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Template:Short description Template:Featured list Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox award The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the United Kingdom or Ireland.<ref name="Mercury Prize - About">Template:Cite web</ref> It was created by Jon Webster and Robert Chandler in association with the British Phonographic Industry and British Association of Record Dealers in 1992 as an alternative to the Brit Awards.

Format and eligibility

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Any album released by a British or Irish artist, or by a band where over 50% of the members are British or Irish, may be submitted for consideration by their record label. There is a fee for submission. Twelve submitted albums are shortlisted for the prize, chosen based solely on their musical merit and irrespective of how popular or successful an album or act that has been submitted may have been in the previous calendar year. The shortlist is chosen by an independent panel of musicians, music presenters, music producers, music journalists, festival organisers, and other figures in the music industry in the UK and Ireland.<ref name="Mercury Prize - About" /><ref name="bbcmusic">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The prize is open to all types of music, including pop, rock, folk, urban, grime, dance, jazz, blues, electronica and classical. Presentation of the awards usually takes place at an Awards Show in October, after the shortlist is announced at the Album of the Year Launch in September. It is often observed that bands whose albums are shortlisted, or win the prize, experience a large increase in album sales, particularly for lesser known acts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Each shortlisted artist receives a specially commissioned 'Albums of the Year' trophy at the Awards Show. Unlike some other music awards, the overall winner of the Mercury Prize also receives a cheque; in 2017, the prize money was £25,000. The winner also receives an additional winner's trophy.<ref name="Mercury Prize - About" />

History

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The prize was originally sponsored by Mercury Communications, a brand owned by Cable & Wireless,<ref name="spon">Template:Cite news</ref> from which the prize gets its name. It was later sponsored by Technics<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (1998 to 2001), Panasonic<ref name="spon" /> (2002 and 2003), Nationwide Building Society (2004 to 2008) and Barclaycard (2009–14).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="bbc_sponsor">Template:Cite web</ref> The 2015 prize was sponsored by the BBC,<ref name="bbc_sponsor" /> while in 2016 it was announced that a three-year deal had been struck with Hyundai to sponsor the event.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was sponsored by Free Now, as part of a multi-year deal that began in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, the award lost their deal with Freenow, prompting the cancellation of the ceremony and live performances for that year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

To date, PJ Harvey is the only artist to have won the award on more than one occasion (in 2001 and 2011). She was also the first female solo artist to receive the award. Alex Turner has received six nominations, five as a member of Arctic Monkeys and one with The Last Shadow Puppets, winning once. Thom Yorke has six nominations, five with Radiohead and one for The Eraser, but has never won.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The awards ceremony was postponed for the first, and so far only, time in 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Reputation

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The Mercury Prize can have a considerable effect on sales for those artists who are shortlisted. Elbow saw a 700% sales increase of their album The Seldom Seen Kid after winning the Prize in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news.</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>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news.</ref> Similarly, sales of The xx's winning album rose by 450% the day after they won the 2010 Mercury Prize<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2013 winner James Blake saw a 2,500% sales increase on Amazon after he was announced as the winner of the 2013 Mercury Prize.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2001, the band Gorillaz requested that their 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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the presence of classical, folk and jazz recordings has been cited by some as anomalous, arguing that comparisons with the other nominees can be invidious.<ref>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</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 and Pulp, and electronica band The Prodigy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=antony>Template:Cite news</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, whose album was also shortlisted in 2006, contained band members from Brazil and Canada, although the majority were from the United Kingdom.<ref>Template:Cite web</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 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, m b v, from the shortlist nominations and addressing the nomination criteria, which he claimed branded the album "virtually illegal".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It has also been noted that heavy metal has been overlooked by the prize. A 2013 article by 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>Template:Cite web</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>Template:Cite web</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>Template:Cite web</ref>

Winners and shortlisted nominees

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Year Winner Shortlisted nominees Image Ref(s)
1992
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Primal ScreamScreamadelica Person (vocalist) performing on stage <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1993
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SuedeSuede Five men sitting at a table at a press conference <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1994
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M PeopleElegant Slumming File:Heather Small Southport.JPG <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1995
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PortisheadDummy File:Portishead Wolverhampton 20080413-1.jpg <ref name=where>Template:Cite web</ref>
1996
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PulpDifferent Class

File:Pulp 2012 cropped.jpg

<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1997
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Roni Size & ReprazentNew Forms File:Roni Size.jpg <ref name=where/>
1998
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GomezBring It On File:GOMEZ-bandpic.jpg <ref name=where/>
1999
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Talvin SinghOk <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2000
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Badly Drawn BoyThe Hour of Bewilderbeast A man playing a guitar and singing on stage. He is wearing a denim jacket and woolen cap <ref name=pj>Template:Cite news</ref>
2001
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PJ HarveyStories from the City, Stories from the Sea A girl singing and playing a guitar on stage <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2002
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Ms. DynamiteA Little Deeper

File:Ms Dynamite (4663812211).jpg

<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2003
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Dizzee RascalBoy in da Corner A man rapping on stage, with purple spotlights behind him <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004
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Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand File:Ff04.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2005
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Antony and the JohnsonsI Am a Bird Now File:Antony-6.jpg <ref name="antony"/>
2006
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Arctic MonkeysWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not File:Arctic Monkeys.jpg <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2007
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KlaxonsMyths of the Near Future File:Klaxons2.jpg
2008
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ElbowThe Seldom Seen Kid File:Guy Garvey and Elbow.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2009
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Speech DebelleSpeech Therapy File:Speechedebelle.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2010
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The xxxx File:The xx live at La Casa 139.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2011
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PJ HarveyLet England Shake PJ Harvey <ref name="2010shortlist">Template:Cite news</ref>
2012
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alt-JAn Awesome Wave File:Alt-J Fall Tour 2015 live in Charlotte.jpg <ref name="2012shortlist1">Template:Cite news</ref>
<ref name=2012shortlist2>Template:Cite news</ref>
2013
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James BlakeOvergrown File:James Blake 2012.jpg <ref name=nominees2013>Template:Cite web</ref>
<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2014
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Young FathersDead File:Young Fathers concert Portland.jpg <ref name=nominees2014>Template:Cite news</ref>
2015
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Benjamin ClementineAt Least for Now File:Benjamin Clementine (Haldern Pop Festival 2014) IMGP0879 smial wp.jpg <ref name=nominees2015>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016
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SkeptaKonnichiwa File:Skepta photo.PNG <ref name=nominees2016>Template:Cite news</ref>
2017
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SamphaProcess File:Sampha VEGA.jpg <ref name=winnerAndNominees2017>Template:Cite news</ref>
2018
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Wolf AliceVisions of a Life File:Wolf Alice (37625032484).jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2019
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DavePsychodrama File:Santan Dave.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2020
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Michael KiwanukaKiwanuka File:Michael Kiwanuka am Haldern Pop Festival 2019 - 8 - Foto Alexander Kellner.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2021
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Arlo ParksCollapsed in Sunbeams File:Arlo Parks (headshot).jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2022
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Little SimzSometimes I Might Be Introvert File:Little Simz - Openair Frauenfeld 2019 05.jpg <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2023
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Ezra CollectiveWhere I'm Meant to Be File:Ezra Collective 18.jpg <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2024
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English TeacherThis Could Be Texas File:English Teacher ESNS24.jpg <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Artists with multiple wins

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2 wins
  • PJ Harvey (2 wins 2001/2011, nominated 1993/1995/2001/2011)

Artists with multiple nominations

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Totals listed are for bands or artists nominated more than once under the same name. It does not include appearances on compilations (e.g. Artists for War Child) or individuals nominated separately as a soloist and group member (e.g. Robbie Williams for his Life thru a Lens and Take That's Everything Changes, or Beth Gibbons for her Lives Outgrown and Portishead's Dummy). Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break

5 nominations
  • Radiohead (no wins, nominated 1997/2001/2003/2008/2016)
  • Arctic Monkeys (1 win 2006, nominated 2006/2007/2013/2018/2023)
4 nominations
  • Laura Marling (no wins, nominated 2008/2010/2013/2020)
  • PJ Harvey (2 wins 2001/2011, nominated 1993/1995/2001/2011)
3 nominations

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2 nominations

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See also

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References

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Template:Reflist

General

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Template:Music awards Template:Music of the United Kingdom Template:Authority control