Jessie Ware, Loyle Carner and RAYE’s current albums are among the titles shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize.
Ware’s widely-acclaimed That! Feels Good! has earned the disco pop star her second nomination after her 2012 release Devotion was shortlisted.
Comeback queen RAYE released My 21st Century Blues independently after a brutal breakup from a major label and has earned herself her first-ever Mercury nod for the acclaimed collection.
Also shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize, Arctic Monkeys have the chance to win their second Prize of their career with 2022’s The Car, having previously won the prestigious accolade for their seminal 2006 debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.
Studio wizard Fred Again.. – who has co-written and produced tracks for Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora and George Ezra – has received his first nomination for Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) which is part of a trilogy.
Elsewhere, Grime star J Hus, who was last nominated in 2017 for Common Sense, has made the shortlist again with his latest record, Beautiful And Brutal Yard.
The list is completed by British jazz quintet Ezra Collective’s LP Where I’m Meant To Be, pop duo Jockstrap’s (Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye) I Love You Jennifer B, Irish folk outfit Lankum’s False Lankum, hip-hop star Loyle Carner’s hugo, rising star Olivia Dean’s Messy, genre-hopping Shygirl’s Nymph, and experimental Scottish group Young Fathers’ Heavy Heavy.
The judging panel of industry experts for the 2023 Mercury Prize was once again headed up by Jeff Smith, head of music at BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music.
The 2023 Awards Show will take place on Thursday, September 7 at London’s Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith. The event will feature live performances from many of the shortlisted artists and the evening will culminate in the announcement of the overall winner of the 2023 Mercury Prize with FREENOW ‘Album of the Year’. The Prize’s broadcast partner, BBC Music, will be providing coverage of the event across BBC TV, radio, online & social media. Visit the event’s official website for further information.
2023 Mercury Prize Albums of the Year shortlist:
Arctic Monkeys: The Car
Ezra Collective: Where I’m Meant to Be
Fred again.. Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
J Hus Beautiful And Brutal Yard
Jessie Ware That! Feels Good!
Jockstrap I Love You Jennifer B
Lankum False Lankum
Loyle Carner hugo
Olivia Dean Messy
RAYE My 21st Century Blues