View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laura Marling (@lauramarling)

These concerts will also mark Marling’s return to Manchester for the first time since her last tour in 2021. To make the performances even more special, she will be accompanied by a string ensemble, adding a rich and orchestral depth to her arrangements. This unique setup is expected to bring new life to both her latest songs and past favourites, making these shows an unmissable experience for long-time listeners and new fans alike. 

Widely regarded as one of the UK’s most accomplished folk singer-songwriters, Marling first emerged in the late 2000s as part of the nu-folk movement. Drawing inspiration from classic artists like Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan, her music is known for its intricate acoustic melodies, poetic lyricism, and forward-thinking themes. Over the years, she has released eight studio albums, each showcasing her evolution as a musician. From the raw, narrative-driven sound of ‘Once I Was an Eagle’ to the important feminist themes of ‘Semper Femina’, Marling has continued to push boundaries within the folk genre, earning world-wide success and a dedicated fanbase along the way. 

The decision to limit her 2025 live appearances to these two Manchester dates is largely influenced by her personal life. In 2023, Marling became a mother, a shift that has deeply impacted her creative direction and work-life balance. Her latest album, ‘Patterns in Repeat’, released in 2024 which these two shows are in aid of, reflects this new chapter in her life, exploring themes of family, change, and self-reflection. Written and recorded in her home studio, the album takes a stripped-back, minimalist approach, allowing Marling’s delicate yet powerful vocals to take centre stage. These upcoming performances will give fans the first chance to hear ‘Patterns in Repeat’ live, alongside selections from her extensive catalogue. 

Marling has never been one to follow industry trends or fall under the pressures of relentless touring. Instead, she has remained steadfast in her commitment to creating music on her own terms. The choice to perform exclusively in Manchester highlights her selective approach to live performances, ensuring that each show is meaningful and carefully curated making her a completely unique artist.   

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Laura Marling (@lauramarling)

With her unmistakable voice, poetic storytelling, and deeply personal songwriting, Laura Marling’s return to the stage in 2025 is set to be a standout moment in the music calendar. These two performances will not only celebrate her latest work but also reaffirm her status as one of the most compelling and authentic voices in contemporary folk music. 

 Ticket information can be found here.

Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay teamed up in 2016 to form the collaborative band LUMP. Lindsay, a mercury prize-winning producer, and Marling, the Brit award-winning singer-songwriter, have since described LUMP as “a sort of persona and an idea and a creature. Through LUMP we find our inner animal, and through that animal we travel into a parallel universe.”

The two emotionally intelligent musicians have channelled this captivating inner persona into their new song ‘Climb Every Wall‘. In a recent press release Laura Marling from LUMP explained the reason behind the title and lyrics of their new track. Marling stated:

“I’d watched a film called The Perverts Guide to Ideology about how ideology is woven into Hollywood cinema, and there was a bit about how in Communist countries they cut out the song ‘Climb Every Mountain’ from the Sound of Music because it’s too much of a personal, individualistic ideology, so that’s where I got the title.”

The personal feel to ‘Climb Every Wall‘ is strengthened by the song being recorded in Marling’s home studio in Kent. It’s soulful, nostalgic melodies show for a promising album.

Such promising futures for both Marling and Lindsay are nothing new. Marling’s seventh album ‘Song for Our Daughter‘ which was released last April and achieved great critical acclaim. The album ‘Animal‘ was written simultaneously to ‘Song for Our Daughter‘ so fans can expect great things.

You can listen to LUMP’s new single here:

For this year’s #6MusicFestival we’re bringing you 9 brand new performances recorded at Alexandra Palace and BBC Radio Theatre alongside some of our favourite archive performances from previous years.

26th-28th March.

Watch on @BBCiPlayer and listen on @BBCSounds. pic.twitter.com/QunY9Ib55e

— BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) March 12, 2021

The festival will take place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer, with select performances being aired on 6 Music. The new performances were filmed at Alexandra Palace and the BBC Radio Theatre in BBC Broadcasting House, adhering to social distancing guidelines. 

