In a press release, the band spoke about the release of their remix album: “So grateful that some of our favourite contemporary artists and friends were up for doing this with us x,”

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The release, aptly named ‘This Could Be A Remix Album’, features different bands covering tracks from English Teacher’s acclaimed debut studio album. ‘This Could Be Texas’ was released in April 2024 through Island Records and was met with critical acclaim.

 The Line of Best Fit said that the ‘This Could Be Texas’ “could be one of the finest debuts of the decade, with every band member shining in their ability and craftsmanship”. Similarly, DIY called it an album that unfurls itself with each listen; it is neither easily categorised nor, you suspect, written with quickly-digestible earworms in mind.”

The full tracklisting for ‘This Could Be A Remix Album’ is:

1. ‘Albatross’ (Bug Teeth Remix)
   2. ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’ (Daniel Avery Remix)
   3. ‘Broken Biscuits’ (Lewis Whiting Remix)
   4. ‘I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying’ (Water From Your Eyes Remix)
   5. ‘Mastermind Specialism’ (Sherelle’s 160 Steps To Enlightenment Mix)
   6. ‘This Could Be Texas’ (Baxter Dury Remix)
   7. ‘Not Everybody Gets To Go To Space’ (Working Men’s Club Remix)
   8. ‘R&B’ (Max Cooper Remix)
   9. ‘Nearly Daffodils’ (Matt Maltese Rework)
   10. ‘Best Tears Of Your Life’ (FDC DJs Remix)
   11. ‘You Blister My Paint’ (Silver Gore Remix)
   12. ‘Sideboob’ (TAAHLIAHRemix)
   13. ‘Albert Road’ (Blossom Calderone Rework)

This news comes ahead of the band’s UK tour which starts next month. A full list of tour dates can be accessed here and the tickets can be accessed here.

Here are the 12 albums in the running:

• CMAT – ‘EURO-COUNTRY
• Emma-Jean Thackray – ‘Weirdo’
• FKA twigs – ‘EUSEXUA’
• Fontaines D.C. – ‘Romance’
• Jacob Alon – ‘In Limerence’
• Joe Webb – ‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’
• Martin Carthy – ‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’
• Pa Salieu – ‘Afrikan Alien’
• PinkPantheress – ‘Fancy That’
• Pulp – ‘More’
• Sam Fender – ‘People Watching’
• Wolf Alice – ‘The Clearing’

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This year, only two debut albums made the list: Jacob Alon and Joe Webb. The rest are by artists who already have a strong following.

Some well-known names are back again: Wolf Alice (nominated for all four of their albums so far) and Pulp, the Britpop icons who recently returned with new music. Folk legend Martin Carthy, now 84, makes history as the oldest Mercury nominee ever. On the newer side, artists like CMAT, Fontaines D.C, and FKA twigs continue to push boundaries with fresh sounds, while PinkPantheress earns her first Mercury nod.

 

 

 

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The range of genres represented satisfactorily diverse, however the lack of electronic representation is mildly disappointing. PinkPantheress brings pop, while Martin Carthy provides timeless folk. Emma-Jean Thackray mixes jazz with slightly more experimental sounds, and Pa Salieu offers the shortlist’s only rap entry. For fans of guitars, Sam Fender and Wolf Alice are also in the mix, however are not favoured to win.

Another big change this year is the location of the prize ceremony. For the first time, it won’t be held in London. Instead, the event will take place at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on October 16. The winner will receive £25,000, but just being nominated can bring an artist major attention.

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The Mercury Prize is designed to shine a spotlight on albums that stand out, not just in terms of sales but also creativity. Past winners, like English Teacher in 2024, have seen their careers grow quickly after taking home the award.

This year’s shortlist proves that the Mercury Prize is still relevant, still aiming to combine a mixture of sounds, styles, and stories.

@laurenwhelxn I’m still not over this #oliviaroderigo #dublin #oliviarodrigodublin @Universal Music Ireland ♬ original sound – Ur tiktok gf

The emotional cover came at the end of her set after an opener of the angsty pop rock track ‘Obsessed’ followed by well-loved songs including ‘Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl’, ‘Vampire’ and ‘Traitor’.

Rodrigo kicked it up a notch with her latest Guts World Tour, delivering unique visuals, digital collage art and a mind-blowing stage presence. Fans were also excited to see her bring back the “jealousy jealousy barricade walk” from past shows in which Rodrigo walks the barricade during her self-doubt indie-pop anthem ‘Jealousy Jealousy’.  

