In a surprise victory, Leeds-based indie band English Teacher took home the 2024 Mercury Prize for their debut album, This Could Be Texas. The four-piece, who formed at Leeds Conservatoire in 2020, became the first act from outside of London to win the prestigious award since Young Fathers in 2014, and the group used the occasion to highlight concerns about London-centrism in the industry.

The band’s album was praised by judges for its “originality and character,” with a unique blend of surrealist lyrics and social commentary layered over a fresh interpretation of the traditional guitar band sound. The prize, which seeks to recognize artistic achievement in album form, awarded the band £25,000 along with widespread industry recognition.

Frontwoman Lily Fontaine took the stage at Abbey Road Studios to accept the award, thanking her mother, who designed the album’s artwork. The rest of the band, including guitarist Lewis Whiting, drummer Douglas Frost, and bassist Nicholas Eden, seemed stunned by the win, with Fontaine admitting: “We didn’t really plan this far. What do we do now?”

Other artists to feature on the list for the prestigious award are Scottish electronic DJ and Producer Barry Can’t Swim, Jungle artist Nia Archives, Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, Corinne Bailey Rae, and grime artist Ghetts. The remaining nominees are Berwyn, Cat Burns, CMAT, Corto.alto, and English Teacher.

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The full list of Albums nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize are:

Barry Can’t Swim – When Will We Land?

Berwyn – Who Am I

Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown

Cat Burns – Early Twenties

Charli XCX – Brat

CMAT – Crazymad, For Me

Corinne Bailey Rae – Black Rainbows

Corto.alto – Bad With Names

English Teacher – This Could Be Texas

Ghetts – On Purpose, With Purpose

Nia Archives – Silence Is Loud

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy

The mercury Prize is undoubtedly a great opportunity for up-and-coming artists. So, it therefore makes sense that the list of nominees this year has been dominated by debuts with 8 of the 12 albums nominated being debuts which is double what it was last year.

One of the debut albums on the list being The Last Dinner Party’s ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ and this is the biggest selling album so far on the list, however, Charli XCX’ ‘Brat’ has momentum at the moment and is likely to overtake ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ this week.

Among the eight debut albums that made the list this year is Beth Gibbon’s ‘Lives Outgrown. Although Gibbons has released numerous albums as a member of Portishead this record is her debut as a solo artist. According to Music Week Gibbons said: “Really great surprise to be part of the 12 Mercury albums of the year, something I never expected. Big thanks to all who have supported the album, it means so much.”

Nominees Charli XCX, Corinne Bailey Rae and Ghetts have all been nominated for the Mercury Prize before but none of them have won the award.

The list of nominees, as well as the winner, has been chosen by an independent Judging panel and has been taken from a wide range of genres. Albums released by British and Irish artists between July 15, 2023, and July 12, 2024, were eligible for the award.

Earlier in the week it was revealed that the traditional award ceremony with live performances has been dropped this year. More details of what this entails are set to be revealed closer to when the winner is announced but 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.”

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.

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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.