Mercury Prize winners: Where are they now? | Gigwise by Alexandra Pollard | Photos by WENN Mercury Prize winners: Where are they now? Whatever happened to Speech Debelle? Or that little known band Arctic Monkeys? 1992, Primal Scream: The indie band won the very first Mercury for their era-defining debut Screamadelica. Unfortunately, drug abuse and in-band fighting took its toll and their next few releases were not as well-received. However, against all odds Bobby Gillespie and co soldiered on and are still a fixture on the music scene, with great acclaim for their latter releases cementing their status as legends. 1993, Suede: 22 years on from their Mercury winning debut, Suede are still going strong. Admittedly, there was a decade long hiatus, but the band released their sixth album, Bloodsports, in 2013, and its commercial and critical success bodes well for its follow-up, Night Thoughts, which is coming in 2016. We should point out that East 17 were nominated in the same year, and it would have been quite brilliant if they'd won.

1994, M People: M People's second album, Elegant Slumming, won the Mercury Prize 20 years ago. Following this, the band released two more multi-platinum selling albums, and a greatest hits before taking an extended hiatus in 1998. In 2013, they reunited for an extensive UK tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Elegant Slumming, but they've done nothing since. 1995, Portishead: After the band's brilliant debut album, Dummy, won the Mercury back in 1995, Portishead withdrew from the spotlight for three years before releasing their eponymous second album. Fans had to wait over ten years for their third, which was released in 2008 after a hiatus. They still play occasional tours, and played a stunning headline set at Latitude Festival this summer. 1996, Pulp: They released four albums before 1996, but it took Different Class - the album that remains their most iconic - to finally clinch the Mercury, beating out the likes of Oasis and Manic Street Preachers.

Despite having not released a new album since 2001, Pulp are still together (aside from a brief hiatus in the 00s) and touring, and remain as popular as they ever were. 1997, Reprazent: The drum and bass act formed by Roni Size were a new kind of Mercury band - their pioneering drum and bass music was described by critics as a "masterpiece" and the awards judges clearly agreed. Since then, they've released two new albums, but neither quite topped the success of their debut. They disbanded in 2008, but have since reformed and toured some of the biggest European festivals. 1998, Gomez: Following their win, Gomez were chosen to cover The Beatles' 'Come Together' for a $100 million Philips Electronics ad campaign. Despite this, and the fact that their next two albums reached the UK top ten, Gomez's following four efforts failed to make much of an impact. They're still going though, and with a small but dedicated fanbase.

1999, Talvin Singh: The Indian producer, affiliated with the Asian Underground electronica movement, beat the likes of Blur and Manic Street Preachers to the Mercury Prize with his album OK. Despite the win, it only sold 90,000 copies, and his fame has only diminished since then. He did win a UK Asian Music Award in 2010 for 'Commitment To Scene' though. (photo: Facebook / Talvin Singh). 2000, Badly Drawn Boy: The indie singer-songwriter and serial hat wearer, real name Damon Michael Gough, was awarded the Mercury for his album The Hour Of Bewilderbeast. Prior to this, Gough hadn't enjoyed much commercial success, but this album is recognised as the critical and commercial peak of his career. This festival season, he's been playing the album in full, and occasionally having hissy fits on-stage. 2001, PJ Harvey: Harvey had been a working musician for 18 years when she won the Mercury for her fifth album Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. Has she been successful since? Well, ten years later, she won again.

Her new album, The Hollow Of The Hand, which she recorded as part of a public art installation, is due out this year. 2002, Miss Dynamite: The North London rapper was a regular on the UK garage scene, lending her vocals to popular tracks passed around pirate radio stations. She released her Mercury winner debut A Little Deeper soon after, which included hit singles such as 'Dy-na-mi-tee'. The album was critically acclaimed but the rapper fell off the radar after having a baby. She has emerged back on the scene in recent times, collaborating with David Guetta and guesting on Katy B's hit 'Lights On'. 2003, Dizzee Rascal: The Bow rapper's Mercury win for Boy In Da Corner- the record that broke Grime into the mainstream - was the real deal; a raw narrative of urban London in the early noughties. The East Londoner went on to release a few more successful albums and became one of the biggest artists in the UK. He's now lost a little of his credibility thanks to collaborations with Jessie J and Robbie Williams, and has gone quiet in the past few years - but he may well be plotting a mini comeback.

2004, Franz Ferdinand: Alex Kapranos, Bob Hardy, Nick McCarthy and Paul Thomson were awarded the Mercury for their eponymous debut, with its infectious lead single 'Take Me Out', and promptly became one of the UK's biggest indie bands. The Glasgow quartet's second album went platinum and even went top 10 in the US. They released a fourth studio album last year, and teamed up with Sparks this year to release an album under the moniker FFS. 2005, Antony & The Johnsons: It's a testament to the Mercurys that this beautiful, vulnerable album managed to beat out the likes of more commercially successful acts, such as Bloc Party, Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs and Maximo Park. Nearly ten years on, Antony Hegarty's band are still quietly devastating, and they recently contributed to the Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack. Lead singer Antony Hegarty is releasing a solo album this year under the moniker Anohni. 2006, Arctic Monkeys; Alex Turner and co exploded into public consciousness with Whatever You Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, the UK's fastest selling album of all time, spawning unforgettable singles such as When The Sun Goes Down.

The band have since headlined Glastonbury twice and released four more critically acclaimed albums. The most recent, AM, became one of the fastest selling albums of 2013. 2007, Klaxons: The 'Golden Skans' singers were at the forefront of the reinvigorated nu-rave scene in 2007 and became darlings of the NME after online demos were met with hype by critics and on dancefloors. Their much-anticipated debut album, Myths Of the Near Future, went to No.2 and bagged the Mercury Prize. Their second album, Surfing the Void, failed to make much of an impact though, as did 2014's Love Frequency. 2008, Elbow: Despite having been together for 18 years before they won the Mercury Prize for The Seldom Seen Kid, Elbow had never enjoyed mainstream success. This changed when they won the coveted award and they have since released two more critically acclaimed albums, and performed at the 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony. Guy Garvey is currently braced to release his debut solo album, Courting The Squall.

2009, Speech Debelle: The little known rapper won the Mercury Prize for her debut album Speech Therapy, beating favourites Florence & the Machine and The Horrors. However, winning the award did little to raise the London rapper's profile, and Speech Therapy only shifted around 15,000 copies. Debelle was last seen in in 2013's series of Celebrity Masterchef. 2010: The xx: When xx was first released, it received a rather lacklustre fanfare. Thanks to its Mercury win though, and its songs being used in various high-profile TV programmes, the band's debut album became a sleeper hit. It's since been certified Gold in the US and Platinum in the UK. The band's second album, Coexist, was release in 2012, and they spent much of 2014 in Texas working on their third. It's still not materialised though - perhaps because Jamie xx has been busy releasing his own solo output. 2011, PJ Harvey: You already know this one. Ten years on from her last win, PJ Harvey did it again with her protest album Let England Shake.

Following the win, sales of the album increased by 1,100%, but she probably didn't pay much attention to that. She remains one of the most respected left-field artists around. 2012, Alt-J: Despite their Mercury win, Alt-J's debut album An Awesome Wave still never managed to crack the top ten in the UK, or the top 50 in the US. The band now have a loyal fanbase of millions though, and their second album This Is All Yours (despite the loss of bassist Gwil Sainsbury) went to No.1 in the UK and No.4 in the US. 2013, James Blake: Two years after he was nominated for his eponymous debut, Blake's second album, Overgrown, managed to clinch the top prize last year. Since then, he's moved in with Chance The Rapper, and announced that his third album will be called Radio Silence. It features collaborations with Bon Iver and Kanye West, but a release date is yet to be confirmed. 2014, Young Fathers: With their brand of confrontational alternative hip hop, Young Fathers were never going to become mainstream successes.

They've developed a dedicated following since their win last year though, and followed it up with an equally innovative White Men Are Black Men Too back in April. Gareth Gates isn't a fan though - in fact, their music "offends" him. 2015, Benjamin Clementine: After winning for his debut album, At Least For Now, Clementine toured across the UK and Europe. He played Somerset House earlier this summer, and set to perform at this year�s Progress 1000 party. A far cry from his beginnings as a busker. Tags: Mercury Prize Photo: WENN In a few days' time, Lauren Laverne will reveal the nominess for the coveted Mercury Prize. Whoever goes on to win will receive a week or two of intense media speculation - the rest is up to them. For some acts, winning a Mercury provides the boost their debut album needed to hit the big time. Other, already-established, acts have capitalised on their win so successfully it's given their career a new lease of life. Some, however, have all but disappeared from the music scene, their win a brief flash in the pan of success.

Here's what happened next, good and bad, to every single Mercury Prize winner since the competition began in 1992. BBC - Music News LIVE - Music News LIVE: Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist and vote Music News LIVE: Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist and vote 4 Aug 20164 Aug 2016 Got a TV Licence? You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law. Nominees for this year's Mercury Prize announced Public vote revealed - more details below David Bowie nominated posthumously Radiohead get record fifth nomination, and third for Bat for Lashes First nominations for grime artists Skepta and Kano Live reporting By Holly Rubenstein & Kev Geoghegan All times stated are UK Get involved The shortlist in full and public vote details Posted at 15:14 4 Aug Bye for now, everyone. We hope we've kept you well-informed about this year's crop of Mercury Prize hopefuls. Don't forget that the voting is now open for this year's Mercury Prize.

The public vote will put one of the 12 albums through to the final on 15 September. The remaining five places will be decided by the judging panel. All six finalists and the winner will be announced at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. (Note: the BBC is not responsible for the content of third party sites and you will be subject to their vote Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy) and here is a reminder of the nominated albums... Anohni - Hopelessness Bat For Lashes - The Bride David Bowie - Blackstar Kano - Made In The Manor Laura Mvula - The Dreaming Room Michael Kiwanuka - Love and Hate Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool Savages - Adore Life The 1975 - I Like It When You Sleep... The Comet Is Coming - Channel The Spirits ...and BBC Music have created a Mercury Prize 2016 playlist if you want to have a listen to them. Share Michael Kiwanuka is off to the pub Posted at 15:10 4 Aug After four years away, Michael Kiwanuka has seen his new album go straight to number one and bag a Mercury Prize nomination in the space of two weeks.He tells us how he plans to celebrate.

Michael Kiwanuka plans to celebrate his Mercury Prize nomination Share Ellie Rowsell on judging the Mercury Prize Posted at 15:03 4 Aug Hundreds of albums are submitted for consideration for the Mercury Prize every year - but only 12 can make it onto the shortlist. Earlier we heard what former judge Ghostpoet had to say about judging the Prize. Ellie Rowsell, whose band Wolf Alice were nominated in 2015 and who is on the panel this year, tells us what it's like to sift through all that music. Ellie Rowsell on judging the Mercury Prize Share Bat For Lashes: 'I don't want to win!' Posted at 14:58 4 Aug Bat For Lashes has been nominated for the Mercury Prize twice before - and never won. Despite that, she's not entirely sure she wants to hear her name read out on 15 September. Bat For Lashes on her Mercury Prize nomination Share Listen to Anohni perform live for Annie Mac Posted at 14:51 4 Aug Have a listen to Mercury Prize nominee Anohni performing a live set at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios.

Share The 1975: Mercury Prize is just the start Posted at 14:44 4 Aug The 1975 may have had two number one albums, but the Mercury Prize is the first major nomination they've received. Singer Matt Healey says he hopes it won't be the last... The 1975: Mercury Prize is just the start Share Skepta: I made this album for myself Posted at 14:37 4 Aug Skepta's Mercury-nominated album, Konnichiwa, was several years in the making, as he toured the world road-testing his new material. He told us it was important to him that the record was made outside the traditional music industry. Skepta: I did this for myself Check him out performing at Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2016 earlier this year. Highlights of Skepta's set at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2016 Share Bowie's posthumous nomination for Blackstar Posted at 14:28 4 Aug David Bowie 's posthumous nomination for a Mercury Prize for his album Blackstar is far from out of the ordinary.

Here are some of the other notable figures who were either nominated for or won awards after their deaths. A selection of entertainment figures nominated for awards after their deaths. Share Nominee Michael Kiwanuka performs on Later... with Jools Holland Posted at 14:18 4 Aug Watch as Michael Kiwanuka performs Black Man in a White World on Later with Jools Holland. He said the catharsis of writing the song helped him finish his second album. Watch Kano perform This is England from nominated album 1Xtra Posted at 14:10 4 Aug Here is Kano performing This Is England from his nominated album Made in The Manor... Watch nominees Savages perform at the 6 Music festival BBC 6 Music Posted at 13:58 4 Aug Savages have a second Mercury nomination for their second album Adore Life. According to Metacritic, which assigns an average score based on critics' reviews, the album score 82 indicating "universal acclaim". Here they are at the 6 Music Festival.

Highlights of Savages's set at 6 Music Festival 2016 Share Jamie Woon reacts to his Mercury nod Posted at 13:47 4 Aug JM Enternational Jamie Woon 's first album in 4 years, Making Time, a smooth, smart R&B record, has picked up a Mercury nom. And he told Lauren Laverne on 6 Music, "It feels really nice." He explained that after a lengthy hiatus he was "scrabbling around in the dark for ages until the idea kind of hit". "This is kind of nice as it gets people looking my way," he added. Share From 1 to 2,965: The Mercury Prize in surprising numbers Posted at 13:30 4 Aug BBC The Mercury Prize throws up a host of fascinating stats and figures. For example, the youngest ever winner was 18-year-old Dizzee Rascal. And after making the 2015 Shortlist, Eska's streams increased by 2965%. Check out last year's guide to all the fun names and numbers you could need. Interesting number - there are eight of them. Share How to vote for one of this year's finalists...

