The dozen Mercury Prize albums of the year for 2024 will be revealed on Thursday (July 25).
The shortlist will be announced exclusively live on BBC Radio 6 Music from 11am by Tom Ravenscroft (standing in for Mary Anne Hobbs).
BBC Music continues their long-standing broadcast partnership, which sees programming on BBC Four and 6 Music, celebrating all 12 albums.
The overall winner of the 2024 Mercury Prize will be revealed in September. Broadcast partner BBC Music will provide exclusive television and radio coverage, as well as online and social media support as part of the wider media and retail engagement around all the 12 albums.
In a major change for 2024, organisers have confirmed that the usual live performance event element of the Mercury Prize has been dropped in favour of “other extensive promotional activity”.
More details of the TV and radio broadcast will be announced closer to the time. However, there will be no ticketed public event for the Mercury Prize for the first time in its 32-year history. In recent years it has been staged at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. The ceremony was postponed in 2022 following the Queen's death but took place the following month.
Music Week understands that the focus for the Mecury Prize in 2024 will instead be on driving engagement via extensive digital content and exposure in partnership with BBC Music.
In a statement, Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of the BPI, home to the Mercury Prize, said: “For the 2024 Mercury Prize we will work imaginatively with the BBC to deliver a premium programme of music content and digital engagement that will, as ever, benefit all 12 artists in reaching a wider audience, providing an important platform for their evolving career and musical journey.”
For the 2024 Mercury Prize we will work imaginatively with the BBC to deliver a premium programme of music content and digital engagement
Dr Jo Twist
The Mercury Prize recognises and celebrates the albums of the year, highlighting the work of both emerging talent and more established bands and artists. Current Music Week cover stars Ezra Collective triumphed in 2023.
The 12 records are chosen by an independent judging panel and recognise artistic achievement across a range of genres. Albums by British and Irish artists with a UK release date between July 15, 2023 and July 12, 2024 are eligible for the 2024 Prize.
Dr Jo Twist added: “The Mercury Prize is a cherished part of our cultural landscape, celebrating the art of the album and recognising the exceptional creative achievements of diverse British and Irish artists across the many different genres that make up our thriving and global-facing music scene.
“We are delighted to deepen our relationship with our long-term partner BBC Music to promote the Prize across its networks, including its national broadcast and digital channels, to ensure the greatest possible impact and profile as part of a wider campaign to support the artists who produced the 12 albums of the year.”
The 2024 Mercury Prize judges are: Danielle Perry – broadcaster & writer; Jamie Cullum - musician & Radio 2 broadcaster; Jamz Supernova – 6 Music broadcaster & DJ; Jeff Smith - head of music, Radio 2 & 6 Music; Lea Stonhill – music programming consultant; Mistajam – songwriter, DJ & broadcaster; Phil Alexander – creative director, Kerrang!/contributing editor, Mojo; Sian Eleri – Radio 1 broadcaster & DJ; Will Hodgkinson - chief rock & pop critic, The Times; Sophie Williams – music writer & broadcaster. The chair of the judging team is Jeff Smith.
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