CMAT and Fontaines DC Shine as Nominees for 2025 Mercury Prize

The prestigious Mercury Prize has announced its nominations for 2025, featuring an exciting lineup of artists including Irish acts CMAT and Fontaines DC. The shortlist includes twelve contenders, with nominees such as Sam Fender, Pulp, Wolf Alice, FKA Twigs, PinkPantheress, Pa Salieu, Emma-Jean Thackray, Jacob Alon, Joe Webb, and Martin Carthy. The winner will be revealed during the awards ceremony taking place in Newcastle on October 16, 2025.

Established in 1992, the Mercury Prize aims to celebrate the album format and promote new music across various genres in the UK and Ireland. The inaugural winner was Primal Scream with their iconic album Screamadelica. Notably, Pulp, who won the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, is nominated again for More, their first album in more than two decades.

CMAT, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, has been nominated for her third LP, Euro-Country. She was previously recognized in 2024 for her album Crazymad, For Me. Meanwhile, Sam Fender receives his second nomination for his third album, People Watching, following his earlier nomination for Seventeen Going Under in 2022.

Notable Nominees and Their Journeys

The Dublin-based band Fontaines DC has been nominated for their 2024 album Romance, adding to their accolades after previously being nominated for their debut album Dogrel in 2019. Wolf Alice, characterized by their dynamic sound, is nominated for their fourth album The Clearing, which was released in August. They previously won the award in 2018 for their album Visions Of A Life.

Other notable mentions include FKA Twigs, who is recognized for her third album Eusexua, and PinkPantheress, who has made her first appearance on the shortlist with her second mixtape Fancy That. This year marks the first nomination for several artists, including Pa Salieu, Emma-Jean Thackray, Jacob Alon, Joe Webb, and Martin Carthy, each bringing unique contributions to the music scene.

Judging Panel and Venue Details

The awards will be evaluated by a diverse panel that includes acclaimed jazz musician Jamie Cullum, DJ Jamz Supernova, and pop and rock critic Will Hodgkinson from The Times. The panel will be chaired by Jeff Smith, the head of music at Radio 2. For the first time, the Mercury Prize ceremony will be held outside of London, taking place at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, where live performances from some of the nominees are expected to enhance the evening’s celebrations.

As the 2025 Mercury Prize approaches, anticipation builds around which artist will take home the coveted award, further solidifying their place in the rich tapestry of contemporary music. More details regarding the event and performances will be announced in due course.