who takes the prize this year.
Mercury Prize 2016 Shortlist
ANOHNI – Hopelessness
Bat For Lashes – The Bride
David Bowie – Blackstar
Jamie Woon – Making Time
Kano – Made In The Manor
Laura Mvula – The Dreaming Room
Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Savages – Adore Life
Skepta – Konnichiwa
The 1975 – I Like It When You Sleep…
The Comet Is Coming – Channel The Spirits
