Arctic Monkeys, Fred Again… among nominees for 2023 Mercury Prize

The Mercury Prize ceremony will take place at London’s Eventim Apollo on September 7th.

Arctic Monkeys, Fred Again… and Young Fathers are some of the big names nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize.

Ezra Collective, J Hus, Jessie Ware, Jockstrap, Lankum, Loyle Carner, Olivia Dean, RAYE and Shygirl are the other artists to get places on the list as Arctic Monkeys land their fifth nomination.

“Alex Turner’s progression as a lyricist has been remarkable, but he has seemingly taken to heart a new method: less is more. Where Tranquility Base… was perhaps overstuffed with oblique and seemingly unrelated lines, on The Car he streamlines his approach without losing the vivid imagery,” our review reads.

Is it autobiographical? With lines such as, ‘keeping on my costume and calling it a writing tool’, or, ‘I had big ideas, the band were so excited’, it’s hard not to make that correlation, but Turner is too clever and guarded to be so open, always playing four-dimensional chess with his audience.

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2023 Mercury Prize shortlist:

Arctic Monkeys – The Car
Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant to Be
Fred again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
J Hus – Beautiful And Brutal Yard
Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!
Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B
Lankum – False Lankum
Loyle Carner – ‘hugo’
Olivia Dean – Messy
RAYE – My 21st Century Blues
Shygirl – Nymph
Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy