Mercury Prize 2025

• PRIZE
• SHORTLIST
• CELEBRATING
• THE BEST OF UK
• AND IRISH MUSIC
• Dive Into the Albums Inside
• ALBUMS
• OF THE YEAR

A SNAPSHOT OF THE YEAR IN MUSIC

• RECOGNISING
• ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT
• ACROSS AN ECLECTIC
• RANGE OF CONTEMPORARY
• MUSIC GENRES

• 2025 Shortlist
• 01 — CMAT
• 02 — Emma-Jean Thackray
• 03 — FKA twigs
• 04 — Fontaines D.C.
• 05 — Jacob Alon
• 06 — Joe Webb
• EURO-COUNTRY
• WEIRDO
• EUSEXUA
• ROMANCE
• IN LIMERENCE
• HAMSTRINGS & HURRICANES

• 08 — Pa Salieu
• 09 — PinkPantheress
• 10 — Pulp
• 11 — Sam Fender
• 12 — Wolf Alice
• TRANSFORM ME THEN INTO A FISH
• AFRIKAN ALIEN
• FANCY THAT MORE
• PEOPLE WATCHING
• THE CLEARING
• CONTENT

EURO-

COUNTRY

CMAT

Irish musician and singer CMAT released her third album ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ in August 2025 on AWAL Recordings. The album reached number 2 in the UK Album Charts. The singles include ‘Running/Planning’, ‘Take a Sexy Picture of Me’, ‘EURO-COUNTRY’ and ‘When a Good Man Cries’.

I feel like an actual pop star now, instead of a fake little funny one.

WEI

EMMA-JEAN

I see everything as a piece of art, and I am art

Weirdo’ is the second album by Leeds-born, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and vocalist Emma-Jean Thackray. It was released in April 2025 on Brownswood Recordings-Parlophone Records. The singles include ‘Black Hole’, ‘Wanna Die’ and ‘Maybe Nowhere’.

RDO

THACKRAY

RDO

EUS

EXUA

FKA twigs

‘EUSEXUA’ is the third album from Cheltenham-born singer, songwriter, producer and dancer FKA twigs. Released in January 2025 on Young Recordings, the album reached Number 3 in the UK Album Charts. The singles include ‘Eusexua’, ‘Perfect Stranger’ and ‘Drums of Death’.

I want people to see what's inside my head rather than just looking at me.

ROM

Pretending I’m fine ‘cause people like that "

Dublin band Fontaines D.C. released their fourth album ‘Romance’ in August 2024 on XL Recordings. It reached Number 2 in the UK Album Charts. The album was produced by James Ford and the singles include ‘Starburster’, ‘Favourite’, ‘Here’s the Thing’ and ‘In the Modern World’.

FONTAINES D.C.

ANCE

FONTAINES D.C.

ANCE

JACOB ALON

IN LIM

ERENCE

‘In Limerence’ is the debut album from singer-songwriter Jacob Alon from Fife. The album was released in May 2025 on Island Records. It was produced by Dan Carey and the singles include ‘Fairy in a Bottle’, ‘Confession’, ‘Liquid Gold 25’ and ‘Don’t Fall Asleep’.

You can’t just sit idly and maintain the status quo. You’ve got to have a fight

JACOB ALON

Our influences are super eclectic, so [we were] trying to get them all on the same page.

‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’ is the debut album from the Joe Webb band. Pianist and composer Joe Webb is from Neath, South Wales and the other members of the band are Will Sach (bass) and Sam Jesson (drums). The album was released in October 2024 on Edition Records.

• HAMSTRINGS &
• HURRICANES
• JOE WEBB

JOE WEBB

MARTIN CARTHY

THEN INTO A FISH

‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’ is the first solo album in twenty-one years from Robin Hood’s Bay-based musician Martin Carthy, one of Britain’s most influential folk musicians. The album was released in August 2025 on HemHem Records and produced by Ben Seal with Eliza Carthy.

I have nothing to hide. I just think, 'You did it, for heaven's sake, to the best of your ability.'

• MARTIN CARTHY
• THEN INTO A FISH
• TRANSFORM ME

PA SALIEU

My mission is to take and go. We will take happiness; we will take all. As long as I breathe, I’m as equal as anyone.

‘Afrikan Alien’ is the second album from Coventry-based rapper Pa Salieu. The album was recorded at Angelic Studios in Oxfordshire and released in November 2024 on Warner Records. The singles include ‘Belly’, ‘Round & Round’, ‘Dece (Heavy)’ and ‘Big Smile (Pose For Me)’.

ALIEN

AFRIKAN

ALIEN

AFRIKAN

FANCY

‘Fancy That’ is the second album from Bath-born singer, songwriter and producer Vicky Beverley Walker aka PinkPantheress. The album was released in May 2025 on Warner Records and reached Number 3 in the UK Album Charts. The singles include ‘Tonight’, ‘Stateside’ and ‘Illegal’.

I don’t care about the beats, I care about the pen

• PINKPANTHERESS
• MERCURY PRIZE NEWCASTLE - 2025 SHORTLIST
• THAT FANCY

PULP

I wanna live like common people.

Sheffield band Pulp released their eighth album ‘More’ in June 2025 on Rough Trade Records. It’s their first album in twenty-four years and it reached Number 1 in the UK Album Charts. The album was produced by James Ford and the singles include ‘Spike Island’ and ‘Got to Have Love’.

SAM FENDER

‘People Watching’ is the third album from North Shields singer-songwriter Sam Fender. The album was released in February 2025 on Polydor Records and reached Number 1 in the UK Album Charts. The singles include ‘People Watching’, ‘Wild Long Lie’, ‘Arm’s Length’, ‘Little Bit Closer’ and ‘Rein Me In’.

Life is a series of moments that shape who we become.

• MERCURY PRIZE NEWCASTLE - 2025 SHORTLIST
• PEOPLE
• WHATCHING
• SAM FENDER

• THE CL
• EARING
• WOLF ALICE

Nothing about her is human except that she is not a wolf

Wolf Alice released their fourth album ‘The Clearing’ in August 2025 on Columbia Records. The album was produced by Greg Kurstin and recorded in Los Angeles. It reached Number 1 in the UK Album Charts and includes the singles ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’, ‘The Sofa’ and ‘White Horses’.

EARING