Speculation over whose name will appear on the coveted Barclaycard Mercury Prize Shortlist has been rife over the weekend, as the anticipation for what can become a pivotal point in a new artist’s career, or the defining moment of a established one, draws closer and closer.
This year, the lovely Lauren Laverne and her gently lilting accent announced the names of the 12 acts to have been selected for this years shortlist in a ceremony hosted in London’s Covent Garden, making the following statement, “There’s been so much great music released this year. I’m sure the judges will have an even more challenging job than usual choosing the final shortlist of 12 Albums of the Year. It’s certainly looks like it should be a really strong line-up.”
The shortlist for the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize 2011 is as follows:
Metronomy – The English Riviera
Adele – 21
Everything Everything – Man Alive
Ghostpoet – Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
Tinie Tempah – Disc-Overy
Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys
Gwilym Simcock – Good Days at Schloss Elmau
James Blake – James Blake
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Katy B – On A Mission
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
The Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize is a celebration of UK music, and in order to qualify for consideration, an album must have released in the UK between the months of July 2010 and July 2011. Winners over the past few years have included The xx, Elbow and Speech Debelle.
The overall winner of the prize will be announced during a televised ceremony hosted by Jools Holland on the 6 September 2011.
All photographs by Sebastien Dehesdin.
Sign up to Best Fit's Substack for regular dispatches from the world of pop culture