Kiwanuka said about the upcoming festival: “It feels great to be playing the 6 Music Festival this year, especially because I missed last year – I was so sad and gutted not to perform. This year is a special year because there are very few opportunities to get to play live, with the situation we’re in in the world. So it’s great to be able to express myself the way I know how and with the 6 Music family. It means a lot.” 

Head of BBC Radio 6 Music Samantha Moy added: “With venues closed across the UK, we are determined to celebrate live music, as we know 6 Music listeners are missing gigs as much as we are. So we’ve raided the 6 Music Festival archives and moved heaven and earth to record some new performances, to ensure that the festival will go on!” 

There will also be a special programme aired on BBC 4 on Friday 26th March at 11pm, airing clips from the headline performances of Kiwanuka, Marling and Bicep. The show will also feature an interview of Kiwanuka from Radio 6 presenter and singer Cerys Matthews. 

Check out all the info here! 

Of the most popular songs this year, a significant number are collaborations, which has brought new sounds to the limelight. Some have been from breakthrough acts, and all are reflections of the various events of 2020. Here are our top ten songs of 2020.

10. Contagion – Napalm Death
Arguably the highest peak in Napalm Death’s sixteenth record Thores of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism (Century Media, 2020), ‘Contagion’ is the ruthless manifestation of Napalm Death’s forty-year long crusade against ignorance and social injustice. In a milestone album with influences ranging from signature grindcore to old-school industrial, the track is a straightforward brutal tirade against greed and corruption.

With music and lyrics by bassist Shane Embury and produced by Russ Russell (At The Gates, Dimmu Burgir, Exploited), ‘Contagion’ captures the rage and defiance of the whole record. The song is a fast and precise blend of grind and death metal, with doom feel and hardcore attitude. It is moody and angry, but above all, it is pure Napalm Death and one to remember 2020 with.

- Viktor Balchikliev

9. Strange Girl – Laura Marling
Strange Girl was written by Laura Marling and comes from her seventh studio album ‘Song for Our Daughter’ which was released in April of 2020. ‘Song for Our Daughter’ was co-produced by Laura Marling and long-time collaborator Ethan Johns. The album is a collection of messages Laura wants to convey to her future daughter.

The song addresses this fictional daughter as someone quite like Marling and has given up financial stability to pursue her art. The song is the perfect dance around the kitchen song, it follows the classic folk song style of and undeniable beat with a beautiful message, told through passionate lyrics. ‘Song For Our Daughter’ was shortlisted for the 2020 Mercury Awards and was also nominated for Best Folk Album in the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

- Susan Owens

8. Heat Waves – Glass Animals
Written by Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley and produced by Paul Epworth (Adele, Rihanna, Florence and the Machine), has been pivotal in the band’s career – and this year for fans, gaining over 64 million streams. ‘Heat Waves’ is blends genres in the way that Glass Animals so often do; despite featuring hip-hop beats and influences from trap music, there is ultimately an electro-pop sound running throughout.

This was one of many singles to be shared from the band’s latest album ‘Dreamland’, premiering in June, with the album following in August. Lyrically, the song focuses on combatting the judgement of other people and staying true to one’s own path. Bayley wrote on Instagram, “It’s about realising you can’t make everyone happy. And realising it’s ok to be defeated by something,” going on to say, “being vulnerable should be a positive thing.”

7. Head &Heart – Joel Corry ft. MNEK
Head & Heart by Joel Corry, featuring the widely popular MNEK on vocals, was the UK’s favourite dance-track of the summer after its massive release in July. The single had the added benefit of being mixed by the acclaimed Kevin Grainger who has worked on iconic dance records, including with the late Avicii. Head & Heart was the fun and optimistic club-banger that was sorely needed in a time of isolation and therefore rocketed to the top of the charts in its first week.

Corry is a relatively new artist, only breaking onto the London DJ scene in 2019, so his success with this track has been unprecedented as it sat at the number 1 spot on the UK Single Charts for 6 weeks straight. Corry has come a long way from his reality television days on Geordie Shore as Head & Heart has made him one of London’s most successful DJ’s and producers of the year. It would be fitting to say that Head & Heart makes 2020’s heart go ‘boom boom bah doom!’

