The shortlist for the annual Mercury Music Prize 2020 has just been announced on Lauren Laverne’s BBC Radio Six show and the 12 albums list looks like this:
- Laura Marling – Song For Our Daughter
- Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
- Porridge Radio – Every Bad
- Sports Team – Deep Down Happy
- Kano – Hoodies All Summer
- Anna Meredith – Fibs
- Georgia – Seeking Thrills
- Lanterns On The Lake – Spook The Herd
- Moses Boyd – Dark Matter
- Charli XCX – How I’m Feeling Now
- Stormzy – Heavy Is The Head
- Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
I personally would have liked to see FKA Twigs and surprised there’s no The 1975 on it this year. Michael Kiwanuka’s self-titled is an important inclusion.
The overall winner of the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize will be announced on Thursday September 10th at the Awards Show.
UK and Irish album are eligible for each year’s list.
Here’s a playlist of all the albums:

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.