Meet the Mercury Prize 2024 Shortlist: Where Can I See Them Live?
Posted on Friday 26th July 2024 at 14:30
Written by
Sarah Moore
Each year, music lovers flock to the internet to discover the shortlist of the coveted Mercury Prize - an award for innovation and excellence in music of all genres. The prize, which is traditionally awarded at an annual ceremony in October, brings together a panel of great music minds to determine which album of the past 12 months has proved itself as the best of the best.
Last year, the prolific five-piece jazz outfit Ezra Collective took home the ultimate prize, going up against stiff competition such as Arctic Monkeys, Jockstrap and Olivia Dean.
This year, the shortlist will be judged by a stellar list of music industry bods, bringing their expertise to the table to decide on the most acclaimed and influential album of 2024.
The judges include Danielle Perry (Broadcaster & Writer), Jamie Cullum (Musician & BBC Radio 2 Broadcaster), Jamz Supernova (BBC Radio 6 Music Broadcaster & DJ), Jeff Smith (Head of Music, BBC Radio 2 & BBC Radio 6 Music), Lea Stonhill (Music Programming Consultant), Mistajam (Songwriter, DJ & Broadcaster), Phil Alexander (Creative Director, Kerrang!/Contributing Editor, Mojo), Sian Eleri (BBC Radio 1 Broadcaster & DJ), Will Hodgkinson (Chief Rock & Pop Critic, The Times), and Sophie Williams (Music Writer & Broadcaster). The Chair of the judging team is Jeff Smith.
This year's list has just been revealed, and it's an eclectic and exciting bunch of albums that celebrate all corners of music. From dance and pop to indie and grime, read on to find out which albums are nominated this year, and where you can grab tickets to see some of these incredible artists live.
Barry Can’t Swim - When Will We Land?
Following two acclaimed EPs in 2021 and 2022, Barry Can't Swim released his first full length record in 2023, to widespread acclaim and excitement in the world of electronic music.
Clash, Mixmag, PopMatter and Billboard all placed Barry Can't Swim's debut LP in their best albums of 2023 lists, citing its meticulous detail, cohesiveness and immersive nature.
Having already secured an award win for Best Album at the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards in February 2024, and reached No.12 in the UK Album Charts in its first week, When Will We Land? is en electronic music triumph for Barry Can't Swim, and an exciting beginning to his career.
Find out more about Barry Can't Swim here:
Berwyn - Who Am I
Alongside When Will We Land?, Who Am I is another debut studio album nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2024. Berwyn has been a name to watch for the last several years, having placed third in the BBC Sound Of 2021 list and been nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2021 MOBO Awards. Berwyn has also bagged a Mercury Prize nod in previous years with his mixtape Demotape/Vega in 2021. So it's no surprise that his first full-length release has also found its way onto this year's shortlist.
The Trinidad-born rapper, producer and songwriter stunned with Who Am I, released only two weeks ago, having seen five star reviews from the likes of DIY and The Observer. Critics applauded its skilful blend of multiple genres such as pop and R&B.
Find out more about Berwyn here:
Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown
Former Portishead vocalist Beth Gibbons makes her second appearance on the Mercury Prize shortlist - following Portishead's 1995 win with album Dummy - but her first as a solo artist. Lives Outgrown is an incredible introspective and personal record which thrives on Beth Gibbons own life experiences.
Lives Outgrown was written over the course of a decade, and draws on themes of motherhood, anxiety, menopause, and mortality as Gibbons approaches 60. What comes from these universal themes is a timeless and eccentric sound that wowed critics and reached No.7 on the UK Official Album Chart.
Find out more about Beth Gibbons here:
Cat Burns - Early Twenties
British-Liberian singer-songwriter Cat Burns has been gaining attention since her 2020 single "Go" - which earned delayed popularity thanks to TikTok - went on to reach number two on the UK singles chart in 2022. She's another inspiring up and comer, earning a Mercury Prize 2024 nomination with her debut record, in the form of the acclaimed Early Twenties.
