The shortlist for 2022’s Mercury Prize has been revealed, and includes albums from Harry Styles, Little Simz and Wet Leg.
This year’s ceremony for the prestigious award, which celebrates the best of British and Irish music, will take place on Sept. 8 at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith and feature live performances from many of the shortlisted artists. The 2022 Mercury Prize finalists are:
- Fergus McCreadie, “Forest Floor”
- Gwenno, “Tresor”
- Harry Styles, “Harry’s House”
- Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler, “For All Our Days That Tear the Heart”
- Joy Crookes, “Skin”
- Kojey Radical, “Reason to Smile”
- Little Simz, “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert”
- Nova Twins, “Supernova”
- Sam Fender, “Seventeen Going Under,”
- Self Esteem, “Prioritise Pleasure”
- Wet Leg, “Wet Leg”
- Yard Act, “The Overload”
The finalists were selected by an independent judging panel, comprising of musicians, songwriters broadcasters and executives including Anna Calvi, Annie MacManus, Danielle Perry, Hazel Wilde, Jamie Cullum, Jamz Supernova, Jeff Smith, Lea Stonhill, Loyle Carner, Phil Alexander, Tshepo Mokoena and Will Hodgkinson.
“Getting down to 12 albums this year was not easy, simply because there were so many remarkable ones to choose from. That serves as proof that British and Irish music thrives during unsettled periods in history, with the albums chosen covering everything from imaginative pop to pioneering rap to Cornish language folk-rock,” the judging panel said in a statement. “We feel that these 12 amazing albums each have something to say artistically and socially, all in their own unique, enriching ways. Now comes the really hard part… choosing only one overall winner.”
BBC Music will provide coverage of the Mercury Prize event across BBC TV, BBC Radio 6 Music and online.