- Shana Briddock

6. Ain’t It Different – Headie One ft. Stormzy and AJ Tracey
‘Ain’t It Different’ was written by 13 writers (including AJ Tracey) and produced by Fred (Ed Sheehan, Rita Ora, Major Lazer, Ellie Goulding) and Toddla T (Major Lazer, Sean Paul). The song sees the three rappers trade straight-talking bars about how different their lives are now.

It’s an important message depicting how different their lives have changed since their younger days, which uses samples from M-Dubs’ Bump and Grind and Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Pretty Little Dirty. Sitting at over 60 million streams and peaking at number 2 in the UK charts, these rap and R’n’B legends have hit out with a powerful and immersive song.

- Rory Aitken

5. Obey – Bring Me The Horizon and Yungblud
‘Obey’ is a collaboration between two pop-punk giants; Yungblud and Bring Me The Horizon. Full of battering guitars, hard-hitting drum beats and electric vocals, the song pulls from multiple genres nu metal, electronic dance music and rave music.

Throughout, the song carries a riotous energy, focusing on the oppression and suffering many face due to government control; “Obey, We’re gonna show you how to behave, Obey It’s nicer when you can’t see the chains.”  The track has received universal acclaim from fans and critics alike, being voted Annie Mac’s Hottest Record of the Year for 2020.

- Lily Blakeney-Edwards

4. Rain – Aitch, AJ Tracey and Tay Keith
Two of the biggest names in UK rap, Aitch and AJ Tracey, released their track ‘Rain’ this year on the 5^th of May 2020. The track was produced by Tay Keith, who also featured on the hit single which was premiered on BBC Radio 1 and 1XTRA as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record In The World and DJ Target’s ‘Targo Embargo’.

The LA Filmed video was produced by Arrad. NME says it “sees Aitch and AJ making it rain – both literally and metaphorically – as they hold onto stacks of dollar bills and rock various pieces of iced- out jewellery.” The 3 rap artists roll out their lyrics effortlessly over a heavy piano beat produced by Tay Keith. The highly anticipated track was a brilliant collaboration and it’s therefore no surprise it was a huge hit this year.

- Ashleigh K

3. All I Need – Jacob Collier ft. Mahalia and Ty Dolla $ign
Penned by our very own Jacob Collier, the ‘Clarity’ artist offers a soulful, R&B infused standout single. A creative collision between Jacobs, American rapper Ty Dolla $ign and singer- songwriter Mahalia (formally known as Mahalia Burkmar), All I Need draws upon the three artists’ eclectic and equally strong vocal prowesses.

‘All I Need’ is taken from Collier’s fourth studio album, ‘Djesse Vol. 3′. Released back in August, ‘All I Need’ is a genre-blending, foot-tapping bop, filled to the brim with sounds of both neo-soul and synth pop. Lyrically, the track hones in on the all too relatable feeling of infatuation. Collier sings: “I love the way that I feel when you put your arms over me/(There must be something I could say to make you stay baby)”. He said of the track’s meaning: “In the gorgeous, naive space that exists when one falls in love with somebody, it can really feel like they are exactly everything you need in that moment.”

- Sadie Willis-Falkiner

2. Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa
Released as a single ahead of her successful ‘Future Nostalgia,’ album late last year, Dua Lipa’s ‘Don’t Start Now,’ made a splash which has led to it to becoming one of the biggest hits of 2020. The tune charted at number 2 on the official charts, only narrowly behind her two biggest hits, the UK number ones ‘New Rules,’ and ‘One Kiss,’ and it remained on the charts for a whopping 52 weeks.

Like the rest of ‘Future Nostalgia,’ don’t start now has a retro 80s disco vibe with a great bassline and neat guitar work, the lyrics are in some ways typical of Dua Lipa’s songwriting, dealing with everyday themes like relationships and heartbreak with simple, yet effective delivery. As we head into 2021 ‘Don’t Start Now,’ is still one of the hottest tracks in a hear of British music which has undoubtably been owned by Dua Lipa.