@ultrasecretcre @Olivia Rodrigo @livies hq #jealousy #oliviarodrigo #gutsworldtour #marlaypark ♬ som original – livie

The American artist’s nine-week number one pop ballad on the Official Singles Chart, ‘Driver’s Licence’, came before she stunned the crowd with her Fontaines D.C. cover. Rodrigo admitted her love for the band as told the audience,

“The reason why I love Dublin so much is because you guys have really amazing music here. There are so many incredible bands out of Dublin. And lately I’ve been really obsessed with this band called Fontaines D.C. I’m playing this song, like, alone in my room for fun, and I was wondering if it would be cool if I, like, played it for you guys.”.

Fans were more than happy to hear the tribute to the Irish post-punk band, who have recently announced their collaboration with the mental health campaign CALM for a charity t-shirt line. Rodrigo similarly champions for mental health and political movements, supporting WAVE (Women Against Violence Europe) for the European run of the Guts World Tour. The singer has also recently being awarded The Catalyst For Change Award by the Planned Parenthood of Greater NY Action Fund.

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Rodrigo will be performing in festivals around the UK, Europe and U.S. this summer. Catch tickets to her next exciting performances, merch site and how to support her global initiative for women and girls ‘Fund 4 Good’ on her official website.

The London musician known for his flowing, poetic raps has seemed to “turn his focus to singing instead of rapping” on his fourth studio album, as noted by NME in their four-star review.

However, the plan was not always for Carner himself to sing on the record. On an appearance on YouTube series Chicken Shop Date, he told host Amelia Dimoldenbrg about how he had Fontaines DC frontman, Grian Chatten, in mind to feature.

These were the plans until Chatten seemingly ghosted Carner, leaving the London rapper to showcase his own singing capabilities. He told Dimoldenburg: “There were a few songs that I really wanted someone to sing on.

“We [Carner and Chatten] were talking for ages and then as soon as I talked about him being on one of my tunes, he just stopped replying. It’s kind of thanks to him that I’m singing on the album.”

Carner is gearing up to headline the Other Stage at Glastonbury next weekend, after previously headlining the West Holts Stage in 2023 to rave reviews.

He kicked off the BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury last night (June 23) when he appeared on CBeebies Bedtime Stories reading I Touched the Sun by Leah Hayes. Mike Skinner and The Last Dinner Party’s Abigail Morris will also read on Bedtime Stories in the build-up to Glasto’.

@cbeebies Loyle Carner prepares for his Glastonbury headline performance with a brand new Bedtime Story. He reads his son’s favourite book ‘I Touched the Sun‘ by Leah Hayes. Mon 23 June at 6:50pm on CBeebies and iPlayer. More brand new stories this weekend from Worthy Farm! #CBeebies #CBeebiesBedtimeStories #LoyleCarner #BedtimeStory ♬ original sound – CBeebies Parenting

Speaking of his excitement in appearing on the acclaimed children’s show, Carner said: “Let’s go! I’ve practised for this every night in my son’s room. Reading a CBeebies Bedtime Story is just a magical thing to do. I know this story inside out – it’s my favourite book, and my son’s and my daughter’s. We read it almost every night.”

Fans will be looking forward to hearing Carner’s new album live for the first time at Worthy Farm on the weekend. 

In a four-star review, NME said about ‘hopefully!’: “This isn’t just Loyle Carner at his most refined, it is the start of a new chapter. As for what may come next, the answer is probably best explained in the lyrics to ‘Time To Go’: “Who am I supposed to be today? I don’t know / All I can do is take it slow.””

‘Hopefully!’ is available to stream now, or purchase from your local record store.

Following his Glastonbury headline set, Carner will head on a UK tour in November, kicking things off with four dates at London’s 02 Academy Brixton before heading to Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham and finally Manchester. Find any remaining tickets here.

The Swedish activist was sporting the shirt in a new video released on her social medias, where she was raising awareness for the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ trip. 

Thunberg and 11 other campaigners are currently sailing towards Gaza in an attempt to “break Israel’s siege” and provide humanitarian aid.

“We are watching a systematic starvation of 2 million people. A live-streamed genocide and the world’s silence is deadly. That is why we have to keep trying everything we can, even if the odds are against us.”

Zeteo contributor @GretaThunberg shares moments from the Madleen. pic.twitter.com/uaSCzf8Alt

— Zeteo (@zeteo_news) May 31, 2025

As you can see in the above video, Thunberg was wearing a football shirt released at the end of 2024 to raise funds for Medical Aid For Palestinians (MAP). MAP is a British charity that offers medical services in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon, whilst advocating for Palestinians’ rights to health and dignity.

Fontaines DC teamed up with Dublin’s Bohemians FC for the design, which features a Palestinian flag along with the words ‘Free Palestine’ in Irish (Saoirse don Phalaistin).

Thunberg explained the efforts of the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ team, saying in the video: “We will attempt to again sail towards Gaza and try to break the siege and open up a humanitarian corridor by delivering aid like food and medical supplies.

“The last time we attempted this, about a month ago, the boat, Conscience, that we were about to board got bombed twice, and all evidence suggests that it was Israel who did it. So now we are here in Catania, outside of Sicily, to try and continue our mission to try again.”

The activist also made sure to emphasise the importance of “standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine”, saying: “We are watching a systematic starvation of two million people. A live-streamed genocide and the world’s silence is deadly.

“Keep your eyes on deck. Continue flooding the streets, organise boycotts and do everything in your power to stand for Palestine.” 

Now on Sale: Our 2025 third (alternative) kit, a partnership with @fontainesdublin, designed by Carlos alongside club designers and produce in Dublin by @ONeills1918 . Shirt sales will also raise significant funds for @MedicalAidPal, who were also a beneficiary of our… pic.twitter.com/M7ZY5L0zNT — Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) December 5, 2024

Fontaines guitarist, Carlos O’Connell, spoke of the importance of the shirt which Thunberg was spotted in, saying at the time of release: “There’s few institutions in this world who stand unyielding against oppression. Bohemians FC is one of them and being a small part of this club has been an honour for us for a few years now. We will always stand with them and their values.”

The Bohemians FC shirt does not mark the only time that Fontaines have attempted to raise money for disadvantaged groups. Last summer, the band donated their $2,000 prize from a music quiz to ‘Doctors Without Borders’, as they also collaborated with Bohemians FC for a shirt in 2021 in support of a homelessness charity.

Frontman Grian Chatten explained why the group feel the need to speak out on certain issues, telling NME: “It becomes incredibly tiring and disenfranchising, not just as a musician but as a young person, to be talking about and raising awareness.

“At some point, you’ve got to do something that feels a bit more tangible, you know? It really is the responsibilty of the masses, of artists, and anyone with a voice – which is most people nowadays – to do something, say something. Which side are you on?”

You can keep up with Greta Thunberg and the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ campaign on all her social medias, or even show support yourself by purchasing the Fontaines DC x Bohemians FC shirt here.

The Dublin band will head to London on Saturday July 5 to play their biggest headline performance to date in front of 45,000 rabid fans. 

It has previously been announced that they will be joined by Aussie punk rockers Amyl And The Sniffers and fellow Irish groundbreakers Kneecap. Fans can now begin the countdown as the rest of the line-up has been announced, featuring acts from Ireland and USA.

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Blondshell, the project of singer/songwriter Sabrina Teitelbaum, will bring her “angriest, clearest, and most vulnerable” sound to North London. The LA-based musician is currently preparing to release her second album, ‘If You Asked For A Picture’ on May 2, just in time for the big summer show.

Drawing confidence from her queer identity in New York City, Blondshell fuses influences including Patti Smith and Elliot Smith. She’ll be sure to bring a unique energy to Finsbury Park in July.

 

 

 

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Whereas Blondshell brings the LA vibes, Been Stellar will be sure to channel the spirit of their hometown of New York City. Taking influence from bands such as Sonic Youth, Interpol and Radiohead, their sound has been described as “fearsome, buffeting and beautiful.”

The New York quintet released their debut full length album, ‘Scream From New York, NY’ to critical acclaim last year. They will now play in front of what will surely be their biggest crowd to date, as they look to build on their one-to-watch status.

Fontaines and Kneecap will be joined by fellow Irish brothers, Cardinals, for the summer show. Mixing a number of genres including shoegaze, pop, Irish folk, and rock, the Cork-based band will bring the punk vibes to the area with their wall-of-sound influences.

Following on from the release of their debut self-titled EP last year, and indie-sounding newest single ‘Get It’, Cardinals will be looking to build on their momentum and use the gig as a perfect platform to attract new fans.

This massive gig marks a significant milestone in the careers and lives of Fontaines D.C. Eight years on from playing in front of 30 people at the Finsbury pub in North London, the captivating band will now showcase their talents to 45,000 fans, a fact that highlights just how far the Dublin rockers have come in less than a decade.

Fontaines already have a strong connection with supporting act Kneecap and will be sure to rekindle that at the upcoming North London show. Back in December 2024 Grian Chatten, Fontaines frontman, joined Kneecap on stage as they performed at the “largest Irish-language gig in Belfast history”.

As well as the Finsbury Park gig, the band are also set to headline massive outdoor shows at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester, Cardiff Castle, and Exhibition Park in Newcastle in what is sure to be a huge summer for the band.

Speaking to NME in February to promote the single ‘It’s Amazing To Be Young’, Fontaines bassist Conor Deegan III teased some surprises for the upcoming shows, saying: “We would like to expand it [the show] but we’ll have to see what we can afford to do!

“They are going to be great gigs and we have a couple of things in mind, but I wouldn’t like to spoil it to be honest.”

Although there are limited tickets available, there are still some on sale for £60 and they can be found here. Be sure to get them quick as the few tickets remaining will be sure to go, especially after this full line-up announcement.

As UK raps biggest success story in the States, Central Cee made the cut with his Lil Baby collaboration, “BAND4BAND”. Irish singer-songwriter Hozier was featured with his soulful jam “Too Sweet”, and his fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C appeared on the list with their bouncy post-punk tune, “Favourite”.

The UK artists received a nod alongside some of the biggest international stars of the year, such as Kendrick Lamar with “Squabble Up”, Billie Eilish with “Lunch”, and Beyonce with “Texas Hold ‘Em”.

Here are my favorite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to. pic.twitter.com/MK51Z77uEb

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 21, 2024

Belfast rapper Jordan Adetunji also grabbed a spot with drill-R&B tune “Kehlani”, as did Ezra Collective & Yazmin Lacey with “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing” and alt-pop star Artemas with “I Like The Way You Kiss Me”.

Last year, Obama promised that the playlists were genuinely curated by him, saying in an interview with comedian Hasan Minhaj that he’s “very scrupulous about making sure that this is stuff I actually like”, while confessing that there are times where he gets suggestions. Earlier this year, he featured recent releases from UK artists Charli XCX, Enny and Artemas on his summer playlist, as well as classic tracks from Nick Drake, Sting and The Rolling Stones.

With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately – and it wouldn’t be my playlist if it didn’t include an eclectic mix. I hope you find something new to listen to! pic.twitter.com/aL400Ctpde — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 12, 2024

He’s kept this annual tradition up since 2015 while he was still in office, sharing both a list of his favourite tunes of the year and an extensive selection of books he’d been reading.

Fontaines D.C have had a successful year, touring the UK and US, playing a packed-out Glastonbury set, releasing their fourth album Romance to critical acclaim, and picking up two grammy nominations – for Best Rock Album and Best Alternative Music Performance.

Hozier made a commercial comeback this year, with his single “Too Sweet” propelling him back into the spotlight, topping the Billboard Hot 100 a decade after his breakout hit “Take Me To Church”. He played a sold-out tour in the US, appeared at several festival slots and topped the charts in the US as well as several European countries.

Central Cee has remained UK raps biggest export in 2024. At home, he won multiple MOBO’s and gathered four Brit nominations, all before releasing his debut album, the fittingly named Can’t Rush Greatness, which is scheduled for January 2025. He put out several singles and collaborated with American artists such as J. Cole and Lil Baby.

Cench’s transatlantic success has seen him featured before on the 2023 XXL Freshman Class, the first UK rapper to claim a space on the magazines yearly list. He’s also collaborated with Drake for an “On The Radar Freestyle”, and received recognition from US stars such as Tyga, Travis Scott and Doja Cat. He recently performed alongside Lil Baby at Rolling Loud Miami – read here for our coverage on his appearance and this years festival.

