Nia Archives, Charli XCX, Barry Can’t Swim, nominated for 2024 Mercury Prize
The shortlist for the 2024 Mercury Prize is in.
The 12 albums shortlisted for this year’s edition of the prize were announced this morning (Thursday 25th July) at a launch event in London, and live on BBC Radio 6 music. Nia Archives was amongst the nominations with her debut album, ‘Silence Is Loud’, making her the first jungle artist to be nominated in over 25 years.
Barry Can’t Swim also made the shortlist with his own debut record, ‘When Will We Land?’, as well as Charli XCX with her club-pop magnum opus, ‘BRAT’.
Other featured albums include Ghetts’ fourth studio album, ‘On Purpose, With Purpose’, indie buzz band The Last Dinner Party’s debut record, ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’, Portishead’s Beth Gibbons’ solo record, ‘Lives Outgrown’, CMAT’s ‘Crazymad, for Me’, BERWYN’s ‘Who Am I’, and Leeds rockers English Teacher’s landmark debut, ‘This Could Be Texas’.
This year’s Mercury Prize nominations were decided by a panel of judges that included DJ Jamz Supernova, The Times’ music critic Will Hodgkinson, DJ and broadcaster Mistajam, and Radio 2’s head of music Jeff Smith.
The shortlist includes eight female (or female-fronted) artists and bands, equalling the prize’s 2020 list for gender representation, with half of the shortlist hailing from areas outside of London. Albums released between July 15th 2023 and July 12th 2024 were eligible for nomination.
This year’s winner will be announced in September by BBC Music, the event’s official broadcast partner. In a major change for 2024, organisers have confirmed that the usual live performance event element of the Mercury Prize has been dropped in favour of “other extensive promotional activity”.
Press material suggests that the focus for the 2024 prize will instead be on driving engagement via digital content and media exposure in partnership with BBC Music. More information on the event is set to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Check out the full 2024 shortlist below.
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’
Last year, Ezra Collective collected the 2023 Mercury Prize for their album, ‘Where I’m Meant To Be’, ahead of other nominees Fred again.., J Hus, Loyle Carner, Shygirl and more.
