The xx have won this year’s Mercury Music Prize, and received a cheque for £20,000 at a ceremony in London this evening.
After being released last year, their self-titled debut has received widespread critical acclaim, and was widely tipped as one of the favourites this year. The band was a popular winner with the audience, and were treated to a warm response while collecting the prize.
The xx and Dizzee Rascal were installed as favourites when the shortlist was announced in July, however by today Dizzee had fallen away to 50/1, with The xx holding strong at evens. Other acts widely tipped for the accolade included Wild Beasts (‘Two Dancers‘), Laura Marling (‘I Speak Because I Can‘) and Mumford & Sons (‘Sigh No More‘).
As well as the cheque, the winners can usually expect a major boost in interest and sales following the triumph, with the award aiming to highlight the best of British songwriting from the past year.
Primal Scream’s ‘Screamadelica‘ was the first Mercury Music Prize winner in 1992, and since then the likes of Pulp, Franz Ferdinand, PJ Harvey and Arctic Monkeys have come out on top. British rapper Speech Debelle was the surprise winner last year for her record ‘Speech Therapy‘.
