Mercury shortlist to be announced

 

The 12 nominees for this year's Mercury Prize will be announced later.

 

All albums made by UK and Irish acts are eligible for the award, won last year by the Klaxons with their release Myths of the Near Future.

 

Big-selling acts who are in contention for the 2008 shortlist include Radiohead, Coldplay and Duffy.

 

The prize and the accompanying £20,000 cheque have been presented annually since 1992, when they were given to Primal Scream for Screamadelica.

 

Radiohead gained considerable attention last year by announcing their album, In Rainbows, would be available initially online, with fans paying what they wanted to download the MP3 files.

 

Coldplay topped the UK and US charts with their latest release, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends.

 

And Welsh soul star Duffy became the first artist to sell a million copies of an album in 2008, with her debut Rockferry.

 

If the judges were to favour pop acts on this year's shortlist, Leona Lewis - who spent seven weeks at number one - James Blunt or Adele could be included.

 

Singer-songwriter Kate Nash may also feature, along with ex-Led Zeppelin star Robert Plant, whose album with country musician Alison Krauss - Raising Sand - was also released in the past 12 months.

 

The nominations are announced on Tuesday, with the winner confirmed at a ceremony in London on 9 September.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7518138.stm

 

don't know if it's been posted :confused:

Sorreeeeeeeeeee. :\

 

Adele - '19'

British Sea Power - 'Do You Like Rock Music?'

Burial - 'Untrue'

Elbow - 'The Seldom Seen Kid'

Estelle - 'Shine'

The Last Shadow Puppets - 'The Age Of The Understatement'

Laura Marling - 'Alas I Cannot Swim'

Neon Neon - 'Stainless Style'

Portico Quartet - 'Knee-Deep In The North Sea'

Robert Plant And Alison Krauss – 'Raising Sand'

Radiohead - 'In Rainbows'

Rachel Unthank And The Winterset – 'The Bairns'

 

http://www.nme.com/news/radiohead/38334

 

"Some of this year's biggest selling British albums were notable by their absence, with no place for either Duffy or Coldplay on the shortlist, as the panel gave nods to the likes of Laura Marling, Neon Neon and British Sea Power. "

 

 

No Coldplay (or any other great British albums released this year). Slim pickings it seems for me, I guess my vote would be for Radiohead then. Well, I know 1 award ceremony I wont bother with this year.

yea i just checked the mercury prize website and coldplay wasn't on the list :confused:

 

oh well

 

:lock: :P

It's a pointless exercise. With the exception of The Artic Monkeys, they never give it to a really big band. The list always has a few big names on there, but they're token gestures.

 

It's filled up with "cutting edge" artists, followed by the obligatory folk/classical artist. It's all about artists the music industry thinks we should be listening to, rather than who the fans actually care about.

 

I think Radiohead have been nominated for every album they've done (except Amnesiac) and they've never won

Well that sucks slightly.

Well that sucks slightly.

 

Are you honestly surprised though?

I'm surprised they're not nominated yeah. I would never even consider the possibility of them winning, as you said it never goes to the bigger bands.

I think the mixed reviews made it an easy decision for the panel - the wrong one in my opinion, but then I can't remember the last time I agreed with them...

 

... it was probably when they gave it to Miss Dynamite... and it killed her career!

 

I guess we can brace ourselves for a batch of "Gwyneth's husband snubbed by Mercury" stories

The Last Shadow Puppets though? All that hype for a truly underwhelming album.

 

And yep the stories have already started:

 

COLDPLAY SHOCKER AT THE MERCURY MUSIC AWARDS

 

The world's biggest band Coldplay have been snubbed in the Mercury Music Awards.

 

Instead, the nomination headlines go to Estelle, Adele and Radiohead.

 

They are all up for the gong, which celebrates British and Irish music.

 

"This turns out to be a remarkably rich year for British music," says Simon Frith, Chair of Judges.

 

"What is most striking is the continued resilience and flexibility of the album as a way of organising music-making. It remains an unrivalled source of musical invention and imagination, a way of linking songs, exploring themes and developing sounds that is endlessly thrilling, surprising and worth celebration.”

 

The Nationwide Mercury Prize celebrates the year in music. The shortlist, chosen from an entry of over 240 albums by UK artists, was announced by Lauren Lauren at Covent Garden’s The Hospital Club, the club for the creative industries.

 

The winner of this year’s Nationwide Mercury Prize will be announced live on BBC Two on Tuesday 9 September 2008 as part of the BBC’s coverage of the Awards Show.

A second programme on BBC Two will be broadcast on Friday 12 September. The programmes will be presented by Lauren Laverne, with the Awards Show itself hosted by Jools Holland.

 

The 2008 Albums of the Year nominated are:

Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid (Fiction/ Polydor)

Radiohead, In Rainbows (XL Recordings)

British Sea Power, Do You Like Rock Music (Rough Trade/ Beggars Group)

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand (Decca/ Rounder)

Burial, Untrue (Hyperdub)

Estelle - Shine (Atlantic)

Adele – 19 (XL Recordings)

Laura Marling – Alas I Cannot Swim (Virgin/ EMI)

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset - The Bairns (EMI)

Neon Neon – Stainless Style (Lex)

Portico Quartet – Knee Deep In The North Sea - (Vortex)

The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement (Domino)

 

http://www.thedailygoss.com/gossip/coldplay-shocker-at-the-mercury-music-awards/0003257/

Out of that list, I quite fancy Elbow. They usually like to go for the unexpected and they've championed new artists the last couple of years.