Posted at 13:22 4 Aug As we have explained previously, this year for the first time, an online vote will let the public select the first of the six albums which will be finalists for this year's Prize. The five remaining finalists and overall winner will be chosen by the judging panel. All six finalists and the overall winner will be announced on Thursday 15 September at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith. Here is the guide for how to vote for the album you want to be on the final list (Note: the BBC is not responsible for the content of third party sites and you will be subject to their vote Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy). Share Catch Laura Mvula's Glastonbury highlights Posted at 13:09 4 Aug The ridiculously talented Laura Mvula has landed her second consecutive nomination for the album The Dreaming Room. Here are some of the highlights from her Sunday performance on the Pyramid stage at this year's Glastonbury. Third time's a charm. This totally applies to Laura Mvula's returning Pyramid Stage show.

Share Laura Mvula is "emotional and trying to be cool" Posted at 12:59 4 Aug JM Enternational Laura Mvula has been holding things together as she celebrates her second consecutive Mercury nomination for The Dreaming Room. "I'm really emotional and trying really hard to be cool, somebody needs to put a sign up that it's okay to cry," she told 6 Music. "It's proper emotional, as someone who has gone through life feeling like I'm not really an achiever, to be acknowledged in this way is insane to me." Mvula described the Prize as "the ultimate award in this county and even the world", adding, "even abroad people have their ears to what the UK is doing as to be noted as part of a group is important". Share Skepta says his nomination is for his team Posted at 12:47 4 Aug JM Enternational Skepta' s fourth album, Konnichiwa, is the second grime album on this year's shortlist. The largely self-produced record tackles police harassment and his anger at British politics. "It's a really, really strong list," he told Lauren Laverne on 6 Music. "I'm definitely happy for my team.

Our work has been recognised. It's not just me. Stuff like awards is good for everybody to celebrate together. "I like to leave my awards in my friends houses just for them to feel it man." Share Views from the red carpet... Posted at 12:42 4 Aug Our reporter Mark Savage has been hobnobbing on the red carpet with the judges and nominees. Here are a few encounters. We love the mirrored head tilt with Laura Mvula... though Michael Kiwanuka isn't feeling it... The 1975 celebrate unexpected "humbling" nomination Posted at 12:35 4 Aug JM Enternational Pop rockers The 1975 have told Lauren Laverne on 6 Music that receiving a Mercury Prize nomination for I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It is "humbling". "I think humbling is the word of the day. Just being on a list with Bowie and Radiohead and artists like that - it's a very humbling experience and not one that we were expecting. "It's difficult to play it cool in these situations because you naturally don't want to seem too keen.

"We've been a band for 13 years from when we were 14 years old, so you can imagine how it feels. It's a lovely nod for us." The album hit the number 1 spot around the world, in the UK, US and Australia. Share Watch Bat for Lashes in session BBC 6 Music Posted at 12:29 4 Aug Natasha Khan, aka Bat for Lashes, secured her third Mercury nomination for the darkly beautiful concept album The Bride. Watch her perform one of the tracks in session for 6 Music... Share The Comet is Coming react to nomination Posted at 12:18 4 Aug The Leaf Label The Comet is Coming are celebrating their first nomination for the cosmic jazz of Channel the Spirits. The three-piece band is made up of members King Shabaka, Danalogue The Conqueror and Betamax Killer. "For one it means we get a lot more exposure for this," King Shabaka told 6 Music. "This kind of music can be relegated outside the mainstream and hopefully people will get to experience and make up their minds whether they like it or not.

"It's energy music, it's about vibe, all the technical bits is just the stuff us musicians do to keep ourselves busy." Share Michael Kiwanuka is "over the moon" to be nominated Posted at 12:06 4 Aug Getty Images has picked up his second Mercury Prize nomination for his second album, Love and Hate. Talking to Lauren Laverne on 6 Music that he is "over the moon." "I feel like I'm amongst high order royalty. "It's been a massive last two months and reignited me to want to make loads of music." Kiwanuka's album showcases soul-baring lyrics search for meaning in troubled times. "Vulnerability's the word really," he said. "I think that's what it takes. "I think you should have that feeling of nervousness. Of, have I said too much?" He joked that his next album will be "purely about love and happiness and the good times." Read more about his struggle with writing his nominated album. Share A closer look at the nominated albums Posted at 11:50 4 Aug Rough Trade "An electronic record with sharp teeth," is how Anohni described her nominated album Hopelessness.

Here is a closer look at the the twelve albums in the running... Share Kano on how his Mercury nominated album "took six years" Posted at 11:36 4 Aug BBC Grime artist Kano has his first Mercury nomination for Made in the Manor, an album which was six years in the making. The artist and actor starred in the Channel 4 drama Top Boy before he began work on the record. "I was really happy with how things turned out," he told Lauren on 6 Music following the nomination announcement. "It was a six year gap but it took three years to make this record. It took me a while to get my head back into gear. "Getting back into the studio was fun and then not so much fun and then frustrating. It wasn't the plan to take that long. But about a year ago, I started to pick up the pace. I liked it, and I just hoped the people came on the journey with me." Share Bat for Lashes reacts to Mercury Prize nomination Posted at 11:31 4 Aug Getty Images Bat for Lashes' Natasha Khan has been talking to Lauren Laverne about her Mercury Prize nom.

Her third nomination, The Bride is a baroque concept album with a strong narrative about a woman whose fiance is killed on his way to their wedding. She told Laverne that when she found out she was "sworn to utmost secrecy" and was "exploding at home, doing the running man in my kitchen." The nomination she described as "surreal", saying it is "probably one of my most personal records" and that she was "very proud and thankful." Find out if Bat for Lashes takes hope the title on 15 September. Mercury Prize analysis: Diverse but commercial Mark Savage Posted at 11:25 4 Aug Getty Images After the row over diversity at this year's Brits, the Mercury list does its best to redress the balance, with an all-female rock band, two grime MCs, a music icon and a transgender torch singer. Many of the nominated albums are unswervingly political. Anohni (pictured above)accuses President Obama of "executing without trial", while Skepta (below) delivers a powerful message to the establishment: "We don't listen to no politician".

Getty Images All of the records feel vital and innovative - yet it's the most commercial list in years, with all but one of the nominees having entered the UK album chart, three of them at number one. That's thanks to a new panel of judges which puts an emphasis on musicians - including Jarvis Cocker and Naughty Boy - over rock critics and industry "suits". They've even taken the brave decision to omit Adele's all-conquering 25. Not that she'll mind: The £25,000 prize is only just enough to buy one of her concert tickets on the secondary market. Share This year's Mercury Prize nominees... Posted at 11:09 4 Aug So, we have them all now: the selection of 12 albums on the list for this year's £25,000 prize. Some debutants, some who have been nominated before and one posthumous nomination. Here are some snippets of each of them...

