The nominees for the 2015 , the award for best album by an artist from the United Kingdom, has been announced, with names new and old making the dozen hopefuls.
The list of artists features lesser-knowns like SOAK and British-Zimbabwean folk-soul musician ESKA rubbing elbows with familiar names like and .
Only one artist has won twice in the . PJ Harvey took the award home for the once-in-a-lifetime album “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea,” and 2011’s “Let England Shake.” Jamie xx stands to match Harvey’s total in a roundabout way: He won it as a member of The xx in 2010 and now will try as a solo artist with “In Colour.”
If we’ve learned anything, the Mercury Prize is far from a gimme for any artist, no matter who they are. Despite multiple nominations, not even the mighty Radiohead has been able to land the award so far.
This year’s winner will be announced on November 20.
2015 Mercury Price nominees
Aphex Twin “Syro”
Wolf Alice “My Love Is Cool”
Róisín Murphy “Hairless Toys”
C Duncan “Architect”
ESKA “ESKA”
Florence and the Machine “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful”
Ghost poet “Shedding Skin”
Benjamin Clementine “At Least for Now”
Jamie xx “In Colour”
SOAK – Before “We Forgot How to Dream”
Gaz Coombes “Matador”
Slaves “Are You Satisfied?”
Read our interview with 2014’s Mercury Prize winners, Young Fathers, .
