The nominees for Britain’s Mercury Music Prize were announced overnight, and as ever, they’re a pleasantly eclectic assortment of albums. The prize, which bills itself as “the music equivalent to the Booker Prize for literature and the Turner Prize for art,” is awarded for the best British or Irish album of the year, and is chosen from a shortlist of 12 by a panel of judges that this year includes Jarvis Cocker and Jessie Ware, along with a selection of industry and media personalities. For the first time, the six finalists this year will be chosen by public vote, which is absolutely not a terrible idea, no siree.
Anyway, the 12 finalists are, in alphabetical order: 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, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it The Comet Is Coming — Channel the Spirits
Because journalism, we are entirely unbiased in our reporting of this important matter, but honestly, if David Bowie doesn’t win then we are one step closer to moving to Mars. Ahem.