The twelve albums nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize are due to be revealed on Thursday (July 25). The shortlist is set to be announced exclusively on BBC Radio 6 Music from 11am by Tom Ravenscroft. The prestigious award celebrates the best British and Irish albums released between the 15th of July 2023 and the 12th of July 2024 with the winner of the award being revealed in September, however this year will see a change from the traditional ceremony.
BBC 4 and BBC Radio 6 Music are set to provide exclusive coverage as usual. However, in a huge change this year we will see something different as the traditional ceremony that normally takes place in September to reveal the winner at the Hammersmith Apollo is set to be dropped. According to Music Week the Mercury Prize is switching from the usual ceremony in favour of “other promotional activity”.
More details are set to be announced closer to when the winner is revealed but there will definitely be no ticketed public event for this year’s prize for the first time in the 32 years it has been running.
In a statement, Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of the BPI, home to the Mercury Prize, said: “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.”
The 12 records that are nominated for the award are chosen by an independent judging panel and recognise albums from a large variety of genres. Last year the winners of the award were London band Ezra collective who were the first jazz artist to ever win the prize. Other nominees for 2023’s award included Fred Again, Loyle Carner, Raye, Young Fathers, and the Arctic Monkeys.
Dr Jo Twist continued talking about this award saying that “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.
“We are delighted to deepen our relationship with our long-term partner BBC Music to promote the Prize across its networks, including its national broadcast and digital channels, to ensure the greatest possible impact and profile as part of a wider campaign to support the artists who produced the 12 albums of the year.”
The Judges for this year’s award include, broadcaster and writer Danielle Perry, singer and radio 2 presenter Jamie Cullum, Jeff Smith who is the head of music at BBC Radio 2 and 6 music and he is the chair of the judging panel, Creative director of Kerrang! Phil Alexander, Will Hodgkinson who is the chief rock and pop critic at The Times, and more.