- Felix Leif

1. Black Dog – Arlo Parks
2020 was a breakthrough year for Arlo Parks, and in ‘Black Dog’ the Londoner produced a timely and powerful reflection on mental health which captured the frustrated, longing mood of a nation in lockdown. Parks’ lyrics fuse the mundanity of everyday life stuck indoors (“Let’s go to the corner store and buy some fruit/ I would do anything to get you out your room”) with a dark sensuality, particularly that superb opening line, “I’d like the grief right off your lips/ You do your eyes like Robert Smith”.

It’s a curious and winning combination which has gained over 10 million streams. Sonically, ‘Black Dog’ is sweetly melodic and quietly intense: an indie ballad which blends in folk and R&B influences to stirring effect.

2021 looks set to be another big year for Parks – her debut LP ‘Collapsed In Sunbeams’ is due for release next month – and you wouldn’t bet against this prodigious young talent scaling new heights in the very near future.

- Daniel Parker

This year has not been an easy one. However, it has certainly underlined the importance of music and the role it has to play to unite us, heal us and make the hard times more bearable.

These are our favourite albums for 2020 x#RTTop100https://t.co/wxjLOSljGa

— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) November 10, 2020

Precious little is known about Sault’s origins and make-up other than a handful of credited guest appearances; including Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka and Laurette Josiah on Untitled (Black Is). What is certain is that they are a prolific bunch. The Guardian highlighted this neatly in their review of Untitled (Rise), the September successor to Black Is.

They wrote: “Sault seem to use the time they save by not promoting their albums or engaging with the public profitably. ‘Untitled (Rise)’ is not only their fourth album in 18 months, it’s their second double album in just over 12 weeks. It’s a work rate that would seem remarkable at any point in pop history, but feels positively astonishing today, compounded by the fact that its predecessor gave the impression of having been largely written and recorded in response to the murder of George Floyd, less than a month before it was released.”

British-Japanese singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama comes in third on the Rough Trade list with her first full studio album Sawayama, which the label describe as “a giant megazord of monster pop, built to defeat the drab mundanity destroying our lives“. In a statement shared by Pitchfork earlier this year, the London-based artist described the album as “…about understanding yourself in the context of two opposing cultures (for me British and Japanese), what “belonging” means when home is an evolving concept, figuring out where you sit comfortably within and awkwardly outside of stereotypes, and ultimately trying to be ok with just being you, warts and all.”

Also featuring in the Rough Trade top 5 are Laura Marling’s seventh album Song For Our Daughter, which Rough Trade describe as the folk singer’s “most tranquil, clear and idyllic to date“; and Beyond The Pale, the debut LP from Jarvis Cocker’s latest musical incarnation Jarv Is… In the absence of live shows, the Pulp frontman recently announced a cinematic tour of the new record which is scheduled to begin next week.

The other UK-based acts featuring in the top 10 spots in Rough Trade’s list are Anglo-Icelandic punk-pop trio Dream Wife with their sophomore album So When You Gonna…; Geordie Rockers Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (aka Pigs x7) with their third record Visceral; Hull ‘gothic shoegaze’ merchants Bdrmm with Bedroom; and Brighton quartet Porridge Radio with Every Bad, which Rough Trade praise for its “searing riffs and melodic incantations“.

Elsewhere there are nods in the Top 100 for Manic Street Preachers frontman and guitar hero James Dean Bradfield; Leicester indie-pop veterans Cornershop; Wembley-born Hollywood star and hip-hop artist Riz Ahmed; and Welsh electronicsongstress Kelly Lee Owens. The full list of Rough Trade’s Albums Of The Year 2020 (from 100-1) is as follows:

