2022 Mercury Prize shortlist announced
This morning the short list of albums in the running for the 2022 Mercury Prize was announced. The winner will be announced at an award show on September 8th in London. All 12 artist will receive a special commissioned “Album of the Year” trophy but the overall winner will also receive a winner trophy and a cash prize of £25,000.
The 2022 Mercury Prize “Albums of the Year”:
‘Forest Floor’ by Fergus McCreadie
‘Tresor’ by Gwenno
‘Harry’s House’ by Harry Styles
‘For All Our Days That Tear The Heart’ by Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler
‘Skin’ by Joy Crookes
‘Reason to Smile’ by Kojey Radical
‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ by Little Simz
‘Supernova’ by Nova Twins
‘Seventeen Going Under’ by Sam Fender
‘Prioritise Pleasure’ by Self Esteem
‘Wet Leg’ by Wet Leg
‘The Overload’ by Yard Act
The Mercury Prize focuses on celebrating the best UK and Irish albums and musicians of that year. “The main objectives of the Prize are to recognise and celebrate artistic achievement, provide a snapshot of the year in music and to help introduce new albums from a range of music genres to a wider audience” via the official Mercury Prize website.
The shortlist is compiled by a panel of judges made of music experts from various backgrounds. This year’s judges are Anna Calvi, Annie Mac, Danielle Perry, Gemma Cairney, Hazel Wilde, Jamie Cullum, Jeff Smith, Michael Kiwanuka, Mike Walsh, Phil Alexander, Tshepo Mokoena, and Will Hodgkinson. The same panel also determines the overall winner.
The Mercury Prize was first awarded to ‘Screamadeliac’ by Primal Scream in 1992. Recent winners include: ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’ by Arlo Parks (2021), ‘KIWANUKA’ by Michael Kiwanuka (2020), ‘Psychodrama’ by Dave (2019), and ‘Visions of a Life’ by Wolf Alice (2018).
For 2022, we here at I Dream of Vinyl think it’s up for grabs between Sam Fender, Wet Leg, Little Simz, or Self Esteem but see it likely going to Little Simz or Self Esteem.