Mercury Prize 2016: Watch the nominees Share Posted at 11:05 4 Aug Clockwise from left - Matador, Boy Better Know, The Leaf Label, Polydor The final four runners in the race for this year's £20,000 Mercury Prize have been announced on 6 Music by Lauren Laverne and three of them are appearing on the longlist for the very first time. There's a second grime album in with a chance and its Konnichiwa, the self-produced, self- released debut album by Skepta . He's joined by The 1975 with their second record, and possibly longest ever titled Mercury nominated album, I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it. Cosmic jazz act The Comet is Coming make their debut at the Mercury Prize with Channel the Spirits. And finally, they are joined by punk band Savages and their second album Adore Life, their second nomination, three years after their debut album was shortlisted.

Share Radiohead land a record fifth nomination Posted at 11:04 4 Aug Clockwise from top left - Parlophone, RCA, XL Recordings, Polydor Radiohead , four times the bridesmaid never the bride, have a fifth nomination for their well-received A Moon Shaped Pool. Laura Mvula has a second straight nomination for only her second album The Dreaming Room. Michael Kiwanuka , the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2012, has his second nomination for Love & Hate, which topped the chart when it was released last month. Actor and rapper Kano 's grime Made in the Manor has all the hallmarks of being regarded in years to come as a classic of the the genre. And its his first nomination. Stay tuned for the final four albums on the list... Share The first nominations are in! Posted at 11:03 4 Aug Clockwise from top left Rough Trade / Parlophone / ISO Records / Polydor Records After weeks of anticipation, the first four nominations for the 2016 Mercury Prize have been announced. First up is Anohni for her album, Hopelessness.

Formerly known as Antony Hegarty, Anohni was the lead singer of Antony and the Johnsons who scooped the Mercury Prize for I am a Bird Now back in 2005. Bat for Lashes ' baroque concept album The Bride marks Natasha Khan's third nomination. David Bowie's number one record Blackstar, released just two days before the icon's death, is his third Mercury nomination. Jamie Woon's second album, Making Time, has led to the R&B singer's first nomination. The next four nominations will follow shortly... Share What it's like to be a Mercury Prize judge by a former nominee Posted at 10:55 4 Aug Getty Images This year's judging lineup includes previous winners and nominees like Jarvis Cocker (nominated with Pulp in 1994, 1998 and winning for A Different Class in 1996), Jessie Ware (nominated in 2012 for Devotion), Kate Tempest (a nominee in 2014 for Everybody Down) and Wolf Alice's Ellie Rowsell (nominated in 2015 for My Love is Cool).

Former two-time nominee, rapper Ghostpoet , was a judge in 2014 and said decisions on the night can come close to the wire "because it's a constant discussion, back and forth between various acts, with people arguing for and against." Nominations imminent on BBC 6 Music... Posted at 10:49 4 Aug Getty Images Lauren Laverne will be announcing the nominations for the 2016 Mercury Prize live on 6 Music in around ten minutes time. Who's won the Mercury Prize in the last 5 years? Posted at 10:44 4 Aug And where are they now? Getty Images 2015 saw Benjamin Clementine win with his debut album, At Least For Now - a searingly-personal collection of piano-based songs. "I don't know what to say," the 26-year-old said as he accepted the prize, then invited all the other nominees to take to the stage with him. He then broke down in tears as he dedicated his award to the victims of the Paris terror attacks. The musician spent his early 20s living in the city, and busked on the metro as a struggling musician.

Clementine is currently touring the US. More on Clementine's win here. Getty Images Young Fathers were surprise winners in 2014, with their debut record, Dead, beating 11 other albums from acts including Damon Albarn, Bombay Bicycle Club and bookmakers' favourite, FKA Twigs. The Edinburgh trio have spent much of 2016 touring with Massive Attack. Getty Images Electronic artist James Blake took home the Prize in 2013 with his second album, Overgrown. "Well, I lost the bet," Blake said after beating bookies' favourite Laura Mvula and stars like David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys to the £20,000 prize. Blake went on to be nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, as well as for British Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards. He released his third album, The Colour in Anything, in May this year. It charted in the top 10 here in the UK. Getty Images 2012's victors were indie rock band Alt-J with their debut album An Awesome Wave.

An early favourite with bookmakers, the band's album beat rapper Plan B, The Maccabees, Richard Hawley, Django Django, Jessie Ware and Field Music. Bassist Gwil Sainsbury left Alt-J in January 2014. Later that year the band announced their second album This is All Yours which hit the number one spot in the UK charts. Find out more about Alt-J's win here. Getty Images In 2011, PJ Harvey became the first person to win the Mercury Prize twice, with her album Let England Shake. The record, which was inspired by the horrors of war, was the bookmakers' favourite. Harvey also won in 2001. In January 2015, PJ Harvey began recording her 9th studio album in front of a live audience in Somerset House, and was released in April that year. Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist REVEALED :: Jenkers Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist REVEALED The 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize have released the shortlist of “Albums of the Year.” The albums are all in the running for the prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Artists like David Bowie, Bat for Lashes, and Radiohead all made the cut. David Bowie’s album Blackstar was released only two days before he passed away in January. The judging panel explained how they picked the shortlisters. 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. Twelve acts made the shortlist. Music fans can vote online for the first of 6 finalists for the coveted overall prize. Anyone can vote on the Mercury Prize’s website here. The final winner will be announced at a show at Hammersmith Apollo on September 15.

Here’s the short list in full: Anohni – HopelessnessBat For Lashes – The BrideDavid Bowie – BlackstarJamie Woon – Making TimeKano – Made in the ManorLaura Mvula – The Dreaming RoomMichael Kiwanuka – Love &amp; HateRadiohead – A Moon Shaped PoolSavages – Adore LifeSkepta – KonnichiwaThe 1975 – I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of itThe Comet Is Coming – Channel the Spirits The post Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist REVEALED appeared first on Goss.ie Bowie's farewell album 'Blackstar' up for UK's Mercury Prize LONDON - David Bowie is favourite to win Britain's prestigious Mercury music prize for "Blackstar," the haunting album released days before his death. Bowie, who died in January aged 69, is among 12 finalists for the 20,000-pound ($26,000) album of the year prize.

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E@ &gt;2:?DEC62&gt; 72&gt;6[ H9:=6 @E96CD 92G6 72:=65 E@ 3C62&lt; E9C@F89]k^Am kAm%9:D J62CVD H:??6C H:== 36 2??@F?465 $6AE] `d]k^Am Bowie's farewell album 'Blackstar' up for UK's Mercury Prize LONDON – David Bowie is favourite to win Britain’s prestigious Mercury music prize for “Blackstar,” the haunting album released days before his death. Bowie, who died in January aged 69, is among 12 finalists for the 20,000-pound ($26,000) album of the year prize. Other contenders are solo artists Laura Mvula, Bat For Lashes, Anohni, Jamie Woon and Michael Kiwanuka; bands Radiohead, The 1975, Savages and The Comet is Coming; and grime musicians Skepta and Kano.