100 – Caleb Landry Jones – Mother Stone
99 – Yumi Zouma – Truth or Consequences
98 – Caroline Rose – Superstar
97 – Keeley Forsyth – Debris
96 – Monophonics – It’s Only Us
95 – Pinegrove – Marigold
94 – Khruangbin – Mordechai
93 – Rival Consoles – Articulation
92 – Clipping – Visions of Bodies Being Burned
91 – Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension
90 – Destroyer – Have We Met
89 – Adrienne Lenker – Songs and Instrumentals
88 – Chats – High Risk Behaviour
87 – Bob Dylan – Rough And Rowdy Ways
86 – Denzel Curry x Kenny Beats – Unlocked
85 – Wire – Mind Hive
84 – Bent – Up In The Air
83 – Chuck Prophet – The Land That Time Forgot
82 – X – Alphabetland
81 – Slow Pulp – Moveys
80 – Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman
79 – Rudy De Anda – Tender Epoch
78 – Jason Isbell – Reunions
77 – Grimes – Miss Anthropocene
76 – Public Practice – Gentle Grip
75 – Disq – Collector
74 – Bambara – Stray
73 – Dan Michaelson – Colourfield
72 – Riz Ahmed – The Long Goodbye
71 – Cherry Pickles – The Juice That’s Worth The Squeeze
70 – The Nude Party – Midnight Manor
69 – Action Bronson – Only For Dolphins
68 – Field Music – Making A New World
67 – Bananagun – The True Story Of
66 – James Dean Bradfield – Even In Exile
65 – Max Richter – Voices
64 – Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
63 – BC Camplight – Shortly After Takeoff
62 – Sneaks – Happy Birthday
61 – Video Age – Pleasure Line
60 – Everything Is Recorded – Friday Forever
59 – Mark Lanegan - Straight Songs Of Sorrow
58 – Nicolas Jaar – Cenizas
57 – Ghostpoet – I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep
56 – Thundercat – It Is What It Is
55 – Chicano Batman – Invisible People
54 – King Krule – Man Alive
53 – Habibi – Anywhere But Here
52 – Agnes Obel – Myopia
51 – Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist – Alfredo
50 – Nick Hakim – WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD
49 – Jessy Lanza – All The Time
48 – Bob Mould – Blue Hearts
47 – Aqulies Navarro + Tcheser Holmes – Heritage of the Invisible II
46 – Dehd – Flower of Devotion
45 – Pole – Fading
44 – Shopping – All Or Nothing
43 – Mush – 3D Routine
42 – Heliocentrics – Infinity of Now
41 – Romare – Home
40 – Yaeji – What We Drew
39 – Damaged Bug – Bug On Yonkers
38 – Big Moon – Walking Like We Do
37 – Olafur Arnalds – some kind of peace
36 – Nation Of Language – Introduction, Presence
35 – Margo Price – That’s How Rumours Get Started
34 – Keleketla! – Keleketla!
33 – Coriky – Coriky
32 – Slift – Ummon
31 – A Certain Ratio – Loco
30 – Four Tet – Sixteen Oceans
29 – Courtney Marie Andrews – Old Flowers
28 – Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song
27 – Brigid Mae Power – Head Above Water
26 – Isobel Campbell – There Is No Other
25 – Run The Jewels – RTJ4
24 – Georgia – Seeking Thrills
23 – Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
22 – Beths – Jump Rope Gazers
21 – Yves Tumour – Heaven To A Tortured Mind
20 – Hazel English – Wake Up
19 – Kamaal Williams – Wu Hen
18 – Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud
17 – Thurston Moore – By The Fire
16 – Tom Misch / Yuseff Dayes – What Kinda Music
15 – Caribou – Suddenly
14 – Idles – Ultra Mono
13 – Osees – Protean Threat
12 – Oklou – Galore
11 – Cornershop – England Is A Garden
10 – Rolling Blackouts – Sideways To New Italy
9 – Porridge Radio – Every Bad
8 – bdrmm – Bedroom
7 – Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Viscerals
6 – Dream Wife – So When You Gonna…
5 – Jarv Is – Beyond The Pale
4 – Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter
3 – Rina Sawayama – Sawayama
2 – Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
1 – Sault – Untitled (Black Is)

Webster was also celebrating another milestone this week, with his musical love-letter to Liverpool, This Place, topping one million streams on Spotify. He took to social media today to thank fans for their ‘mind-blowing‘ support.

1 million streams for this place. Your support is mind blowing. Thank you ❤️.

My city, my people, my heart pic.twitter.com/Yh9jqsLYY4

— Jamie Webster (@JamieWebster94) October 19, 2020

Webster, who counts Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp among his biggest fans, spoke to the Official Charts website about his delight at securing the inaugural Folk Albums top spot: “I grew up listening to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Johnny Cash…Whilst growing up I didn’t actually know that it was folk that I was listening to, I just liked the real-life stories that were being told in the songs. It was later on that I realised that it’s the stories and realities told which makes the songs folk songs. I’ve always tried to tell stories in my music and talk about real life issues, I think that’s the only way to do it. And to officially get recognition in this way is something I’m really proud of.”

The introductory Folk Top 40 show was presented by legendary DJ and author Mark Radcliffe, and streamed live on YouTube yesterday. The hour-and-a-half chart show served as a whistle-stop musical tour of the folk scene across the British Isles, with performances from Welsh chamber folk collective Vri, Scottish songwriter Kris Drever; Anglo-Irish duo The Breath; Belfast’s Joshua Burnside; and Yorkshire songstress Fay Hield.

Jamie Webster’s This Place headed up an eclectic top 40 which featured a mixture of well-established artists (socialist folk rockers The Levellers; Penistone singer Kate Rusby; Devon’s Seth Lakeman; veteran vocalist Shirley Collins) and performers whose stature on the scene has grown over recent years: including Bristol outfit The Longest Johns and Caernarfon group Bwncath.

The number two slot was occupied by Laura Marling and her Mercury Prize-nominated release Song For Our Daughter, which also peaked at number six in the main UK Albums Chart earlier in the year. The Berkshire product had switched record labels from Virgin EMI to Partisan/Chrysalis for the album; a move which she told Music Week had ultimately made for a perfect creative match.

Marling said “I was with Virgin for a long time, which was a very different world. Working with Partisan and Chrysalis on Song For Our Daughter was exactly what I hoped it would be in that there was a small, dedicated group of people working their hardest to serve the project. I’m not an obstinate person, but I’m not going to do many outlandish bits of promo and I’m not easy to market. I’m also a niche artist, but they were constantly coming up with creative ways that both met my comfort levels and their needs to see the fruits of their labour, so that was great.”

You can find the full Folk Albums Top 40 on the Official Charts website here. The Top 40 will be published online on the first Monday of every month, with the next official chart reflecting October sales due on Monday 2nd November.

#TimsTwitterListeningParty pic.twitter.com/8O0GkRf0Se

— Tim’s Listening Party (@LlSTENlNG_PARTY) August 28, 2020

#TimsTwitterListeningParties have only gained in popularity throughout the duration of lockdown. Tim Burgess initially brought them back at the height of isolation, and they proved to be one of the best ways that social media could be used as a force for good. There have been at least 400 Listening Parties – at least one almost every night since March 23 2020, when they kicked off with the Charlatans’ Some Friendly. 

The premise is that everyone puts an album on at the same time and then a commentary is produced by a number of people who were responsible for putting the album together. These range from the informative to the hilarious, and Bonehead always cries when he comes to the end of hosting a Listening Party. At the same time, you can ask questions or share opinions in real time.

It’s also worth noting that there is a degree of excitement that you get when you know that all over the world people are listening to the same album at the same time. In the absence of live music, knowing that everyone is going to put on a great song at the same time feels like a unifying event. Each Listening Party is then available forever at https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/, where the tweets are archived in the order that they were sent out.

Digging even deeper into archive for this one — original demos, all sorts https://t.co/u9AJYCAbgz

— Sports Team (@SportsTeam_) August 28, 2020

The 2020 Mercury Prize nominees were announced earlier this month. Other than the ones listed above, they are Charli XCX, Kano, Michael Kiwanuka, Dua Lipa and Stormzy. This year, for the first time ever, there are more female solo artist nominees than male.

This is Laura Marling’s fourth Mercury Prize nomination, so she comes in at joint second for the most nominations ever, alongside PJ Harvey and Arctic Monkeys. The group who have been nominated most in the Prize’s 29-year history are Radiohead, who have had five albums up for the Prize. Stormzy’s Heavy Is the Head, on the other hand, is the grime star’s first ever nomination. Everything you need to know about the 2020 Prize is here.

Like everything, the Mercury Prize has had to do a little adapting this year. What you can expect on the day of the awards is a whole lot of great TV and radio coverage from the Mercury Prize partner BBC Music, in place of a live event. This isn’t completely confirmed yet, but in the meantime, you can get involved in the Listening Parties to get excited! Times and dates are below.

