Editing Mercury Prize (section)

==Reputation==

The Mercury Prize can have a considerable effect on sales for those artists who are shortlisted. [[Elbow (band)|Elbow]] saw a 700% sales increase of their album ''[[The Seldom Seen Kid]]'' after winning the Prize in 2008.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=30 October 2014 |title=Young Fathers likely to be touched by unreliable magic of Mercury prize |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/30/young-fathers-unreliable-magic-mercury-prize |url-access=registration |access-date=4 December 2014 |quote=Mancunian band Elbow, who won in 2008, enjoyed a 700% rise in sales of their album The Seldom Seen Kid in the week following their Mercury victory |archive-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207201613/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/30/young-fathers-unreliable-magic-mercury-prize |url-status=live }}.</ref> In their winner's speech, Elbow's frontman [[Guy Garvey]] said that winning the Mercury Prize was "quite literally the best thing that has ever happened to us".<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7606963.stm|title= Elbow elated at Mercury Prize win|quote= 'This is quite literally the best thing that's ever happened to us,' singer Guy Garvey told the ceremony in London.|work= BBC News|access-date= 4 December 2014|date= 9 September 2008|archive-date= 11 January 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090111205618/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7606963.stm|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=9 September 2008 |title=Elbow: 'Mercury win is best thing that's ever happened to us' |work=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/elbow-115-1327147 |access-date=4 December 2014 |quote=Elbow claimed that their Nationwide Mercury Prize victory is 'the best thing that's ever happened to us' during their acceptance speech tonight |archive-date=11 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911072808/http://www.nme.com/news/music/elbow-115-1327147 |url-status=live }}.</ref> Similarly, sales of [[The xx]]'s winning album rose by 450% the day after they won the 2010 Mercury Prize<ref>{{cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=30 October 2014 |title=Young Fathers likely to be touched by unreliable magic of Mercury prize |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/30/young-fathers-unreliable-magic-mercury-prize |access-date=4 December 2014 |quote=It was a similar tale for the XX after their 2010 win. Sales of their debut album soared 450% the day after they won, according to figures from music retailer HMV |archive-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207201613/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/30/young-fathers-unreliable-magic-mercury-prize |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rainey |first=Naomi |date=9 September 2010 |title=The xx 'terrified' after Mercury win |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a275439/the-xx-terrified-after-mercury-win.html#~oXue91geN4crdK |access-date=4 December 2014 |work=Digital Spy |quote=Their debut album, which had sold 125,000 copies prior to winning the prize, has experienced a jump in sales of almost 450% since Tuesday's award ceremony. |archive-date=8 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208143622/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a275439/the-xx-terrified-after-mercury-win.html#~oXue91geN4crdK |url-status=live }}</ref> and 2013 winner [[James Blake (musician)|James Blake]] saw a 2,500% sales increase on [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] after he was announced as the winner of the 2013 Mercury Prize.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=30 October 2014 |title=Young Fathers likely to be touched by unreliable magic of Mercury prize |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/30/young-fathers-unreliable-magic-mercury-prize |access-date=4 December 2014 |quote=After winning the 2013 prize, James Blake saw sales of his album Overgrown jump more than 2,500% on Amazon. |archive-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207201613/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/30/young-fathers-unreliable-magic-mercury-prize |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hart |first=Tina |date=1 November 2013 |title=James Blake album sales increase 2500% on Amazon since Mercury Prize win |work=Music Week |url=http://www.musicweek.com/index.php/news/read/james-blake-album-sales-increase-2500-on-amazon-since-mercury-prize-win/056599 |url-access=subscription |access-date=4 December 2014 |archive-date=8 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208234331/http://www.musicweek.com/index.php/news/read/james-blake-album-sales-increase-2500-on-amazon-since-mercury-prize-win/056599 |url-status=live }}</ref> 2011 winner PJ Harvey's album ''[[Let England Shake]]'' jumped from number 181 to 24 in the UK official charts the week after the 2011 Awards Show.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/press/pixie-lott-and-example-all-about-number-one/ |title=Pixie Lott and Example – all about number one! |quote=Finally, the double Mercury Award winning PJ Harvey sees Let England Shake, last week's prize winner, jump a phenomenal 151 places from last week 181 to this week's 24. |work=Official Charts |access-date=4 December 2014 |date=11 September 2011 |url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628141801/http://www.officialcharts.com/press/pixie-lott-and-example-all-about-number-one/ |archive-date=28 June 2012 }}</ref>

