The 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominees have been announced at the Hospital Club in London by Lauren Laverne. The prize is awarded to the best album released this year, as judged by a panel of industry experts. Previous winners of this prestigious gong include last year's winners The xx, as well as Elbow, Arctic Monkeys, PJ Harvey and Primal Scream.
This year's list of nominees is as follows:
Adele - 21
Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys!
Everything Everything - Man Alive
Ghost Poet - Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam
Gwilym Simcock - Good Days At Schloss Elmau
James Blake - James Blake
Katy B - On A Mission
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine
Metronomy - The English Riviera
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Tinie Tempah - Disc-Overy
Hmmm. This is pretty much what people expected. Although, did the judging panel just not listen to the Wild Beasts' album or something? Regardless, our money's on James Blake.