Wednesday 2 September 2020
8pm – Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
9pm – Moses Boyd – Dark Matter

Thursday 3 September
7pm – Georgia – Seeking Thrills
8pm – Anna Meredith – Fibs
9pm – Porridge Radio – Every Bad

Wednesday 9 September
8pm – Lanterns on the Lake – Spook the Herd

Thursday 10 September
9pm – Sports Team – Deep Down Happy

The 2020 #HyundaiMercuryPrize Shortlist has been revealed! Let’s take a deeper look at the 12 incredible albums that make up a snapshot in music over the past twelve months… pic.twitter.com/2xuP1WtMWG

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 23, 2020

On her BBC Radio 6 Music slot this morning, showhost Lauren Laverne revealed a record-breaking shortlist that for the first time in the award’s 29 year history included more women solo artists than men. Alongside mixed gender groups Sports Team, Porridge Radio and Lanterns on the Lake, five women were nominated for the award. In addition to Scottish composer Anna Meredith and English folk singer Laura Marling, Dua Lipa, Charli XCX and Georgia all hail from the pop sphere, though a pop album has not won the award since M People’s Elegant Slumming in 1994.

Charli was one of several artists to record their reaction from lockdown, saying that “it feels really good to be recognised, especially when there are so many incredible artists making so many bold steps and albums at the moment”. While the nominations have platformed Newcastle indie underdogs Lanterns on the Lake (frontwoman Hazel Wilde works a part-time job at Newcastle University to help fund the project), eyebrows have been raised at the omission of critical darlings Rina Sawayama and FKA twigs. Similarly, Guardian columnist Alexis Petridis lamented that despite Dave’s win last year, UK rap newcomer J Hus hadn’t got a look in so as to make way for genre staples Kano and Stormzy.  

“Stop! Whoa!” Here’s @charli_xcx‘s reaction to making the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize Shortlist! #HyundaiMercuryPrize pic.twitter.com/aNJe9zEkOW

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 23, 2020

Marling’s Song for Our Daughter – an album addressed to a fictional, future daughter inspired by the concept of Maya Angelou’s book Letter to My Daughter (2009) – is the singer-songwriter’s fourth Mercury nomination, making her the joint second most nominated artist (level with PJ Harvey and the Arctic Monkeys) in the award’s history, just lagging behind Radiohead’s five. Like the Oxford five-piece, none of her previous entries have yet won her the £25,000 prize.

Fellow nominee (and bookies’ favourite) Michael Kiwanuka also matched previous award records, joining Coldplay and Anna Calvi in having all of his first three studio albums nominated. This year’s obligatory jazz nomination (made seemingly into an unwritten tradition in recent years) went to Moses Boyd’s Dark Matter. As of now, the awards ceremony is still set to take place on the 10th of September at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, though organisers will of course have to wait on future government guidance. Read the full list in alphabetical order below:

Moses Boyd – Dark Matter

Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now

Georgia – Seeking Thrills 

Kano – Hoodies All Summer

Michael Kiwanuka – KIWANUKA

Lanterns on the Lake – Spook the Herd

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter

Anna Meredith – FIBS

Porridge Radio – Every Bad 

Sports Team – Deep Down Happy

Stormzy – Heavy Is the Head

Marling took to Twitter to let fans know that she has been working on a new album, revealing the name and release date, which is earlier than originally planned. In a statement, she said “My new album ‘Song For Our Daughter’ is coming out this week, ahead of our planned schedule. In light of the change to all our circumstances, I saw no reason to hold back on something that, at the very least, might entertain, and at its best, provide some sense of union.”

