Mercury Prize Nominees Announced, Ceremony Moves to Newcastle

The shortlist for the 2025 Mercury Prize, celebrating a diverse range of musical talent from the UK and Ireland, has been revealed. This year's selection features twelve albums, including established artists and emerging talents.

Among the nominated artists are Sam Fender and PinkPantheress, alongside Irish musicians Fontaines D.C. and CMAT. Previous Mercury Prize recipients Wolf Alice and Pulp have also earned nominations, marking their fourth and fifth inclusions respectively. Folk musician Martin Carthy, at 84 years old, is the oldest artist ever nominated for the prize.

The Mercury Prize, established in 1992, champions the album format and recognizes artistic excellence across all genres. The independent judging panel selects nominees based on musical merit. This year's ceremony will be held outside of London for the first time, taking place on October 16th at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle. The arena, which opened in 1995, has a capacity of approximately 11,000 and has hosted numerous major concerts and sporting events.

The Mercury Prize has a history of significantly boosting artists' careers. For example, Elbow saw a 700% increase in album sales after winning in 2008, and James Blake experienced a 2,500% surge in sales after his 2013 win. The UK music industry contributed £6.7 billion to the economy in 2022 and employed over 210,000 people.

The shortlist includes artists previously recognized by the Mercury Prize, such as Wolf Alice, who won in 2018, and Pulp, who won in 1996. Sam Fender, a native of Newcastle, is nominated for his album 'People Watching'. The ceremony in Newcastle is expected to feature live performances from many of the shortlisted artists and will be broadcast by BBC Music.