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Fontaines D.C. is a critically acclaimed post-punk band from Dublin, Ireland, known for their gritty, poetic lyrics and dynamic sound that draws from punk rock, post-punk, and traditional Irish influences. Formed in 2017, the band’s name combines Fontaines (a character from The Godfather) with D.C., short for Dublin City. Fontaines D.C. are celebrated for balancing modern punk sensibilities with a deep connection to their Irish roots, making them a standout act in the post-punk revival movement.

The band performed at the sold-out Alexandra Palace, London, yesterday. The support act was DIIV, an American indie-rock band based in Brooklyn, New York, known for their dreamy sound, combining jangly guitars and introspective lyrics. Their music often touches on themes of addiction, self-reflection, and emotional vulnerability. The rest of the tour is supported by Sorry, an indie-rock band from North London. Their music combines elements of indie rock, trip-hop, and jazz with eclectic influences ranging from 90s grunge to electronic experimentation.

See you tonight, London.

7pm: @sorrybanduk
7:50pm: @DIIV
9pm: Fontaines D.C. pic.twitter.com/jRMNMoUOvK
— Fontaines D.C. (@fontainesdublin) November 22, 2024

Fontaines D.C.’s fourth studio album ‘Romance’ was released on August 23, 2024. It marks a bold evolution in their sound. Moving beyond their earlier focus on Irish identity, the band explores more surreal, fantastical themes and emotional depth. Whilst labelled as a post-punk band, Fontaines D.C. is hoping to achieve something different with their latest release.

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me, insofar as it made me want to prove that we weren’t that,” frontman Grian Chatten told GQ, “with each record we’ve said, there’s no way they can call this a punk record or a postpunk record, and they always fucking do.”

The song ‘Starbuster‘ from the new album has so far received the most listens on Spotify.

The band will also tour the USA, Japan, Australia and New Zealand in 2025. For tickets for the rest of their UK & Ireland tour, you can visit their website or check for updates on upcoming shows on their Instagram.

The show promises an exciting preview on the eve of the album’s official UK release the following day. About the imminent release of Romance, lead singer Grian Chatten recently told Rolling Stone: “The infrastructure, visually and sonically, feels a bit more robust, but we’re always going to have a ramshackle element. Whether we’re playing big arenas or not, there’s always going to be a sense of anarchy in what we do and the way we perform. We’re still just walking on a tight rope.”

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 After rocketing to local fame playing Dublin venues, the band caught mass attention with their debut album Dogrel, which dropped in April 2019 to critical acclaim, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and solidifying their place in the post-punk revival scene. The follow-up, A Hero’s Death, released in July 2020, further cemented their status, garnering a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album. Their third album, Skinty Fia, released in 2022, achieved number one on both the Irish and UK Albums Charts.

The band has released all the album’s singles individually, most recently sharing  “In the Modern World” with fans, a pensive orchestral track channelling more accessible guitar-pop influences as opposed to the post-punk flavour of the group’s early work. Critics quickly noted the song as emblematic of the band’s evolving sound and emotional pitch.

“It’s a nihilistic take on modern living, on how capitalism and consumption suck out all feeling — even the bad ones. The new single was penned in Los Angeles and borrows from the stylings of Lana Del Rey, two influences that couldn’t seem much further from the places and people that first influenced Fontaines on Dogrel,” wrote Elle Palmer of Far Out Magazine about “In the Modern World”.

“It makes sense, then, that ‘In the Modern World’ acts as a distillation of their changing sound and perfectly sets us up for the release of Romance,” Palmer added.

In a similar step-change, “Favourite” channels softer 2000s indie flavours, while “Starburster” shares the same theatrical orchestral ambition as “In the Modern World,” combined with punchy, empty-room percussion and wrapped vocals.

Regarding the band’s directional shift on Romance, the Guardian wrote that “Romance is more straightforwardly approachable than any Fontaines DC album to date […] but it doesn’t sacrifice any of the band’s potency in the process: thrillingly, it still carries the same grimy, careworn, aggressive qualities as their previous work.”

The popularity of tickets for the Electric Ballroom gig, despite the abrupt nature of the show’s announcement, is testament to the wave of popularity that Fontaines are riding, and this fan loyalty has proven persistent through previous stylistic course-shifts the band have offered in recent years. Now, though, with perhaps their most dramatic tonal redirection, the fast selling tickets for tomorrow’s performance is a sign that clamour for Fontaines is as strong as ever. Some remaining tickets for the intimate launch gig at Electric Ballroom can be found here.