Former nominees and winners make their mark on this year’s Mercury Prize list. The 12 albums have been revealed ahead of next month’s ceremony – the first outside of London
The awards show – Thursday, October 16 at the Utilita Arena, Newcastle – will feature live performances from many of the 12 shortlisted artists.
CMAT, FKA Twigs, Fontaines DC and Sam Fender have all received their second nomination for the coveted album prize, while former winners Pulp and Wolf Alice each land their fourth nomination – a 100% record for Wolf Alice. The band have broken a Mercury Prize record by being nominated for their first four albums.
There are several first-time nominees in the running, including jazz multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray, singer-songwriter Jacob Alon, jazz pianist Joe Webb, rapper/singer Pa Salieu and singer, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress.
And to illustrate the eclectic nature of the prize, folk musician Martin Carthy has been nominated for the first time at the age of 84. The late Pharoah Sanders was aged 80 when he was up for the prize with Floating Points in 2021.
Martin Carthy’s shortlisted album, Transform Me Then Into A Fish, was co-produced by his daughter Eliza Carthy, who has previously been nominated twice for the Mercury.
The 2025 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums Of The Year’ were announced on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds by Lauren Laverne.
CMAT – Euro-Country (AWAL)
Emma-Jean Thackray – Weirdo (Parlophone)
FKA Twigs – Eusexua (Young)
Fontaines DC – Romance (XL Recordings)
Jacob Alon – In Limerence (Island)
Joe Webb – Hamstrings & Hurricanes (Edition/The Orchard)
Martin Carthy – Transform Me Then Into A Fish (HemHem Records)
Pa Salieu – Afrikan Alien (Warner Records)
PinkPantheress – Fancy That (Warner Records)
Pulp – More (Rough Trade)
Sam Fender – People Watching (Polydor)
Wolf Alice – The Clearing (Columbia)
The Mercury Prize recognises the best new British & Irish music. As an independent arts prize, it champions the album format and often provides a major platform for new artists. Recent winners include English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Little Simz, Arlo Parks and Michael Kiwanuka.
Each year, the shortlist is curated by an independent judging panel of music industry professionals.
All of the albums can expect a boost from their inclusion on the list. The biggest seller to date is Sam Fender’s People Watching on 213,901 units (Official Charts Company) – it’s also the top seller of all 2025 album releases.
The eligibility period for the Mercury Prize is July 13, 2024 and Friday, August 29, 2025, which rules out upcoming albums from Lola Young and Ed Sheeran for this year’s prize. Former winners Little Simz and Ezra Collective missed out on nominations this time.
The BPI has moved the awards to Newcastle, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority. Broadcast partner BBC Music will provide coverage of the event. Some remaining tickets are on sale.
Alongside the Awards Show, Generator – the North’s leading music development agency – is programming the Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe across multiple venues (October 9-15).
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