Burns' satisfying amalgam of pop, gospel, R&B and indie music has made her unique in contemporary music, and has notably led her to become a three-time BRIT Award nominee. In Early Twenties, which charted at No.7 in the Official UK Album Charts, Burns showcases what Clash magazine called "the best pop vocals of the last decade" and cited comparisons to early Beyonce and Paramore.
Cat Burns heads out on a UK tour later this year, grab your tickets today:
- Sunday 13th October 2024: Cat Burns - O2 Academy Birmingham
- Monday 14th October 2024: Cat Burns - O2 Academy Bristol
- Tuesday 15th October 2024: Cat Burns - O2 Academy Glasgow
- Thursday 17th October 2024: Cat Burns - Academy, Manchester
- Friday 18th October 2024: Cat Burns - Roundhouse, London
Find out more about Cat Burns here:
Charli XCX - Brat
Charli xcx returned in June 2024 with her sixth studio album, Brat, a hyperpop masterpiece and her first release since the end of her contract with Asylum Records. The cutting of contractual ties has led to a new sense of freedom and produced some of the most experimental and stunningly chaotic songs of her career. Brat balances the whiplash of anxieties that come with growing into a 30-something year-old woman in a sound that's both retro and refreshing.
Since release, Brat has become a worldwide pop culture phenomenon: its lo-fi cover art sparking a viral moment dubbed "brat summer", adopted even by the likes of presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Outside of its cultural influence, it's been held in high esteem by critics and fans like, currently sitting as the highest rated album of 2024 so far. It was also one of our chosen albums of the year so far in 2024!
Find out more about Charli xcx here:
CMAT - Crazymad, for Me
CMAT is the Irish musician making huge waves in the pop music sphere today, having topped the Irish album charts with both her debut album If My Wife New I'd Be Dead, and her now Mercury Prize-nominated sophomore release Crazymad, For Me. The acclaimed record has sparked the attention of the music press, having placed in The Guardian's Best Albums of 2023 list, and also earned a nomination for Best Album at the Ivor Novello Awards 2024.
Considered a concept album, Crazymad, For Me is an epic telling of toxic relationships and bad decisions, which DIY described as "[transforming] pop culture into poetry". It features songs co-written and performed with incredible musicians such as John Grant, Declan McKenna and Benjamin Francis Leftwich.
CMAT will be performing in the UK later this summer as support to New Order:
- Thursday 22nd August 2024: New Order - Alexandra Head at Cardiff Bay, Cardiff
Find out more about CMAT here:
Corinne Bailey Rae - Black Rainbows
Fourteen years since her first Mercury Prize nomination for her second studio album The Sea, Corinne Bailey Rae returns with a genre-bending triumph that stunned audiences worldwide: her fourth album, Black Rainbows. Inspired by a Black History exhibition in Chicago, Bailey Rae said it "summoned thoughts about slavery, spirituality, beauty, survival, hope and freedom" which went on to become the main premise of the album.
Considered a huge departure from her previous material, Black Rainbows was a surprising and successful return, seven years after her previous album release. Critics noted elements of garage rock, jazz, electronic, R&B and glam-punk, in a combination that on paper sounds confusing, but in reality created something truly unique and mesmerising.
Find out more about Corinne Bailey Rae here:
Corto.Alto - Bad With Names
Scottish multi-instrumentalist and composer Liam Shortall, known as Corto.Alto, is a cutting-edge and innovative jazz artist. An impressive talent, Corto.Alto blends a number of contemporary genres such as hip-hop and electronica with more traditional jazz and has refined his talents having worked as a trombonist in esteemed groups such as the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, Tom McGuire & The Brassholes and more.
Corto.Alto is a generational talent, having also been enrolled into the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's undergraduate Jazz programme at the age of 16, becoming their youngest ever graduate. His highly anticipated debut album, Bad With Names, was released in 2023 and features some of the finest talents in UK jazz, including fellow Mercury Prize nominee Fergus McCreadie and many more. It's a well-earned nominee for this year's Mercury Prize.
