2026 Mercury Prize

2026 Mercury Prize - the shortlist will be announced today just after 10.30 am on BBC 6 Music

https://www.mercuryprize.com/news/2026/2026-mercury-prize-judging-team-announced/

The 2026 Mercury Prize judging team is:

AFRODEUTSCHE - Composer, DJ & Radio 3 Unwind & 6 Music Broadcaster
Danielle Perry - Broadcaster (Absolute Radio & Jazz FM) & Musician
Jamie Cullum - Musician & Radio 2 Broadcaster;
Jeff Smith - Head of Music, Radio 2 & 6 Music
Lea Stonhill – Music Programming Consultant;
MistaJam – Songwriter, DJ & Broadcaster
Phil Alexander – Creative Director, Kerrang!/Contributing Editor, MOJO
Sian Eleri – Radio 1 Broadcaster & DJ
Sophie Williams – Music Writer & Broadcaster
Will Hodgkinson - Chief Rock & Pop Critic, The Times

Jeff Smith - is also The Chair of the judging team

https://www.musicweek.com/media/read/2026-mercury-prize-key-dates-revealed-as-entries-open/093981

The 2026 Mercury Prize is open for entries from today (April 22) and will close on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Record labels who have entered albums in previous years will have been sent more information ahead of the opening date. Newer record labels wishing to submit albums can email entr✧✧✧@mercurypr✧✧✧.c✧.u✧ to receive more information.

Albums by British or Irish artists released between Saturday, August 30, 2025 and Friday, July 17, 2026 are eligible for entry, although submissions must be received by May 13, 2026.

yesterday evening I had a look through RYM to research a list of potential eligible albums, including these:

Boards of Canada - Inferno
My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe
Ed O'Brien - Blue Morpho
Knats - A Great Day in Newcastle
Mandy, Indiana - URGH
Tara Clerkin Trio - Somewhere Good
Momoko Gill - Momoko
Alewya - Zero
Wesley Joseph - Forever Ends Someday
Hen Ogledd - Discombobulated
RAYE - This Music May Contain Hope.
Shabaka - Of the Earth
Lime Garden - Maybe Not Tonight
Chalk - Crystalpunk
Dry Cleaning - Secret Love
Nubiyan Twist - Chasing Shadows
Joshua Idehen - I Know You're Hurting, Everyone Is Hurting, Everyone Is Trying, You Have Got to Try
Pigeon - Outtanational
Ebbb - Shallow Hits
Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 - Haf
Liar, Flower - Ornamental Gardens
Maruja - Pain to Power
Mark William Lewis - Mark William Lewis
Blawan - SickElixir
Dove Ellis - Blizzard
Brìghde Chaimbeul - Sunwise
Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving
Just Mustard - We Were Just Here
Suede - Antidepressants
Baxter Dury - Allbarone
Lily Allen - West End Girl
Joy Crookes - Juniper
Sprints - All That Is Over
Cate Le Bon - Michelangelo Dying
Jennifer Walton - Daughters
Saint Etienne - International
Yazmin Lacey - Teal Dreams
Cerys Hafana - Angel
Sarathy Korwar - There Is Beauty, There Already
Joviale - Mount Crystal
GANS - Good for the Soul
Hannah Peel & Beibei Wang - The Endless Dance

Note the recent change in eligibility:

Artists born overseas can now be eligible for the Mercury Prize if they have been a resident of the UK for at least five years, regardless of their citizenship status.

Introducing the 2026 Mercury Prize Albums of the Year! ✨

· @santandave1 – 'The Boy Who Played the Harp'
· Dove Ellis – 'Blizzard'
· @florencemachine – 'Everybody Scream'
· @jadethirlwall – 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!'
· @knatsncl – 'A Great Day In Newcastle'
· @KojeyRadical – 'Don't… pic.twitter.com/ohBw8kMUoJ

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 30, 2026

very weak list

Mercury Prize 2026: check out this year’s shortlisted albums
https://www.nme.com/news/music/mercury-prize-2026-check-out-this-years-shortlisted-albums-3959760

The full shortlist for the Mercury Prize 2026 is:

Dave – ‘The Boy Who Played the Harp’
Dove Ellis – ‘Blizzard’
Florence + The Machine – ‘Everybody Scream’
JADE – ‘THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!’
Knats – ‘A Great Day In Newcastle’
Kojey Radical – ‘Don’t Look Down’
Nia Archives – ‘Emotional Junglist’
Olivia Dean – ‘The Art of Loving’
Paul McCartney – ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’
RAYE – ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.’
Suede – ‘Antidepressants’
War Child Records – ‘HELP(2)’

yawn

if War Child wins it will be hilarious to see Various Artists collect their award I guess

nia archives album is very good, no comment on the rest

Nia Archives was on the last day of eligibility, also notice this year there is a shorter timeframe. Last year was the probably the longest timeframe in the history of the Mercury Prize as nominations ended very late in August.

That's one unexciting list. Very Brit awards adjacent.