he/him
It's that time of year again when we all get excited to be let down by an inevitable shortlist of albums that don't include precisely what we think should be included.
Only albums released by UK artists between 21st July 2018 and 19th July 2019 are eligible, the shortlist will be announced 25th July, with the ceremony announcing the winner on 19th September.
To give an idea of the direction this year's list may go, here's last years.
Bookies have Dave and Slowthai as favourites to win, I think Dave seems a bit too on the nose and Slowthai's album feels more culturally significant. Little Simz could be in with a shot, don't think it'll have a shot of winning and might even get pushed out if they feel there's too much UK rap with the two already mentioned.
Imagining it going something like:
Dave (Look, we are relevant!)
Slowthai (Look, we love rap!)
The 1975 (Big UK bands...)
Foals (...to pull in views)
Lewis Capaldi (Mega selling singer-songwriter debut, can't not show up - maybe replace with Tom Walker if they're feeling controversial)
The Comet Is Coming/Ezra Collective (pick one for your token critically acclaimed jazz act)
IDLES and Fontaines D.C. (because Mercury is punk as fuck y'all)
Fuck, we forgot to include any females! (Pick 4: Self Esteem/The Japanese House/Jade Bird/Soak/Anna Calvi/Stealing Sheep/Nilufer Yanya/Ella Mai/Ex:Re/Marina/Clean Bandit/Pale Waves ddd)
Random curve balls:
James Blake, Blood Orange, Bill Ryder Jones, Maribou State, Mark Ronson, Hot Chip, These New Puritans, The Twilight Sad, Bring Me The Horizon.
There'll be some legacy act who probably put out an album that I forgot about that will make the cut.
Only albums released by UK artists between 21st July 2018 and 19th July 2019 are eligible, the shortlist will be announced 25th July, with the ceremony announcing the winner on 19th September.
To give an idea of the direction this year's list may go, here's last years.
Winner: Wolf Alice - Visions Of A Life
Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Everything Everything – A Fever Dream
Everything Is Recorded – Everything Is Recorded
Florence & The Machine – High As Hope
Jorja Smith – Lost & Found
King Krule – The Ooz
Lily Allen – No Shame
Nadine Shah – Holiday Destination
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built The Moon?
Novelist – Novelist Guy
Sons Of Kemet – Your Queen Is A Reptile
Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Everything Everything – A Fever Dream
Everything Is Recorded – Everything Is Recorded
Florence & The Machine – High As Hope
Jorja Smith – Lost & Found
King Krule – The Ooz
Lily Allen – No Shame
Nadine Shah – Holiday Destination
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built The Moon?
Novelist – Novelist Guy
Sons Of Kemet – Your Queen Is A Reptile
Bookies have Dave and Slowthai as favourites to win, I think Dave seems a bit too on the nose and Slowthai's album feels more culturally significant. Little Simz could be in with a shot, don't think it'll have a shot of winning and might even get pushed out if they feel there's too much UK rap with the two already mentioned.
Imagining it going something like:
Dave (Look, we are relevant!)
Slowthai (Look, we love rap!)
The 1975 (Big UK bands...)
Foals (...to pull in views)
Lewis Capaldi (Mega selling singer-songwriter debut, can't not show up - maybe replace with Tom Walker if they're feeling controversial)
The Comet Is Coming/Ezra Collective (pick one for your token critically acclaimed jazz act)
IDLES and Fontaines D.C. (because Mercury is punk as fuck y'all)
Fuck, we forgot to include any females! (Pick 4: Self Esteem/The Japanese House/Jade Bird/Soak/Anna Calvi/Stealing Sheep/Nilufer Yanya/Ella Mai/Ex:Re/Marina/Clean Bandit/Pale Waves ddd)
Random curve balls:
James Blake, Blood Orange, Bill Ryder Jones, Maribou State, Mark Ronson, Hot Chip, These New Puritans, The Twilight Sad, Bring Me The Horizon.
There'll be some legacy act who probably put out an album that I forgot about that will make the cut.
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