Established in 1992 and open to acts from Britain and Ireland, the Mercury Prize often favours the eclectic and obscure over better-known performers. Some winners, including Arctic Monkeys and Elbow, have gone on to mainstream fame, while others have failed to break through. This year’s winner will be announced Sept. 15. Bowie's farewell album 'Blackstar' up for UK's Mercury Prize David Bowie is favorite to win Britain's prestigious Mercury music prize for "Blackstar," the haunting album released days before his death. Bowie, who died in January aged 69, is among 12 finalists for the 20,000-pound ($26,000) album of the year prize. Other contenders are solo artists Laura Mvula, Bat For Lashes, Anohni, Jamie Woon and Michael Kiwanuka; bands Radiohead, The 1975, Savages and The Comet is Coming; and grime musicians Skepta and Kano. Established in 1992 and open to acts from Britain and Ireland, the Mercury Prize often favors the eclectic and obscure over better-known performers.

Some winners, including Arctic Monkeys and Elbow, have gone on to mainstream fame, while others have failed to break through. This year's winner will be announced Sept. 15. Bowie's farewell album 'Blackstar' up for UK's Mercury Prize David Bowie is favorite to win Britain's prestigious Mercury music prize for "Blackstar," the haunting album released days before his death. Bowie, who died in January aged 69, is among 12 finalists for the 20,000-pound ($26,000) album of the year prize. Other contenders are solo artists Laura Mvula, Bat For Lashes, Anohni, Jamie Woon and Michael Kiwanuka; bands Radiohead, The 1975, Savages and The Comet is Coming; and grime musicians Skepta and Kano. Established in 1992 and open to acts from Britain and Ireland, the Mercury Prize often favors the eclectic and obscure over better-known performers. Some winners, including Arctic Monkeys and Elbow, have gone on to mainstream fame, while others have failed to break through. This year's winner will be announced Sept. 15.

More diversity needed in music business, says Mercury-shortlisted Laura Mvula Mercury Award nominated singer Laura Mvula has warned against thinking enough progress has been made with diversity in the music industry. Laura, 30, said she is still vastly outnumbered by men in almost every room she goes into and more must be done to balance the scale. Laura Mvula (Ian West/PA) Speaking after she received her second Mercury nod, this time for sophomore album The Dreaming Room, she said the diversity on the list was “a good start” but added: “It’s like when a lot of black women say to me how good it is I have my natural hair. “I want to say: ‘Yeah but it’s 2016, why should that be a huge achievement?’ It’s the same with music, we need to wake up and we have a long way to go with these issues.” The only other women on the list of 12 albums in contention are Bat For Lashes for her record The Bride, and Anohni, formerly known as Antony Hegarty of Antony And The Johnsons, for her album Hopelessness.

Bat For Lashes (Ian West/PA) Laura added: “This is something that we can’t be too loud about. We should be fearless about having the dialogue and being fierce with that because it is a problem and it is something that I don’t like that it can be diluted. “Let’s be real and face ourselves and face the issue. “It’s still a majorly male-dominated industry. There aren’t many rooms, be it studios, stage or labels where I’m not in the room with mostly men. That is my new reality, which is not accurate to what is possible in music. Laura Mvula (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) “Most of the people that raised me musically are women, from my mum and my auntie Carol to producers, arrangers, composers, engineers, people in marketing, it’s not cool this is still an issue.” Laura also said she was “slightly relieved” that grime artists Skepta and Kano were in the running for the prize, saying: “It means we are waking up. Let’s begin to take ourselves more seriously, this is a really important year for music.

Skepta (Ian West/PA) “The world takes its cue from British music so it breaks my heart when it’s not accurate. We have made a good start.” The singer-songwriter’s 2013 debut Sing To The Moon was also nominated for the prestigious prize and she said getting the nod for two albums in a row was overwhelming. Laura Mvula (Ian West/PA) Shielding her eyes behind large sunglasses, she said: “I’m teary, but I’m trying to hide the mist. “This is number two for me, can you imagine? It’s so high profile, this is a music honour, not any showbiz bulls**t. It’s who put effort into making good art and that is an amazing achievement.” Bowie's farewell album 'Blackstar' up for UK's Mercury Prize David Bowie is favorite to win Britain's prestigious Mercury music prize for "Blackstar," the haunting album released days before his death. Bowie, who died in January aged 69, is among 12 finalists for the 20,000-pound ($26,000) album of the year prize.

Other contenders are solo artists Laura Mvula, Bat For Lashes, Anohni, Jamie Woon and Michael Kiwanuka; bands Radiohead, The 1975, Savages and The Comet is Coming; and grime musicians Skepta and Kano. Established in 1992 and open to acts from Britain and Ireland, the Mercury Prize often favors the eclectic and obscure over better-known performers. Some winners, including Arctic Monkeys and Elbow, have gone on to mainstream fame, while others have failed to break through. This year's winner will be announced Sept. 15. Guess who the most famous person is in The 1975 star Matty Healy's phone... The 1975 are having a pretty good year. The band have enjoyed stunning success around the world and now their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, has been shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Hitting the big time in America means the band now have some famous fans and lead singer Matty Healy has been dishing on who is the biggest name in his contacts book.

Speaking after the band’s Mercury nom, he said: “Probably Taylor Swift but she’s probably changed her number by now.” He joked: “I keep texting her.” (Yui Mok/PA) The singer added that it was “humbling” to be named on the same Mercury list as David Bowie, who is nominated for his last work Blackstar. He added: “It’s crazy just to be invited along and to be with contemporaries we are so in love with, like Skepta.” Matty, who is the son of TV stars Tim Healy and Denise Welch, went on: “Everyone is incredibly proud. It’s a very nice surprise. “Making a second record is a difficult thing to do so we wanted to approach it with the purity we had back in the early days. “We got rid of thinking about reviews and critics and acclaim and that is what is being recognised.” The 1975 are among the favourites as 2016 Mercury Music Prize shortlist is announced... while David Bowie wins a posthumous nomination David Bowie and The 1975 are among the favourites for a 2016 Hyundai Mercury Music Prize after the shortlist was announced in London on Thursday afternoon.

The 1975 received their nomination after winning international acclaim for their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, following its release in February. Meanwhile the late David Bowie's Blackstar has been given a posthumous nomination. Scroll down for video and full list of nominees In with a chance: The 1975 have earned a 2016 Mercury Music Prize nomination following the release of their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It The reclusive star - who tragically died in January at the age of 69 from cancer - has been nominated for a third time having previously been up for the prestigious accolade in 2002 for Heathen and in 2013 for The Next Day. The full shortlist of 12 nominated albums were announced at a ceremony hosted by 6 Music's Shaun Keaveny in London on Thursday and features a diverse range of artists from grime stars Kano and Skepta to indie band Radiohead.

The band's ninth studio LP A Moon Shaped Pool has been shortlisted along with Kano's Made in the Manor and Skepta's Konnichiwa. Legendary: David Bowie's Blackstar has been shortlisted for the 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize posthumously Hopeful: Michael Kiwanuka 's Love &amp; Hate and Laura Mvula's The Dreaming Room have also been named among this year's nominations In the mix: Jamie Woon has been given a Mercury Music Prize nod for album Making Time Other albums up for the award include Jamie Woon's Making Time and Laura Mvula's The Dreaming Room. And completing the list is Bat For Lashes with The Bride, Michael Kiwanuka with Love &amp; Hate, Adore Life by Savages, Hopelessness by Anohni and Chanel the Spirits by The Comet Is Coming. A Mercury Music Prize insider said: 'This is music to make sense of our unsettling times - heartfelt, angry, thoughtful and thrilling.

