Mercury Prize 2025 shortlist for Albums of the Year revealed

The 2025 Mercury Prize list of twelve ‘Albums of the Year’ was unveiled today, Wednesday 10 September, on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds by Lauren Laverne.

The twelve shortlisted albums for the 2025 Mercury Prize are:

CMAT EURO-COUNTRY
Emma-Jean Thackray Weirdo
FKA twigs EUSEXUA
Fontaines D.C. Romance
Jacob Alon In Limerence
Joe Webb Hamstrings & Hurricanes
Martin Carthy : Transform Me Then Into A Fish
Pa Salieu Afrikan Alien
PinkPantheress Fancy That
Pulp More
Sam Fender People Watching
Wolf Alice The Clearing

The Awards Show will take place on Thursday, 16 October at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, with live performances from many of the shortlisted acts. The night will end with the announcement of the overall winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize. BBC Music, the Prize’s official broadcast partner, will cover the event. A limited number of tickets are still available here.

This year marks the first time the Mercury Prize has left London, with Newcastle hosting in collaboration with Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority. The change represents a fresh chapter for the award, and the October ceremony promises to be a vibrant celebration of the best British and Irish music of the year.

The Mercury Prize is dedicated to showcasing the finest new music from the UK and Ireland, highlighting artistic achievement across a broad spectrum of contemporary genres. As an independent award, it shines a light on the album format, providing a snapshot of each year in music and often acting as a launchpad for emerging artists to gain broader recognition at home and internationally.

Every year, the shortlist is chosen by an independent panel of judges made up of industry professionals with a deep passion for celebrating artistic excellence across styles and sounds. The 2025 judging panel includes Danielle Perry – Broadcaster and Writer; Jamie Cullum – Musician and Radio 2 Broadcaster; Jamz Supernova – 6 Music Broadcaster and DJ; Jeff Smith – Head of Music at Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music; Lea Stonhill – Music Programming Consultant; Mistajam – Songwriter, DJ and Broadcaster; Phil Alexander – Creative Director of Kerrang! And Contributing Editor at Mojo, Sian Eleri – Radio 1 Broadcaster and DJ, Will Hodgkinson – Chief Rock and Pop Critic at The Times, and Sophie Williams – Music Writer and Broadcaster. Jeff Smith serves as Chair of the judging panel.

In addition to the main Awards Show, Generator, the North’s leading music development agency, is spearheading the Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe. This city-wide celebration will spotlight the North East’s thriving music culture and its iconic venues in new and exciting ways.

The Fringe will run from Thursday 9 October to Wednesday 15 October, filling the region with live performances, workshops, and opportunities for discovery. The aim is to showcase the North East’s creative talent while inviting participation from local schools, music hubs, new and established artists, cultural groups, and music fans eager to explore fresh sounds.

Spanning all seven local authority areas in the North East Combined Authority — Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Durham, and Northumberland — the Fringe will spread across venues such as The Glasshouse in Gateshead, Pop Recs in Sunderland, Queens Hall Arts in Northumberland, World Headquarters and Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle, with additional locations to be announced soon.

The Mercury Fringe promises a week full of concerts curated with local promoters, hands-on workshops, panel discussions, a major industry conference, and close-up conversations with some of the most influential and innovative artists in the UK. Audiences will be able to explore topics including production, broadcasting, songwriting, composition, and the craft of album-making. Record store listening events will further extend the programme, supporting local businesses and giving fans a chance to engage with the shortlisted albums in community spaces.

The full programme will be announced soon. More details can be found at www.generator.org/mercuryfringe.

The celebrations will also include contributions from official partners. LNER (London North Eastern Railway), the Mercury Prize’s official travel partner, will transport many of the shortlisted artists and judges to the October ceremony, highlighting the connection between travel, music, and culture. adidas will mark the shortlist with a themed display at END. on Grey Street, while Fenwick, Newcastle’s flagship department store, will highlight the twelve albums in store and host live performances and creative workshops during the Fringe.

Continuing its long-term role as the official audio partner, Bowers & Wilkins once again supports the Mercury Prize. With more than forty years at the forefront of audio innovation, the British premium sound brand will help celebrate the album format and the creative achievements of the twelve artists shortlisted for 2025.