Mercury Prize 2016 Shortlisted Albums: David Bowie's Final Album 'Blackstar' made It to the Top 12
Mercury Prize 2016 has just released its list of artists who have been shortlisted. The list consists of British artists from David Bowie to Radiohead.
Mercury Prize Shortlist
"Blackstar," David Bowie's final album, made it to the running win among the 12 albums for the Album of the Year. Together with Bowie, Radiohead's "A Moon Shaped Pool" which is the band's first album in five years also made it to the top list. The rock pop The 1975 also made it for their album, "I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it." These albums are the Top 3 albums in the UK charts, while The 1975 and Bowie made it to the top for the US charts.
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The shortlist for this year includes Kano for the album "Made in the Manor" and Skepta's independently released album, "Konnichiwa."
Four albums by female performers made it to the Top 12. Anohni, who won the Mercury prize in 2005 for her album "I Am a Bird Now," has been nominated for her debut album "Hopelessness."
Anohni, who previously chose to record using a soft piano with a touch of instrumental flourish, has changed her ways in the "Hopelessness" album. She has teamed up with the avant-electronica producers Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never.
The Dreaming Room which is Laura Myula's second album has been shortlisted in this year's Mercury prize while her debut album Sing to the Moon also made it to the top in 2013.
Post-punk band Savages' second album "Adore Life and Bat For Lashes" has also been included in the shortlist while Natasha Khan is nominated for the third time for her album, "The Bride."
Another artist who made it to the shortlist is Jamie Woon for his comeback album, "Making Time." On the other hand, The Comet is Coming, which a psychedelic jazz band is made it to the top for the album "Channel the Spirits." Furthermore, soul musician, Michael Kiwanuka has been included in the list for the album "Love & Hate."
Fans Can Vote
There has been a noticeable increase in the albums that are featured in the shortlist for the Mercury Prize this year. Seven albums reached the UK Top 10 list and making four of them at the top of the chart. Compared to the previous year, the number has been higher this time since there was only one album from last year's shortlist that made it to the top.Florence and the Machine made it to the top last year for the album "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful."
This year's Mercury Prize has included the public in the selection of the final albums. Fans can already vote for their top six finalists based on the 12 shortlisted albums of the year. Fans can vote online at www.mercuryprize.com.
The top six finalists will be announced during the 2016 Award Show on September 15, 2016. The Awards show will feature performances from the artists who have been shortlisted and the event will be broadcasted at BBC Four and BBC Radio 6 Music.