Delighted: Kano will no doubt hope to cap a successful year with a win after being nominated for latest album Made In The Manor Here they come: Natasha Khan, AKA Bat For Lashes (L) and Ellie Rowsell, AKA Wolf Alice (R) were in attendance on Wednesday afternoon. Bat For Lashes has been nominated for album The Bride Popular pair: The 1975 were represented by singer Matt Healy and band-mate Adam Hann 'The 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize 'Albums of the Year' are marked by their musical ambitions, unexpected instrumentation and breathtaking arrangements.' The prize aims to celebrate the best British albums from the past year. The shortlist, five remaining finalists and overall winner are judged solely on artistic merit. The six finalists and the overall winner will be announced as part of the 2016 Awards Show, which will take place on September 15 at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith. The ceremony will feature live performances from the shortlisted artists and will culminate in the announcement of the overall winner of the 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.

The 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize Albums of the Year nominations 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 &amp; 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 Music fans are thrilled over this year's 'diverse' Mercury Prize nominees Following Thursday’s reveal of this year’s Mercury Prize nominees, Twitter has been alight with opinion as #MercuryPrize sat at the top of the trending list for a long while. This year’s nominees include artists as varied as David Bowie, The 1975, Bat For Lashes, Skepta and Michael Kiwanuka, among others.

David Bowie is one of the names on the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Music Prize (Yui Mok/PA Wire/PA Images) Mercury Music Prize 2016 nominations – Skepta (Ian West/PA Wire/PA Images) And it seems that most music fans are thrilled with the line-up, with it being dubbed “diverse”, and others pleased that this year there are two grime artists in the mix: Kano and Skepta. Other notable mentions include previous winner Anohni, who won the prize back in 2005 with her album I Am Bird Now while under the name Antony and the Johnsons. Laura Mvula has received her second Mercury nomination for her sophomore album The Dreaming Room: the singer-songwriter’s 2013 debut Sing To The Moon was also nominated. The other nominees are The Comet Is Coming, Savages, Jamie Woon and Radiohead, which has become the most-nominated act in the Mercury Prize’s history. Many of the tweets shared on social media certainly range on the positive side following the announcement of the nominees.

David Bowie, Skepta up for Mercury Prize David Bowie has been nominated for the Mercury Prize for his last album, Blackstar, almost seven months after his death. The record will compete against albums by artists including Radiohead, Skepta and Laura Mvula, as well as The 1975 and Bat For Lashes. Skepta on stage (Danny Lawson/PA) Loading article content Radiohead received a nod for the hotly anticipated offering A Moon Shaped Pool. Laura was praised for her album The Dreaming Room, while rapper Skepta made the list for Konnichiwa. Singer Laura Mvula (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire/Press Association Images) The 1975s record I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it will also compete against Bat For Lashes The Bride. The other records to make the list of 12 albums of the year, chosen by the Mercury Prize judging panel, are Hopelessness by Anohni, Making Time by Jamie Woon, Made In The Manor by Kano, Love &amp; Hate by Michael Kiwanuka, Adore Life by Savages and Channel The Spirits by The Comet is Coming.

Radiohead has become the most-nominated act in the Mercury Prize's history The shortlist of albums up for the Mercury Prize 2016 has been revealed, and it is a veritable mix of artists and musical genres. Getting much of the attention is Radiohead, as the rock band has become the most-nominated act in the award’s history. The Thom Yorke-fronted band has received its fifth ever nomination for latest album A Moon Shaped Pool. They were first nominated in 1997 for OK Computer, and then for Amnesiac in 2001, Hail To The Thief in 2003 and In Rainbows in 2008, but they have yet to win the prestigious prize. Also stealing headlines following the announcement is David Bowie, who has received a posthumous nomination for his album Blackstar, eight months after his death.

David Bowie has received a posthumous Mercury Prize nomination for his album Blackstar (Yui Mok/PA Wire/PA Images) It is the British music icon’s third Mercury nomination: he was first up for the prestigious prize in 2002 with his album Heathen, and then again in 2013 for The Next Day. He has not yet won the title. Singer-songwriter Laura Mvula is up for the prize with her second album The Dreaming Room – she was previously nominated in 2013 for her debut effort Sing To The Moon. Two grime artists, Skepta and Kano, have also become talking points for their nods. The winner of the award will receive a 25,000 prize, with the ceremony taking place on September 15.

The full list of Mercury Music Prize 2016 nominees: David Bowie Blackstar Michael Kiwanuka Love &amp; Hate The Comet Is Coming Channel The Spirits Radiohead A Moon Shaped Pool Savages Adore Life Skepta Konnichiwa (L-R) Skepta, The 1975 and Bat For Lashes have each received nominations (Ian West/PA Wire/PA Images) Laura Mvula The Dreaming Room Anohni Hopelessness The 1975 I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It Bat For Lashes The Bride Kano Made In The Manor Jamie Woon Making Time Skepta, Anohni and David Bowie nominated for Mercury Prize The longlist for this years Mercury Prize has been announced, with artists including Skepta, Anohni, and David Bowie all nominated for the award, asThe FADERreport. The Mercury Prize is an annual music industry celebration. A jury of critics and industry insiders vote for the best British album of the year, with the winner receiving 20,000 and a healthy boost in album sales. Previous winners have included James Blake, Dizzee Rascal, PJ Harvey, and Young Fathers.

This years selection focuses on the big hitters: grime MC Skepta is listed for his breakthroughKonnichiwa, Anohni appears with her powerfulHopelessness, David Bowie gets a posthumous nomination forBlackstar, and Radioheads stunningA Moon Shaped Poolgets a nod too. Records by other recognisable artists including Bat For Lashes, Kano, and The 1975 have all been nominated too. The sole curveball is a nomination for relatively unknown London jazz band The Comet Is Coming. Six of the albums will be considered for the final prize, with the final prize chosen by a panel (which this year includes Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac and former prize nominees Kate Tempest and Jessie Ware) at a ceremony on September 15.

Check out the full longlist below: AnohniHoplessnessBat For LashesThe BrideDavid BowieBlackstarJamie WoonMaking TimeKanoMade In The ManorLaura MvulaThe Dreaming RoomMichael KiwanukaLove and HateRadioheadA Moon Shaped PoolSavagesAdore LifeSkeptaKonnichiwaThe 1975I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of itThe Comet Is ComingChannel The Spirits Mercury Prize 2016 Nominations: David Bowie's 'Blackstar' Leads Shortlist David Bowie’s final offering ‘Blackstar’ has bagged him a posthumous place on the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Prize. The iconic singer released his last album back in January, just one week before his death at the age of 69, with several of the tracks relating to his private battle with pancreatic cancer. It has now been revealed that he is one of 12 artists featured on the ‘Albums Of The Year’ list compiled by the Mercury Prize, which honours the past year of British music.

Sipa Press/REX/Shutterstock David Bowie Also on the shortlist are grime artists Skepta and Kano for their efforts ‘Konnichiwa’ and ‘Made In The Mirror’ respectively, as well as The 1975, for their exciting but dreadfully-titled ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are... Actually This Album Title Is So Bad We Can’t Bring Ourselves To Finish It Properly’. Bat For Lashes’ ‘The Bride’ also features, as do Anohni and Laura Mvula. Samir Hussein via Getty Images Skepta The judging panel said: “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.” Check out the full shortlist below...

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 &amp; 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’ Josh Brasted via Getty Images Matt Healy of The 1975 The winner of this year’s Mercury Prize will be decided by a judging panel of music industry experts, at an event on Wednesday 15 September. Bowie has previously been nominated on two occasions, for his albums ‘Heathen’ and ‘The Next Day’. Tap the image below to launch the slideshow...

PA Mercury Prize 2016: David Bowie gets posthumous nomination Image copyrightEPA / GETTY / BBCImage captionSkepta, David Bowie and Kano are all up for the 25,000 Mercury Prize David Bowie's final album, Blackstar, has been shortlisted for the 25th annual Mercury Prize. It faces competition from two grime albums - Kano's Made In The Manor and Skepta's Konnichiwa. The records, which address everything from police harassment to broken families, both reflect an emerging maturity in the genre. Radiohead receive a record fifth nomination for their stirring, emotional album A Moon Shaped Pool. The band, who are currently on tour in the US, have yet to win the album of the year award. Other artists nominated for the 25,000 prize include Laura Mvula, The 1975 and Michael Kiwanuka.

The full list of nominees is: Anohni - HopelessnessBat For Lashes - The BrideDavid Bowie - BlackstarJamie Woon - Making TimeKano - Made In The ManorLaura Mvula - The Dreaming RoomMichael Kiwanuka - Love and HateRadiohead - A Moon Shaped PoolSavages - Adore LifeSkepta - KonnichiwaThe 1975 - I Like It When You Sleep...The Comet Is Coming - Channel The Spirits Read more about the nominees Media captionMercury Prize 2016: Watch the nominees Blackstar, which contains the line: "Look up here, I'm in heaven," on the track Lazarus, has been called Bowie's "parting gift". Released just two days before his death from cancer, it went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic. There is also a nomination for former Mercury Prize-winner Antony and the Johnsons, who now goes under the name Anohni. Her album, Hopelessness, is a lacerating look at the modern world that rages against President Obama, drone warfare and ecological disaster.

Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage captionAnohni, Radiohead and Laura Mvula have all been nominated for the prize before The shortlist was chosen by a panel of judges that includes former winner Jarvis Cocker, Radio 1's Annie Mac, pop producer Naughty Boy and singer Jessie Ware. Notable omissions include Adele's 25 and Coldplay's A Head Full Of Dreams, which were the two biggest-selling albums released during the eligibility period: 26 September 2015 to 29 July 2016. PJ Harvey, the only artist to win the prize twice, also misses out on a nomination for her latest album, The Hope Six Demolition Project. The shortlist will be whittled down to six albums on the night of the awards, with one of those finalists selected by a public vote. Presented by Lauren Laverne, the ceremony will be broadcast live on BBC Four and 6 Music on 15 September. After last year's low-key event, the award will be handed out at a gala concert in London's Eventim Apollo, after Hyundai stepped in as a headline sponsor.

After the row over diversity at this year's Brits, the Mercury list does its best to redress the balance, with an all-female rock band, two grime MCs, a music icon and a transgender torch singer. Many of the nominated albums are unswervingly political. Anohni accuses President Obama of "executing without trial", while Skepta delivers a powerful message to the establishment: "We don't listen to no politician". All of the records feel vital and innovative - yet it's the most commercial list in years, with all but one of the nominees having entered the UK album chart, four of them at number one. That's thanks to a new panel of judges which puts an emphasis on musicians - including Jarvis Cocker and Naughty Boy - over rock critics and industry "suits". They've even taken the brave decision to omit Adele's all-conquering 25. Not that she'll mind: The 25,000 prize is only just enough to buy one of her concert tickets on the secondary market. Follow us on Twitter@BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram atbbcnewsents, or emailentertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

This year's Mercury Prize nominees suggest we are experiencing a musical renaissance On a level of pure dominance, Adele obviously made the album of the last 12 months. There is no room for her on the more critically discerning Mercury Prize nominations list. No room for Coldplay either, the worlds most popular band and still a creatively ambitious force trying to carve out new spaces for rock in a pop market. But that is okay. They have already cleaned up at the Brits. And the truth is there is no one on this Mercury list that doesnt deserve to be there, despite obvious candidates being overlooked. Absences are always intriguing and two time winner PJ Harvey is the most glaring omission. But her ambitious Hope Six Demolition Project was not as cohesive as previous offerings and somebody had to get dropped. You could actually make a very strong alternative list of albums from former Mercury darlings who didnt make the cut: PJ Harvey, James Blake, Wild Beasts, Corinne Bailey Rae, Underworld, The Last Shadow Puppets, Mystery Jets, Primal Scream, New Order, Suede, Metronomy, Guy Garvey.

And there are certainly cases to be made for more obscure artists including Blood Orange, Ital Tek, Cats Eyes, Floating Points and The Invisible. But rather than getting up in arms about whether the Mercury found room for your own favourite, perhaps we should acknowledge that the quality of the absentees is further proof that this is indeed a very special time for British music. I hope that the judges do eventually give it to David Bowie, who has probably done more to create the kind of vibrant creative space where a prize like this can flourish than any other British artist. And Black Star is a masterpiece. But, for once, whoever wins, you can say that music is the winner. The winner of the Mercury Prize will be announced on September 15 David Bowie, Skepta up for Mercury Prize David Bowie has been nominated for the Mercury Prize for his last album, Blackstar, almost seven months after his death. The record will compete against albums by artists including Radiohead, Skepta and Laura Mvula, as well as The 1975 and Bat For Lashes. Skepta on stage (Danny Lawson/PA) Radiohead received a nod for the hotly anticipated offering A Moon Shaped Pool.

Laura was praised for her album The Dreaming Room, while rapper Skepta made the list for Konnichiwa. Singer Laura Mvula (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire/Press Association Images) The 1975′s record I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it will also compete against Bat For Lashes’ The Bride. The other records to make the list of 12 albums of the year, chosen by the Mercury Prize judging panel, are Hopelessness by Anohni, Making Time by Jamie Woon, Made In The Manor by Kano, Love &amp; Hate by Michael Kiwanuka, Adore Life by Savages and Channel The Spirits by The Comet is Coming. David Bowie's Blackstar album up for Mercury Prize David Bowie's Blackstar album up for Mercury Prize BelfastTelegraph.co.uk David Bowie has been nominated for the Mercury Prize for his last album, Blackstar, almost seven months after his death. Music News LIVE: Mercury Prize 2016 shortlist And where are they now? 2015 saw Benjamin Clementine win with his debut album, At Least For Now - a searingly-personal collection of piano-based songs.

