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Artist News Awards
Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist announced
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 4 August 2016
The Mercury Prize shortlist for 2016 has been announced. After taking about six days to announce it all last year, this time the whole list was all dumped in one go, meaning you can start your complaining right away. I’ll start: Why isn’t Anna Meredith’s album on there? This is fucking bullshit.
In a change to the rules this year, only six of the twelve records will actually be considered for the grand prize. The first of the albums to go on the shorter-still list will be selected by the public. The judging panel will choose the other five and the overall winner, thankfully. I think we all know the sort of thing that happens when you give the general public too much of say in anything.
A statement from the judging panel reads: “This is music to make sense of our unsettling times – heartfelt, angry, thoughtful and thrilling. The 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize ‘Albums Of The Year’ are marked by their musical ambitions, unexpected instrumentation and breathtaking arrangements”.
Lucky that wasn’t at all over the top, eh? Here are the nominees:
Anohni – Hopelessness
Bat For Lashes – The Bride
David Bowie – Blackstar
Jamie Woon – Making Time
Kano – Made In The Manor
Laura Mvula – The Dreaming Room
Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Savages – Adore Life
Skepta – Konnichiwa
The 1975 – I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It
The Comet Is Coming – Channel The Spirits
Public voting will open at midday today at www.mercuryprize.com, and the overall winner will be announced at the Hammersmith Apollo on 15 Sep.
