Mercury Music Prize 2013 shortlist announced

The shortlist for this years Mercury Music Prize album of the year has just been announced, and it turns out my prediction from yesterday wasn’t too far out – I’m counting 7 out of 12 as a success anyway!

Here’s the full shortlist:

Arctic Monkeys – AM

David Bowie – The Next Day

Disclosure – Settle

Foals – Holy Fire

Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg

James Blake – Overgrown

Jon Hopkins – Immunity

Laura Marling – Once I Was An Eagle

Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon

Rudimental – Home

Savages – Silence Yourself

Villagers – Awayland

There’s not too many surprises in the shortlist really – some may question the inclusion of Rudimental and Villagers – but let’s not nitpick!

The award organisers said the shortlist for the 2013 prize “celebrates a fascinating year for British and Irish music, marked by a wonderful range of musical voices – urgent, reflective, upbeat and tender, acoustic and electronic, and all with something intriguing to say.”

So who do you think should win it this year? My money is on Jake Bugg…