"I don't know what to say," the 26-year-old said as he accepted the prize, then invited all the other nominees to take to the stage with him. He then broke down in tears as he dedicated his award to the victims of the Paris terror attacks. The musician spent his early 20s living in the city, and busked on the metro as a struggling musician. Clementine is currently touring the US. More on Clementine's win here. Young Fathers were surprise winners in 2014, with their debut record, Dead, beating 11 other albums from acts including Damon Albarn, Bombay Bicycle Club and bookmakers' favourite, FKA Twigs. The Edinburgh trio have spent much of 2016 touring with Massive Attack. Read more about their win here. Electronic artist James Blake took home the Prize in 2013 with his second album, Overgrown. "Well, I lost the bet," Blake said after beating bookies' favourite Laura Mvula and stars like David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys to the 20,000 prize. Blake went on to be nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, as well as for British Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards.

He released his third album, The Colour in Anything, in May this year. It charted in the top 10 here in the UK. Read more on Blake's win here. 2012's victors were indie rock band Alt-J with their debut album An Awesome Wave. An early favourite with bookmakers, the band's album beat rapper Plan B, The Maccabees, Richard Hawley, Django Django, Jessie Ware and Field Music. Bassist Gwil Sainsbury left Alt-J in January 2014. Later that year the band announced their second album This is All Yours which hit the number one spot in the UK charts. Find out more about Alt-J's win here. In 2011, PJ Harvey became the first person to win the Mercury Prize twice, with her album Let England Shake. The record, which was inspired by the horrors of war, was the bookmakers' favourite. Harvey also won in 2001. In January 2015, PJ Harvey began recording her 9th studio album in front of a live audience in Somerset House, and was released in April that year. Read all about PJ Harvey's momentous win here.

Radiohead, Anohni and David Bowie on Mercury music prize shortlist The 12-strong shortlist has been revealed for this years Hyundai Mercury Prize. The albums on the list are: Hopelessness, Anohni The Bride, Bat for Lashes Blackstar, David BowieMaking Time, Jamie Woon Made in the Manor, Kano The Dreaming Room, Laura Mvula Love &amp; Hate, Michael Kiwanuka A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead Adore Life, Savages Konnichiwa, Skepta I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It, The 1975 Channel the Spirits by Groovefella and The Comet Is Coming The prizes aim is to provide a snapshot of the year in music, to encourage debate and discussion about music, and to help introduce new albums from a variety of musical genres to a wider audience. No Irish act made this years shortlist. On the night of the awards show one finalist will be chosen by a public vote, with five more added to a shortlist, from which the panel will then pick an overall winner, who will receive 25,000 and a trophy.

It costs 190 for acts to enter the competition. This years jury is made up of musicians and music writers and broadcasters. The panel includes: Jessie Ware; Jeff Smith, head of music at 6 Music and Radio 2; broadcaster Clara Amfo; Phil Alexander, editor-in-chief of Kerrang!, Mojo and Q; Harriet Gibsone, music news editor at The Guardian/Guardian.com; Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic at The Times; Jarvis Cocker; Kate Tempest; Jamie Cullum; Ellie Rowsell from Wolf Alice; producer Naughty Boy; and broadcaster Annie Mac. The competition was begun in 1992. Last years winner was Benjamin Clementine. No Irish act has ever won the prize. PJ Harvey Somerset House glass box recording sells out - BBC News BBC News PJ Harvey Somerset House glass box recording sells out 3 January 2015 Image copyright Somerset House handout Image caption PJ Harvey will not know when people are watching her Tickets to see award-winning singer songwriter PJ Harvey record her next album in a glass box at London's Somerset House have sold out.

The musician, who is the only person to have won the prestigious Mercury Prize twice, will be joined in the box by her band, producers and engineers. The enclosed box will have one-way glazing so they will have no idea when people are watching. The sessions could be anything from improvisation to recording a bass drum. "I want Recording in Progress to operate as if we're an exhibition in a gallery," she said. "I hope people will see the attention and the labour and the care that goes into making a recording. I hope people will see the interactions between everyone involved." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Somerset House will host the recording The box will be situated in the New Wing, which was once used as the Inland Revenue's staff gym and rifle range. The Devon-born musician's last release, 2011's Let England Shake, a collection of songs inspired by conflicts around the world, was her second Mercury winner, taking the prize for the best album of the year 10 years after Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea was honoured.

Late Bowie vies with Radiohead, Anohni for… Late Bowie vies with Radiohead, Anohni for Mercury Prize GMT 10:54 2016 Friday ,05 August Late rock legend David Bowie London - AFP Late rock legend David Bowie was nominated Thursday for the prestigious Mercury Prize for his final album, going up against fellow critic favorites Radiohead and Anohni. "This is music to make sense of our unsettling times -- heartfelt, angry, thoughtful and thrilling," the jury said in a statement announcing the 12 shortlisted albums. Neither Radiohead nor Bowie have won the Mercury Prize, which was established in 1992 to recognise the top album by a British or Irish artist. Bowie was in the running for "Blackstar," a career-capping album infused with jazz and lyricism touching on a half-century on the cutting edge of music. Bowie stunned fans by dying two days after the album's release from an undisclosed battle with cancer. Radiohead, which holds the Mercury record for most nominated but has never taken the prize, was shortlisted for "A Moon Shaped Pool," in which the dark experimental rockers inch back to their guitar-rock origins.

Anohni was nominated for "Hopelessness," a searing political indictment of US foreign policy and the world's environmental failures that shifts sharply from Anohni's earlier work with its synthpop sound. Anohni, who was born in Britain but raised in the United States, saw her career rise after her band Antony and the Johnsons won the Mercury Prize in 2005 for the bleak and deeply personal "I Am a Bird Now." Other nominees this year included pop singer Bat for Lashes's "The Bride," a concept album about a woman's fiance dying on the way to the wedding, and the latest works by punk revivalists Savages and danceable alternative rockers The 1975. Also in the running for the Mercury Prize were albums by soul singers Laura Mvula and Michael Kiwanuka and by two artists from Britain's grime hip-hop scene, Kano and Skepta. Lesser-known artists whose albums were nominated were The Comet Is Coming, which incorporates jazz and electronica, and trippy R&B singer Jamie Woon.

In one notable snub, PJ Harvey was not nominated for "The Hope Six Demolition Project," which merged her alternative rock style with reflections on displacement from Afghanistan to inner-city Washington, DC. Her last album, "Let England Shake," won in 2011, making her the only artist to have taken home the Mercury Prize twice. This year's winner will be announced at a September 15 show in London. In a shift with the past, the Mercury Prize -- established as an alternative to the more mainstream Brits -- will allow fans to vote for the finalists, although a jury will select the ultimate winner.

Question: By winning the Mercury Music Prize in 2011 who is the only artiste to have won this prize twice?
Answer: P J Harvey