David Bowie’s ‘Blackstar’ album has been shortlisted for the Hyundai Mercury 2016 Awards ‘Album of the Year’.
The 12 shortlisted albums nominated are:
- Anohni – ‘Hopelessness’
- Bat For Lashes – ‘The Bride’
- David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’
- Jamie Woon – ‘Making Time’
- Kano – ‘Made In The Manor’
- Laura Mvula – ‘The Dreaming Room’
- Michael Kiwanuka – ‘Love & Hate’
- Radiohead – ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’
- Savages – ‘Adore Life’
- Skepta – ‘Konnichiwa’
- The 1975 – ‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’
- The Comet Is Coming – ‘Channel the Spirits’
For the first time ever, United Kingdom residents are eligible to vote for which of the 12 albums should make the final 6 albums.
You can vote for your choice here.
All 6 finalists and the overall winner will be announced during the Hyundai Mercury 2016 Awards Show, which takes place on Thursday 15 September at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith.
BBC Music will be providing live coverage of the Awards on BBC Four and BBC Radio 6 Music.
There will be a specially-made programme available via the BBC Red Button, featuring all 12 of the shortlisted albums, plus further content at bbc.co.uk/music and via the BBC Music app.
BBC Four will broadcast the Awards ceremony live in an hour-long special, Best Album of the Year 2016 – Mercury Prize Live, presented by Lauren Laverne at 9.00pm GMT.
Over the course of the show, Lauren will reveal the six finalists and introduce their performances on stage. The programme will also reflect back across 25 years of the Mercurys, marking this milestone anniversary of the prestigious Prize, culminating in the live announcement of the winner.
Just prior to the BBC Four programme, BBC Red Button will feature an hour-long show from 8-9pm, fronted by 6 Music presenter, Shaun Keaveny, featuring performances from many of the shortlisted acts.