Corto.Alto will be performing in Bristol this November:
- Monday 4th November 2024: corto.alto - Thekla, Bristol
Find out more about Corto.Alto here:
English Teacher - This Could Be Texas
English Teacher followed up their acclaimed debut EP Polyawkward, released in 2022, with a debut studio album that brought the raw talent and innovation and refined it into a stunning full-length release. This Could Be Texas is widely regarded as one of the best debuts of 2023, and has rightfully earned its spot on the Mercury Prize 2024 shortlist.
With critics such as Uncut hearing influence from such greats as Black Country, New Road and Radiohead, it's not hard to see why this album has made its mark. Track "Nearly Daffodils" from the record was included on Time magazine's 10 Best Songs of 2023 list, and with equal parts emotional depth and witty lyricism, the rest of the record is also a testament to the combined talent of English Teacher's band members, and achieved universal acclaim as a result.
English Teacher will be performing at SWX in Bristol this November! Grab tickets today:
- Thursday 21st November 2024: English Teacher - SWX, Bristol
Find out more about English Teacher here:
Ghetts - On Purpose, With Purpose
Having been releasing music for almost 20 years, Ghetts is one of the more experienced nominees on this year's Mercury Prize shortlist. Nineteen years since the release of his debut mixtape, Ghetts' latest album On Purpose, With Purpose is considered one of his most complex and socially conscious records to date. The record draws on a number of musical influences, from soul and R&B to Afrobeat and gospel.
On Purpose, With Purpose boasts a roster of incredible artists appearing as features, including Moonchild Sanelly, Kano, Wretch 32 and Sampha. It has been heralded for its sublime storytelling, and for tackling hard-hitting subjects such as depression, prejudice and abortion.
Find out more about Ghetts here:
Nia Archives - Silence Is Loud
Over the last two years, Nia Archives has begun carving out her path as an essential name in jungle music. In a short space of time, she has won the BBC Music Introducing Award for Artist of the Year in 2022, as well as a BRIT Award for Rising Star in 2023. This, along with a number of other industry wins and nods, has led to her becoming one of the coveted shortlisted names for the 2024 Mercury Prize Award.
Her latest release, Silence is Loud, is a somewhat astounding blend of jungle and Britpop, with influence coming in the form of The Beatles, Blur and Oasis. Comparisons have been also drawn in the music press to early 00s icons such as Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Kate Nash and Arctic Monkeys. Having worked with Ethan P. Flynn on the record, who has previous credits working with FKA Twigs and David Byrne, Nia Archives' keen ear and huge talents combined with Flynn's invaluable experience has led to a remarkable debut LP that is simultaneously Archives' most commercially successful and critically acclaimed music to date.
Find out more about Nia Archives here:
The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy
British indie rock band The Last Dinner Party's rise to stardom has been stratospheric since their formation in 2020. As soon as they were able to begin touring following the COVID-19 pandemic, the band have acquired a huge following and widespread acclaim. The band have supported the likes of Hozier, First Aid Kit, and Florence + The Machine, over the last couple of years, before selling out their first UK tour in 2024.
Their rapid rise has been earned, and commercially and critically they've lived up to the hype. Their debut studio album Prelude to Ecstasy, now nominated for a Mercury Prize, debuted at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart and was the UK's biggest first week selling debut album in nine years. As former winners of the BRITs Rising Star Award and the BBC Sound of 2024 list, it's no surprise that The Last Dinner Party's blend of grandeur indie and baroque-pop has left them nominated for one of the most esteemed music prizes in the UK.
The Last Dinner Party are performing in Nottingham and Sheffield as part of their sold out UK tour:
- Wednesday 25th September 2024: The Last Dinner Party - Octagon Centre, Sheffield
- Wednesday 2nd October 2024: The Last Dinner Party - Rock City, Nottingham