Mercury Prize 2026 Shortlist revealed

Newcastle jazz collective Knats have been shortlisted for the 2026 Mercury Prize for their acclaimed album A Great Day In Newcastle.

The group are among 12 acts in the running for one of the UK's most prestigious music awards, with fellow nominees including Sir Paul McCartney, Raye, Olivia Dean, Kojey Radical and Nia Archives.

The nomination represents a major achievement for Knats, whose blend of contemporary jazz, hip-hop and North East influences has established them as one of the UK's most exciting emerging jazz acts. Their shortlisted album, A Great Day In Newcastle, celebrates the city's thriving creative scene and further highlights the continued strength of British jazz on the national stage.

Also nominated are Raye for This Music May Contain Hope, Dave for The Boy Who Played The Harp, Florence And The Machine's Everybody Scream, Dove Ellis's Blizzard, Kojey Radical's Don't Look Down, Nia Archives' Emotional Junglist, Suede's Antidepressants and War Child Records' HELP(2).

HELP(2) also features a track from Ezra Collective, Helicopters, which features Greentea Peng also.

Sir Paul McCartney receives his first ever Mercury Prize nomination for The Boys Of Dungeon Lane. Released in May, the album reflects on memories from his formative years in Liverpool and became his first studio album in five years.

The shortlist also includes Olivia Dean's The Art Of Loving, which won Album of the Year at the Brit Awards, and JADE's THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!.

Created in 1992, the Mercury Prize honours the best album by an artist from the UK or Ireland, with nominations based purely on musical merit rather than commercial success.

This year's ceremony will take place at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on 22 October, marking the second consecutive year the event has been held in the city following its move away from London in 2025.

The winner will receive the Mercury Prize trophy and a £25,000 cash award. Last year's prize was won by Sam Fender for People Watching, with recent winners also including English Teacher, Little Simz, Arlo Parks and Ezra Collective.