Despite being regarded by many as highly prestigious, it has been suggested that having an album nominated for or winning the Mercury Prize could be a curse on a career in music.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/curse-of-the-mercury-407786.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090914185907/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/curse-of-the-mercury-407786.html| url-status = dead| archive-date = 14 September 2009| title =Curse of the Mercury|work=The Independent| quote=...the Mercury Prize has acquired a well-established reputation for destroying its winners' futures...| access-date=18 June 2009|date=14 July 2006|first=Andy|last=Gill }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Williamson |first=Nigel |date=13 July 2003 |title=Uneasy listening |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jul/23/artsfeatures.mercuryprize2003 |url-access=registration |access-date=18 June 2009 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002145954/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jul/23/artsfeatures.mercuryprize2003 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2001, the band [[Gorillaz]] requested that their [[Gorillaz (album)|eponymous debut album]] be withdrawn from the shortlist, with cartoon bassist [[Murdoc Niccals]] saying that winning the award would be "like carrying a dead albatross round your neck for eternity".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2159934.stm|title=Entertainment &#124; Mercury Prize's guessing game|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]]|last=Youngs|first=Ian|date=30 July 2002|access-date=10 June 2009|archive-date=5 June 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040605193004/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2159934.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1522766.stm|title=Gorillaz taken off Mercury list|work=[[BBC News]]|date=3 September 2001|publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=4 December 2014|archive-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803213429/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1522766.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

All genres of music are eligible for entry, and it is stated that all are treated equally, with only the music on the album being taken into account.<ref name="Mercury Prize - About"/> [[Simon Frith]], chair of the Mercury Prize judging panel, has said that albums are chosen because they are the "strongest" each year, rather than according to genre.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chrisafis |first=Angelique |date=23 July 2003 |title=Mercury prize puts black artists to the fore |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jul/23/arts.mercuryprize2003 |url-access=registration |access-date=4 December 2014 |quote=.Simon Frith, the head of the judges, yesterday rejected the age-old complaint that the Mercury shortlist featured "token" jazz, folk, classical and soul acts who do not stand a chance. "We are not tokenist, we chose the albums that are strongest," |archive-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207200132/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jul/23/arts.mercuryprize2003 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the presence of classical, [[folk music|folk]] and [[jazz]] recordings has been cited by some as anomalous, arguing that comparisons with the other nominees can be invidious.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://arts.guardian.co.uk/mercury2002/story/0,,795354,00.html |work = The Guardian |access-date = 10 June 2009 |date = 20 September 2002 |title = Back to basics |first = Alexis |last = Petridis |archive-date = 9 July 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080709015858/http://arts.guardian.co.uk/mercury2002/story/0,,795354,00.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Classical acts to have an album nominated have included [[John Tavener]], [[Peter Maxwell Davies]], [[Gavin Bryars]] and [[Nicholas Maw]]. None has ever won, and there has not been a shortlisted classical album since 2002.

The Mercury Prize also has a reputation for being awarded to outside chances rather than the favourites.<ref>{{cite news |last=Adams |first=Stephen |date=5 September 2007 |title=Amy Winehouse performs at Mercury prize |work=Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1562214/Amy-Winehouse-performs-at-Mercury-prize.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=22 June 2009 |archive-date=9 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509030913/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1562214/Amy-Winehouse-performs-at-Mercury-prize.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2262195.stm| title=Ms Dynamite wins Mercury prize| work=BBC News| access-date=22 June 2009| date=17 September 2002| archive-date=13 August 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813003623/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2262195.stm| url-status=live}}</ref> The 1994 award winner was ''[[Elegant Slumming]]'' by the pop act [[M People]], which some felt was a controversial decision considering the shortlist included popular albums from [[Britpop]] figureheads [[Paul Weller]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]] and [[Pulp (band)|Pulp]], and [[electronica]] band [[The Prodigy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4197994.stm|title=Judging music the Mercury way|work=BBC News|access-date=10 June 2009|date=2 September 2005|first=Darren|last=Waters|archive-date=5 June 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060605003700/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4197994.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Millar |first=Anna |date=13 August 2006 |title=Why Mercury makes Isobel's blood boil at pop industry |work=The Scotsman |url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=940&id=1177592006 |access-date=10 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531221311/http://news.scotsman.com:80/mercurymusicprize/Why-Mercury-makes-Isobels-blood.2800886.jp |archive-date=May 31, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3077975.stm|title=Does the Mercury Prize get it right?|work=BBC News|access-date=10 June 2009|date=4 December 2003|first=Ian|last=Youngs|archive-date=20 July 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720020922/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3077975.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other music journalists critical of the awards stated that the 2005 award should not have been given to [[Antony and the Johnsons]] for their album ''[[I Am a Bird Now]]'' as, although they are British-born and therefore eligible for the Prize, the band was based in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barlow |first=Karen |date=26 September 2005 |title=Inaugural Australian music prize announced |url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1468509.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531014153/http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1468509.htm |archive-date=May 31, 2009 |access-date=10 June 2009 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Company}}</ref><ref name=antony>{{cite news|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4217140.stm|work = BBC News|access-date = 10 June 2009|date = 7 September 2005|title = Antony and Johnsons win Mercury|archive-date = 22 December 2006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061222144757/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4217140.stm|url-status = live}}</ref> In 2006, [[Isobel Campbell]]'s collaboration with [[Mark Lanegan]], ''[[Ballad of the Broken Seas]]'', was included in the shortlist, despite Lanegan being American, as the album was eligible due to Campbell's British citizenship, while [[Guillemots (band)|Guillemots]], whose album was also shortlisted in 2006, contained band members from Brazil and Canada, although the majority were from the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/music_week/debate_mercuryarctics.shtml |title = Who can beat the Arctic Monkeys to win the Mercury Prize? | publisher=BBC 6 Music|access-date=10 June 2009|first=Mark|last=Sutherland}}</ref>

Current eligibility criteria state that all albums must be available to buy as a digital release in the UK.<ref name="Mercury Prize - About"/> In September 2013, [[My Bloody Valentine (band)|My Bloody Valentine]] vocalist and guitarist [[Kevin Shields]] expressed concerns about the award in an interview with ''[[The Guardian]]'', accusing the Mercury Prize's organisers of "banning" the band's self-released album, ''[[MBV (album)|m b v]]'', from the shortlist nominations and addressing the nomination criteria, which he claimed branded the album "virtually illegal".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/13/my-bloody-valentine-slams-mercury-prize|title=My Bloody Valentine frontman slams Mercury prize list &#124; Music|work=[[The Guardian]]|last1=Deeovy|last2=Michaels|first1=Adrian|first2=Sean|date=13 September 2013|access-date=13 September 2013|archive-date=14 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914062837/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/13/my-bloody-valentine-slams-mercury-prize|url-status=live}}</ref>

It has also been noted that [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] has been overlooked by the prize.  A 2013 article by ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'' on the Mercury Prize said "Metal certainly never gets a look-in, not even on the official entry information form: 'The Prize is open to all types of music, including pop, rock, folk, hip-hop, R'n'B, dance, soul, jazz, blues, electronica, classical…'"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hebblethwaite |first1=Phil |last2=Marshall |first2=Alex |date=October 30, 2013 |title=Why Is Everyone at Mercury So Cagey About the Mercury Prize? |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/questions-the-mercury-prize-dont-want-to-answer-about-the-mercury-prize/ |work=VICE |access-date=4 September 2017 |archive-date=6 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206010759/http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/questions-the-mercury-prize-dont-want-to-answer-about-the-mercury-prize/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The only metal record that has ever been nominated for the Mercury Prize is ''[[Troublegum]]'' by [[Therapy?]] in 1994. In 2011, Mercury chair of judges Frith said "[Metal] is a niche that a lot of people don't listen to."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/five-points-for-mercury-prize-reform|title=Five Points For Mercury Prize Reform|work=Clash Magazine|first=Robin|last=Murray|date=18 November 2013|access-date=18 October 2014|archive-date=19 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019012041/http://www.clashmusic.com/features/five-points-for-mercury-prize-reform|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, ''The Guardian'' music critic [[Alexis Petridis]] agreed that the Mercury Prize underrepresented heavy metal, but argued that this actually benefitted the genre because "At least part of metal's appeal is its outsider status."<ref>{{cite web |author=Petridis |first=Alexis |date=22 July 2011 |title=Alexis Petridis on heavy metal and the Mercury prize |url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/jul/22/alexis-petridis-metal-mercury-prize |access-date=8 August 2019 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=8 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808094258/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/jul/22/alexis-petridis-metal-mercury-prize |url-status=live }}</ref>