 

Would be nice for a "journeyman" band like them to get it.

 

On the other hand, there are probably only 3 people outside of London who have heard the Neon Neon album, so that probably makes them a banker!

 

Cynical... moi?

I wonder if the snubs will continue through to award season. With the Radiohead, Last Shadow Puppets and possible U2 album this year I wonder if Coldplay will miss out on all the bigger awards at the end of this year/beginning of next

Well, on the one hand, they've won best album at The Brits for each of their previous efforts - the run had to end sometime.

 

On the other hand, U2 can't compete in the same category because their Irish - they'll be up in the International section. And I can't see Radiohead being given any prizes from the music industry - everyone got very sniffy about them "giving their music away".

 

As for the Grammys - who knows? No-one would have predicted Wino winning 5 and then being beaten by jazz for album of the year.

Out of that list, I quite fancy Elbow. They usually like to go for the unexpected and they've championed new artists the last couple of years.

 

Would be nice for a "journeyman" band like them to get it.

 

On the other hand, there are probably only 3 people outside of London who have heard the Neon Neon album, so that probably makes them a banker!

 

Cynical... moi?

Agree with you 100% Id love to see Elbow get recognition. Seldom Seen Kid is actually worthy of some awards...

 

Im not shocked about Coldplay getting snubbed and I am sure it wont be the first time this year that they get robbed... To me its the best album of the year so far.... Its also my favorite of the bands.

Booooooooooooooo :angry:

They stand a good chance in the international categories at the Grammys I think. They won't win album of the year, I reckon Lil Wayne will take that.

 

You're right about U2, silly me, still as you said their reign had to end sometime.

 

What annoys me is that I think VLV is being judged unfairly because of X&Y.

 

X&Y was far more acclaimed than it VLV which, to me, is just crazy.

What annoys me is that I think VLV is being judged unfairly because of X&Y...if that makes sense. X&Y is far more acclaimed than it VLV which, to me, is just crazy.

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing... at the time, I read some really positve reviews for X & Y in the English press. Then there was that one really bad one (was it the NY Times?), and all of a sudden, people got a bit jittery back on this side of the pond. I think the band themselves have been so critical of X & Y in the press for the VLV launch that it's made everyone look at it again and say "Hey, it wasn't that bad"

 

I also think the Eno effect has not been entirely positive. Firstly there's an immediate comparison drawn to U2. The band themselves talked about a new direction , and the press started labelling it their "experimental, Radiohead album". When everyone finally heard it, it wasn't different enough for a lot of people.

 

It's a brilliant COLDPLAY album, but the press/industry was expecting something different/more

Hindsight is a wonderful thing... at the time, I read some really positve reviews for X & Y in the English press. Then there was that one really bad one (was it the NY Times?), and all of a sudden, people got a bit jittery back on this side of the pond. I think the band themselves have been so critical of X & Y in the press for the VLV launch that it's made everyone look at it again and say "Hey, it wasn't that bad"

 

I also think the Eno effect has not been entirely positive. Firstly there's an immediate comparison drawn to U2. The band themselves talked about a new direction , and the press started labelling it their "experimental, Radiohead album". When everyone finally heard it, it wasn't different enough for a lot of people.

 

It's a brilliant COLDPLAY album, but the press/industry was expecting something different/more

 

You're absolutely right.

 

I'm not bitching on X&Y, is just to me VLV is miles better despite it not being as experimental as expected.

 

Anyway, we'll see what next year brings I guess :)

i really don't mind the awards what ever it is we get or no,because even though any other bands or artists win Coldplay is the one and only band that is best in my life.

 

nothing else compares or tops that priority i gave to coldplay in my life and heart.

I honestly didn't fully appreciate X & Y 'til about 4 months ago. I remember being really under-whelmed by it when it first came out - it's my own fault, I got WAY too excited about it's release. As a result, I never really listened to it properly.

 

I dug it out in preparation for VLV and suddenly, it just clicked. Probably 'cos I was thinking "hmmmmn... whatever". It's still my least favourite of the four though. I think VLV is probably going to end up as my favourite, I just never make definitive statements so early on. When I listen to it, it still feels like the beginning of a crush... but if that feeling doesn't wear off soon, then I guess it really is better than AROBTTH!

wtf? :rolleyes:

Neon Neon being nominated is pretty cool. Gruff's new band (from what Ive heard) sounds great, and Im a huge fan of Super Furry Animals. Id love to see them win the Mercury, and then hopefully they'll tour and I can see them in NYC.

I think this award is the most useless one going. Its just to get people buying the records nominated anyway.

coldplay deserves it, but it doesn't really matter. it's just an award.

 

who are they to say is the best band or has the best album?

 

coldplay rocks. so screw them. :D

you know what their opinion or liking is different and they nominated other bands apart from Coldplay.

 

if they even win the award too i want to say that its just their opinion to nominate those bands.

 

Coldplay is always the best.

 

its just useless to think about who got awards or not.

I agree with RedGirl, big bands never win, so really, it makes little difference if Coldplay are nominated or not.

 

The winner gets 20k to help push themselves forward, chump change to a band of millionaires.

 

Out of the list, I hope Elbow win. I saw them at Latitude at the weekend and they were superb. I'm a bit surprised Adele is on there ahead of Duffy. I have both albums and Duffy's is much better.