The 10 nominees for the seventeenth RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2021 were announced this week, with 10 albums selected by a panel of judges to go forward to the live show live at Vicar Street on Thursday 3rd March.
The 10 albums are:
- Bicep – Isles (Ninja Tune)
- Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill – In the Game (Rosaleen Records / Rosa Productions)
- For Those I Love – For Those I Love (September Recordings)
- Orla Gartland – Woman on the Internet (New Friends Music)
- HousePlants – Dry Goods (Bone China Records)
- Kojaque – Town’s Dead (Soft Boy Records)
- Elaine Mai – Home (Elaine Mai)
- Saint Sister – Where I Should End (Saint Sister)
- Soda Blonde – Small Talk (Velveteen Records)
- Villagers – Fever Dreams (Domino)
Here’s a playlist of all the albums:
8 of the albums featured in our top 25 albums of 2021.
The show will also be broadcast on RTÉ 2FM from 7-11pm on March 3rd. The show will feature live performances from some of the shortlisted acts, further details on the line-up to be announced soon. Tickets are on sale.
A special RTÉ Choice Music Prize highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ2 television the following week.
The winning 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.
This year’s judges are:
Eve Blair
BBC Radio Ulster
Craig Connolly
District magazine
Conor Halpin
Red FM
Ciara King
2FM
Martina McGlynn
RTÉ Radio 1
Kieran McGuinness
Nova FM
John Meagher
Irish Independent
Aoife Moriarty
Buzz.ie/The Star
Emma Nolan
FM104
Kate O’Dwyer
RTÉ One Tommy Tiernan Show
Orla Ormond
Today FM

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.