The shortlisted nominees for the Mercury Prize 2024 have been revealed, with the list including Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and more.
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Announced today (July 25), the 12 albums up for the award were announced live by Tom Ravenscroft on BBC Radio 6 Music.
As ever, they were chosen by an independent judging panel, which this year includes Jamie Cullum and Mistajam, and albums released between July 15, 2023 and July 12, 2024 were eligible.
Among those featured on this year’s shortlist are ex-Portishead member Beth Gibbons, for her long-awaited debut solo album ‘Lives Outgrown’ – an LP made over the course of 10 years and finally released back in February. Also being nominated for a debut album are rising indie-rock band The Last Dinner Party, who shared ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ at the start of the year to a glowing response from critics.
Others who made the cut include Barry Can’t Swim (‘When Will We Land?’), BERWYN (‘Who Am I?’), Cat Burns (‘Early Twenties’), Corinne Bailey Rae (‘Black Rainbows’) and corto.alto (‘Bad With Names’).
Additionally, Leeds band and NME cover stars English Teacher have been shortlisted for their landmark debut ‘This Could Be Texas’ – which was described by NME as seeing the group “already dealing in brilliance” – as has Charli XCX for ‘BRAT’, which has become the soundtrack of the summer and a pop culture phenomenon since its release last month.
The list is rounded out by Nia Archives’ album ‘Silence Is Loud’, Ghetts’ ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’, and CMAT’s ‘Crazymad, For Me’. Find the full 2024 shortlist below.
The shortlisted artists for the 2024 Mercury Award Prize are:
Barry Can’t Swim – ‘When Will We Land?’
BERWYN – ‘Who Am I’
Beth Gibbons – ‘Lives Outgrown’
Cat Burns – ‘early twenties’
Charli XCX – ‘BRAT’
CMAT – ‘Crazymad, for Me’
Corinne Bailey Rae – ‘Black Rainbows’
corto.alto – ‘Bad with Names’
English Teacher – ‘This Could Be Texas’
Ghetts – ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’
Nia Archives – ‘Silence Is Loud’
The Last Dinner Party – ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’
The overall winner of the 2024 Mercury Prize will be revealed in September, with the award’s broadcast partner BBC Music providing television and radio coverage. However, the usual live performance element at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith will not take place. Further details on this will be announced closer to the event.
“The Mercury Prize is a cherished part of our cultural landscape, celebrating the art of the album and recognising the exceptional creative achievements of diverse British and Irish artists across the many different genres that make up our thriving and global-facing music scene,” said Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of the BPI, home to The Mercury Prize, discussing the shift.
“For the 2024 Mercury Prize, we will work imaginatively with the BBC to deliver a premium programme of music content and digital engagement that will, as ever, benefit all 12 artists in reaching a wider audience, providing an important platform for their evolving career and musical journey.”
Last year the prize was won by Ezra Collective for their album ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’.
Speaking to NME ahead of their victory, Femi Koleoso said: “I feel like it’s just wonderful to be a part of something so big and so special. We’re just a small part of such a big picture. It’s been really exciting just to be hearing it played in so many different avenues and places, you know? To see people enjoying it and dancing to it – that’s all you can ask for really.”
Following the win, their album sales and streams also increased by nearly 900 per cent.
In 2022, Little Simz won the Mercury Prize for her album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’. The London rapper beat off competition from fellow favourites Self Esteem and Wet Leg at the time.
Elsewhere, Roots Manuva recently had his Mercury Prize trophy returned after moving house and accidentally leaving it behind. The artist – whose real name is Rodney Hylton Smith – took home the award at the 2002 Mercury Prize for his album ‘Run Come Save Me’.