The 2025 Mercury Prize Shortlist Revealed
The prestigious Mercury Prize is awarded to the best British and Irish album of 2025.
Image Sarah Doyle
The shortlist for Britain and Ireland’s top music award, the Mercury Prize, has been revealed.
This year’s event, which will be held in Newcastle Upon Tyne, marks the first time the awards ceremony has taken place outside of London.
The shortlist was announced live by Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds yesterday (Wednesday 10 September).
Notable artists in the running are Irish musician and singer CMAT for her album Euro-Country, North Shields lad Sam Fender for People Watching, post punk disrupters Fontaines D.C. for Romance, London rockers Wolf Alice for their album The Clearing, experimental artist FKA Twigs for Eusexua and a returning Pulp with their album More.
Also nominated are PinkPantheress for Fancy That, Joe Webb for Hamstrings & Hurricanes, Emma-Jean Thackray for Weirdo, Jacob Alon for In Limerence, Martin Carthy for Transform Me Then Into A Fish and Pa Salieu for Afrikan Alien.
The 2025 Mercury Prize takes place at Utilita Arena in Newcastle on Thursday 16 October and will feature performances from many of the nominees.
READ MORE: Public Voting for the 2025 SA Music Awards Now Open
The judging panel consists of an independent group of industry professionals, including musicians, broadcasters, journalists and industry experts.
The 2025 Mercury Prize judges are Danielle Perry (Broadcaster and Writer), Jamie Cullum (Musician and Radio 2 Broadcaster), Jamz Supernova (6 Music Broadcaster and DJ), Jeff Smith (Head of Music, Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music), Lea Stonhill (Music Programming Consultant; Mistajam – Songwriter, DJ and Broadcaster) Phil Alexander (Creative Director, Kerrang!/Contributing Editor, Mojo), Sian Eleri (Radio 1 Broadcaster and DJ), Will Hodgkinson (Chief Rock & Pop Critic, The Times) and Sophie Williams (Music Writer and Broadcaster). The Chair of the judging team is Jeff Smith.
The Mercury Prize has a long and esteemed history, with some of the biggest artists in Britain and Ireland receiving the coveted award since Primal Scream won the inaugural gong in 1993 for their hit album Screamadelica.
Other notable winners include Suede for Suede, Roni Size & Reprazent for New Forms, Dizzee Rascal for Boy in the Corner, PJ Harvey for Let England Shake, Little Simz for Sometimes I Might Be Introvert and last year’s winner English Teacher for their album This Could Be Texas.
2025 Mercury Prize takes place at Utilita Arena in Newcastle on Thursday 16 October
2025 Mercury Prize Shortlist
CMAT – Euro-Country
Emma-Jean Thackray – Weirdo
FKA Twigs – Eusexua
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
Jacob Alon – In Limerence
Joe Webb – Hamstrings & Hurricanes
Martin Carthy – Transform Me Then Into A Fish
Pa Salieu – Afrikan Alien
PinkPantheress – Fancy That
Pulp – More
Sam Fender – People Watching
Wolf Alice – The Clearing
