Mercury Prize 2023 nominees revealed – Arctic Monkeys match awards record, and Fred Again, Raye and J Hus also recognised

Nominees for this year’s Mercury Prize have been announced – with Alex Turner equalling records with his fifth nod for Arctic Monkeys, Raye making her debut after ditching her record label, and in-demand DJ Fred Again also recognised.

Arctic Monkeys won the award back in 2006 with debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and also received nominations for Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), AM (2013), Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (2017), and now for seventh album The Car.

It means Turner equals Radiohead star Thom Yorke’s six Mercury Prize nominations in total, having also previously been shortlisted for his debut album with side project The Last Shadow Puppets in 2008. Yorke has five nominations with Radiohead and one as a solo artist, but no wins.

Raye‘s nomination, for her debut album My 21st Century Blues, tops off an incredible period for the star, who rose to number one with single Escapism at the beginning of the year after publicly cutting ties with her record label, accusing them of holding her back from releasing her own music.

DJ and producer Fred Again also makes his Mercury Prize debut for third album Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) after wowing crowds at Glastonbury and collaborating with artists including The Streets and Dermot Kennedy, Skrillex, and The xx’s Romy.

Raye and Fred Again are among seven artists appearing on the shortlist for the first time, with Olivia Dean, Ezra Collective, Jockstrap, Lankum and Shygirl also debuting.

Elsewhere on the list, 2014 winners Young Fathers are nominated for the second time for fourth album Heavy Heavy, and Jessie Ware, Loyle Carner and J Hus also receive second nominations.

Set up in 1992, when it was won by Primal Scream’s Screamadelica, the Mercury Prize celebrates music by British and Irish acts and recognises the 12 best albums of the year.

The awards are known for championing a range of different musical genres and artists throughout all stages of their careers, from newcomers to veterans.

Read more:
Raye: ‘It’s been a real wild journey’
Loyle Carner: ‘Young men talking about feelings shouldn’t be abnormal’

This year’s winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on Thursday 7 September.

The winning artist will follow in the footsteps of Little Simz, who picked up the prize for her fourth album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert in 2022. Other recent winners include Arlo Parks, Michael Kiwanuka, Dave and Wolf Alice.

PJ Harvey is the only artist to date with two wins, from four nominations.