Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka

The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. 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. The prize was originally sponsored by Mercury Communications, a brand owned by Cable & Wireless, from which the prize gets its name. It was later sponsored by Technics (1998 to 2001), Panasonic (2002 and 2003), Nationwide Building Society (2004 to 2008) and Barclaycard (2009–14). The 2015 prize was sponsored by the BBC, while in 2016 it was announced that a three-year deal had been struck with Hyundai to sponsor the event.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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 five nominations as a member of Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets, winning once. Thom Yorke has 6 nominations, 5 with Radiohead and one for The Eraser, but has never won.

1. This Could Be Texas (2024) English Teacher
2. Where I’m Meant to Be (2023) Ezra Collective
3. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (2022) Little Simz
4. Collapsed in Sunbeams (2021) Arlo Parks
5. Kiwanuka (2020) Michael Kiwanuka ✔
6. Psychodrama (2019) Dave
7. Visions of a Life (2018) Wolf Alice
8. Process (2017) Sampha
9. Konnichiwa (2016) Skepta
10. At Least for Now (2015) Benjamin Clementine
11. Dead (2014) Young Fathers
12. Overgrown (2013) James Blake
13. An Awesome Wave (2012) alt-J
14. Let England Shake (2011) P.J. Harvey
15. xx (2010) The xx
16. Speech Therapy (2009) Speech Debelle
17. The Seldom Seen Kid (2008) Elbow
18. Myths of the Near Future (2007) Klaxons
19. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006) Arctic Monkeys
20. I Am a Bird Now (2005) Antony and the Johnsons
21. Franz Ferdinand (2004) Franz Ferdinand
22. Boy in da Corner (2003) Dizzee Rascal
23. A Little Deeper (2002) Ms. Dynamite
24. Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2001) P.J. Harvey
25. The Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000) Badly Drawn Boy
26. Ok (1999) Talvin Singh
27. Bring It On (1998) Gomez
28. New Forms (1997) Roni Size & Reprazent
29. Different Class (1996) Pulp
30. Dummy (1995) Portishead
31. Elegant Slumming (1994) M People
32. Suede (1993) Suede
33. Screamadelica (1992) Primal Scream