Song For Our Daughter.
New album released 10th April.https://t.co/cRG4ZZ0Vey pic.twitter.com/geTxmDBaA7

— Laura Marling (@lauramarlinghq) April 5, 2020

 With this surprise announcement, Marling also released the first single from the album, called ‘Held Down’, yesterday (Sunday 5th April). The song premiered in her Instagram Live when she performed an acoustic guitar cover from her home. This is the first new music she has put out since her 2018 collaborative album ‘LUMP’. The singer has been connecting with fans through Instagram and Twitter by posting guitar tutorials for her songs on Instagram TV over the past few weeks, which fans are following and enjoying.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Isolation Guitar Tutorials have got themselves organised. Every Thursday and Sunday, live @ 7pm uk, 3pm EST. And for those who’s timezone makes attendance tricky, the live lessons will be followed up shortly after with catch up pause-and-play episodes (the first two of which are up already on IGTV). Really enjoying seeing your progress, keep sending them. (The best way for me to see them, as far as I can tell, is via stories or #LMGuitar or if your shy, send a video message) A post shared by Laura Marling (@lauramarling) on Mar 25, 2020 at 8:07am PDT

Marling had planned to tour in the UK, Europe, the US and Canada this year, but unfortunately had to postpone all shows due to the spread of Covid-19. Through her social media accounts and song-writing, she can stay in contact with fans and keep them updated. The main themes of ‘Song For Our Daughter’ are, as Marling puts it, “the fragmentary, nonsensical experience of trauma and an enduring quest to understand what it is to be a woman in this society”. Its early release hopes to bring fans together and allow them to feel connected to not only each other, but also Marling. It is currently available to pre-order and pre-save via her website.

The upcoming album with be Marling’s seventh solo studio album, released via Partisan and Chrysalis. She won the 2011 Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist as well as the NME Award for Best Solo Artist. Marling was also nominated in the 2018 Grammy Awards for Best Folk Album. She writes poignant lyrics with guitar based music, which she plays herself.

Check out the full track-list for the new album below:

1. Alexandra
2. Held Down
3. Strange Girl
4. Only The Strong
5. Blow By Blow
6. Song For Our Daughter
7. Fortune
8. The End Of The Affair
9. Hope We Meet Again
10. For You

‘Soothing’ will be the opening track for the album, and lives up to its title, blending the soothing melodies, instruments and sounds of jazz and folk to create a beautiful, calming and thoughtful single. The video for the track, which was directed by Marling herself, features two women interacting on a bed in a scene that is intimate rather than sexual, while figures looking on from the corner of the room seem to comment on a voyeuristic society that seems to have a particular fascination with women’s bodies. Per NME, the video was inspired by vivid dreams Marling had while recording the album in LA back in 2015. You can check out the results below:

The album’s title gives a clear indication as to its contents, namely a focus on gender, sexuality and identity. Marling elaborated on this topic in a statement via NME, saying, ‘I started out writing ‘Semper Femina’ as if a man was writing about a woman, and then I thought, ‘It’s not a man, it’s me. I don’t need to pretend it’s a man to justify the intimacy, or the way I’m looking and feeling about women. It’s me looking specifically at women and feeling great empathy towards them, and by proxy, towards myself.’’ She added further, according to NME that the album’s purpose was ‘addressing questions of how society views sexuality and gender but without seeking to provide definitive answers’. Marling has also explored some of the themes dealt with in this album in her podcast series, ‘Reversal of The Muse’ which looks at the role of women in the music industry.

The album will be released on the 10^th March on her own record label, ‘More Alarming Records’ after it was recorded in LA with producer Blake Mills who has worked with Alabama Shakes and Jim James in the past. This was largely done during down time from her touring schedule to promote her 2015 album, Short Movie. The full tracklist for the album is as follows:

1. ‘Soothing’
2. ‘The Valley’
3. ‘Wild Fire’
4. ‘Don’t Pass Me By’
5. ‘Always This Way
6. ‘Wild Once’
7. ‘Next Time’
8. ‘Nouel’
9. ‘Nothing Not Nearly’

Marling has also announced a UK Tour which will take in 9 cities next March (2017). Tickets for Marling’s tour are available now with a pre-order of Semper Femina, or alternatively they go on general sale from 9am on Friday 2nd December. Full dates are shown below:

8/3 – O2 Academy – Leeds

9/3 – Colston Hall – Bristol

10/3 – O2 ABC – Glasgow

12/3 – Albert Hall – Manchester

13/3 – O2 Academy – Oxford

14/3 – Institute – Birmingham

16/3 – Dome – Brighton

17/3 – Roundhouse – London

18/3 – City Hall – Salisbury