Here are the 10 albums shortlisted for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize

The 10 nominees for the nineteeth RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2023 were announced today.

The 10 albums selected by a panel of judges to go forward to the live show at Vicar Street on Thursday March 7th, where a winner will be announced for this main prize along with the prizes below.

The list of the 2023 shortlisted albums are:

• Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly  (Partisan Records)
• CMAT – Crazymad, For Me  (CMATBABY/AWAL)
• John Francis Flynn – Look Over The Wall, See The Sky  (River Lea Recordings)
• Kojaque – Phantom Of The Afters (Soft Boy Records)
• Lankum – False Lankum  (Rough Trade Records)
• Rachael Lavelle – Big Dreams  (Rest Energy)
• Soda Blonde – Dream Big  (Overbite Records)
• The Murder Capital – Gigi’s Recovery  (Human Season Records)
• The Scratch – Mind Yourself  (Perrystown Music Limited)
• Ezra Williams – Supernumeraries  (Ezra Williams / AWAL)

I was expecting Lisa O’Neill and something more mainstream like Inhaler or Hozier to make it, and Ezra Williams’ is a pleasant surprise on this list, that could have included Inhaler, OXN, Bell X1, Travis & Elzzz, Tandem Felix, David Holmes, Martin Hayes, M(h)aol, David Kitt or Fizz make the list.

Here’s Nialler9’s Irish albums of 2023.

Overall, Lankum seem like the frontrunner, while Kojaque, Rachael Lavelle, John Francis Flynn and CMAT in the leading pack. But this is the Choice so any of the ten can win on the night.

Here’s this year’s Judges:

Robert Brown / Chordblossom
Beta da Silva / RTÉ 2fm
Kate Demolder / Freelance
Saibh Downes / RTÉ Entertainment
Louise Duffy / RTÉ Radio 1
Johh Loftus / 8Radio
Siobhan McAndrew / BBC Radio Ulster
Alannah McGhee / Other Voices
Dylan Murphy / District Magazine
Eimear Shannon / Today FM
Ava Somers / Beat 102

The winning Album of the Year act will receive €10,000, a prize fund which has been provided by The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). All shortlisted acts will receive a specially commissioned award.

RAAP, Culture Ireland, FMC and Minding Creative Minds are also official project partners of the RTE Choice Music Prize.

There are more announcements this week…

Irish Artist of the Year – shortlist Tues 9^th January

(winner announced 7^th March at Vicar St)

Irish Breakthrough Artist – shortlist Wed 10^th January

(winner announced 7^th March at Vicar St)

Classic Irish Album – further details Thurs 11^th January

(winner announced a week or so before the live event)

Irish Song of the Year 2023  – shortlist Fri 12^th January

(winner announced 7^th March on 2FM daytime)

The public vote for SOTY will open on Friday 12^th January.

Thursday March 7th – Conversations @ BIMM, Francis St

Thursday March 7th – Live in Vicar St, Dublin with an Exclusive RTÉ2FM Broadcast

CMAT was the winner of 2022’s prize for her debut album If My Wife New I’d be Dead.