Emma-Jean Thackray and Joe Webb make 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
The ceremony takes place in Newcastle in October
Last updated 10th Sep 2025
The 12 albums on the shortlist for the coveted 2025 Mercury Prize have been revealed.
The nominated records have once again been selected by an independent panel of judges consisting of musicians, broadcasters, writers and eminent industry figures, including Jazz FM presenter Danielle Perry.
For the first time ever, the winner will be revealed at a ceremony outside of London at Newcastle Utilita Arena on Thursday 16th October 2025.
Winners in recent years include Michael Kiwanuka with his eponymous 'Kiwanuka' in 2020, Ezra Collective with 'Where I’m Meant To Be' in 2023.
See the full 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist:
Sam Fender ‘People Watching’
WINNER!
Fontaines D.C. ‘Romance’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Pulp ‘More’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
PinkPantheress ‘Fancy That’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
FKA twigs ‘EUSEXUA’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Pa Salieu ‘Afrikan Alien’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
CMAT ‘EURO-COUNTRY’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Wolf Alice ‘The Clearing’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Emma-Jean Thackray ‘Weirdo’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Martin Carthy ‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Joe Webb ‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Jacob Alon ‘In Limerence’
The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist
Since its inception as the Mercury Music Prize in 1992 when Primal Scream’s seminal masterpiece ‘Screamadelica’ won, albums by Suede (‘Suede’), Portishead (‘Dummy’), Pulp (‘Different Class’), Gomez ('Bring It On'), Badly Drawn Boy (‘The Hour of Bewilderbeast’) PJ Harvey (‘Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea’ and ‘Let England Shake’), Dizzee Rascal (‘Boy in da Corner’), Franz Ferdinand (‘Franz Ferdinand’), Arctic Monkeys (‘Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not’), The xx (‘The xx’), Elbow (‘Seldom Seen Kid’) and Dave (‘Psychodrama’) have all triumphed over the past 33 years.
In 2024, English Teacher won with ‘This Could Be Texas’ ahead of the likes of The Last Dinner Party, Beth Gibbons and Charli XCX.
Radiohead have appeared on the shortlist a record five times, yet, despite being one of the most critically acclaimed acts of the past 30 years, they have failed to scoop a single Mercury Prize win.
The Mercury Prize recognises the best new British & Irish music, celebrating artistic achievement across an eclectic range of contemporary music genres.
As an independent arts prize, it champions the album format, acts as a snapshot of the year in music and often provides a major platform for up-and-coming artists and their musical work.
Alongside Danielle Perry, the judging panel also includes Jamie Cullum, Jamz Supernova, Jeff Smith, Lea Stonhill, Mistajam, Phil Alexander, Sian Eleri, Will Hodgkinson and Sophie Williams.
The last remaining 2025 Mercury Prize tickets are on sale HERE.