An exciting time in any music lover’s calendar is the day the nominations of the Mercury Music Prize are announced. So get excited music lovers!
The Mercury Music Prize (for those who don’t know) is a prize that honours the “best” British album of the year, and is judged by a selection of artists, journalists and industry personnel. Traditionally the winner is not necessarily a huge seller, but almost always the winner has received almost universal critical acclaim.This year the list of finalists is as diverse as ever with probably the least likely appearance coming from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ ‘Raising Sand’ album.
Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ is probably the least surprising album to make an appearance - it is the fifth time an album featuring Thom Yorke has made the short list.
It is quite a shock to notice Portishead’s ‘Third’ didn’t quite make the cut, neither did the latest from M.I.A.
Previous winners include Dizzee Rascall, Antony and the Johnsons, The Arctic Monkeys and even M-People, who beat Blur’s ‘Parklife’ and Pulp’s ‘Different Class’ to the prize in 1994.
Adele - 19
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music'
Burial - Untrue
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle - Shine
Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon - Stainless Style
Portico Quartet - Knee-Deep in the North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset - The Bairns
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
