The Mercury Prize took to their Instagram to announce the news whilst counting down until next week’s event.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mercury Prize (@mercuryprize)

The prize will be rewarded to the winner chosen from the shortlist of 12 nominees and the album which garnered their nomination and inclusion. Along with the winner announcement, the ceremony will also include short films by SAULT and Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the LSO which concern their albums. The event’s website provides the following description for the Mercury Prize. “The Hyundai Mercury Prize promotes the best of UK and Irish music and the artists who produce it. This is done through the celebration of the 12 ‘Albums of the Year’, recognising artistic achievement across a range of contemporary music genres. It is the music equivalent to the Booker Prize for literature and the Turner Prize for art. The main objectives of the Prize are to recognise and celebrate artistic achievement, provide a snapshot of the year in music and to help introduce new albums from a range of music genres to a wider audience.”

The celebrated DJ and industry figure will take the stage at London’s Eventim Apollo on 9th September 2021 to hand the prestigious award to the winner of this year’s prize.  The former BBC Radio 1 DJ will be joined by fellow BBC broadcaster Lauren Laverne who will be responsible for hosting this year’s event. Mac has spoken on her involvement within this year’s ceremony and expresses the hard decision to choose a winner from the shortlist full of high calibre albums. “This year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize shortlist highlights how remarkably creative and diverse British music is at the moment. Choosing one overall winner from these 12 outstanding albums will be a tough challenge for the judging team. I’m looking forward to announcing our decision at the Awards Show.”

Mac will also be joining the judging panel; the award’s panel are comprised of top industry experts and professionals as well as last year’s winner Michael Kiwanuka who won the Mercury prize for his third studio album Kiwanuka. Joining the singer-songwriter on the judging panel includes famed musician Jamie Cullum and three-time Mercury prize nominee Anna Calvi. Heading the judging panel is the head of Music at stations 6 Music and Radio 2, Jeff Smith who is also the chair of the judging committee. Also included within the respected list of music professionals is Broadcaster and DJ Danielle Perry, presenter and writer Gemma Cairney, Music consultant Mike Walsh, Lanterns on the Lake band-member Hazel Wilde, editorial director for Vice.com Tshepo Mokoena, creative director for Kerrang! and contributing editor of Mojo Phil Alexander and Will Hodgkinson, known as the top rock and pop critic for The Times.

The judges for this year’s event have provided the following statement concerning their involvement in the process. “It is testament to the strength of British music that, during a year which saw musicians face the toughest challenges of their lives, so many remarkable albums came out nonetheless. There was an embarrassment of riches for this year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize judges to choose from, but the final twelve show how diverse, vibrant and far-reaching British music continues to be. Choosing one winner out of twelve albums that bring so much hope for the future will be a challenge indeed.”

The twelve shortlisted albums for the 2021 Mercury prize include Collapsed in Sunbeams by Alro Parks, DEMOTAPE/VEGA released by BERWYN, For the First Time by Black Country, New Road, Celeste’s album Not Your Muse, Promises by Floating Points, Pharaoh Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra, Conflict of Interest by Ghetts, Fir Wave released by Hannah Peel, Pink Noise by Laura Mvula, As the Love Continues by Mogwai, SOURCE by Nubya Garcia, Untitled (Rise) released by SAULT and Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice.

Radio coverage will be available via the event’s partner, fans will be able to listen to the ceremony on BBC four and BBC radio 6 music. The featured segments will include live performances from the nominees and will countdown live to the event’s winner. From 9 pm until 10:15 pm BBC Four will feature Hyundai Mercury Prize 2021 Live: Album of the Year and Tom Ravenscroft will host the coverage entitled The Mercury Prize on BBC Radio 6 Music via BBC Radio 6 Music from 8 pm until 12 am. Two days before the event BBC Radio 6 Music will also provide a nostalgic look back at past winners entitled The Mercury Prize: Winners’ Playlist from 4 am until 5 am. BBC Sounds will also include the station’s programme as well as information regarding this year’s shortlist.

The shortlist has been shared on social media and includes five debuts: Arlo Parks, Celeste, Black Country, Nubya Garcia and Berwyn.

The 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize Shortlist has been announced!

Congratulations to:@arloparks@berwynberwyn_@BCNRband@celeste@floatingpoints@THEREALGHETTS@Hanpeel@lauramvula@mogwaiband@nubya_garcia@SaultGlobal@wolfalicemusic #HyundaiMercuryPrize pic.twitter.com/Z728zcSuXR

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 22, 2021

The list also includes Wolf Alice, who won the prestigious award back in 2018 for “Visions of A Life” and acknowledgement for their debut album “My Love Is Cool” in 2015. Mvula was nominated twice before, in 2013 for “Sing To The Moon” and in 2016 for “The Dreaming Room“.

Arctic Monkeys, PJ Harvey and Laura Marling are the only ones with three nods each, and Harvey is the only artist with two wins.

“The Mercury Prize is known for championing a wide range of musical genres, with Primal Scream winning the first award in 1992 and artists including Ms Dynamite, Pulp, Dave, Roni Size, Skepta, Elbow, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and The XX among the acts who went on to claim the prize“. 

The records will be judged by a panel of music critics and industry professionals. This year it will be three-time nominee Anna Calvi, Dj and radio presenter Annie Mac, Musician Jamie Cullum and last year winner Michael Kiwanuka.

The 2021 eligibility period for best album ran from 18th July 2020 to 16th July 2021. David Wilkinson, A mercury Price chairman said that even though last year has been challenging, “creatively, this is shaping up to be an exceptional year for British music – with so many outstanding albums“.

The gala will take place on 9th September at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. More info about it can be found on the official website.

See the shortlist for Hyundai Mercury Prize 2021:
Arlo Parks: “Collapsed in Sunbeams”
Berwyn: “Demotape/Vega”
Black Country, New Road: “For the First Time…”
Celeste: “Not Your Muse”
Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / The London Symphony Orchestra: “Promises”
Ghetts: “Conflict of Interest”
Hannah Peel: “Fir Wave”
Laura Mvula: “Pink Noise”
Mogwai: “As the Love Continues”
Nubya Garcia: “Source”
Sault: “Untitled (Rise)”
Wolf Alice: “Blue Weekend”

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat