Barclaycard Mercury Prize 2010 Shortlist

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The Barclaycard Mercury Prize was established in 1992 by the British Phonographic Industry and British Association of Record Dealers as an alternative to an industry dominated by the increasingly commercial Brit Awards. It has since become a key date in the music industry calender, often finding artists happier to be shortlisted for this prize rather than win an award from any other ceremony. I Like Music went along to hear Lauren Laverne announce the 12 shortlisted albums for the 2010 Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize. They were as follows;

Barclaycard Mercury Prize 2010 Shortlist

Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions (14th Floor)
Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea (EMI)
Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N' Cheek (Dirtee Stank)
Foals - Total Life Forever (Transgressive)
I Am Kloot - Sky At Night (Shepherd Moon/EMI)
Kit Downes Trio - Golden (Basho)
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (Virgin)
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (Island)
Paul Weller - Wake Up the Nation (Island)
The xx - xx (XL)
Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (Domino)
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers (Domino)

Appearing for the first time we have; Scottish rock trio Biffy Clyro, Leeds soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae, Oxford five piece Foals, Dublin's multi instrumentalist Villagers (aka Conor J.O'Brien), Jazz outfit Kit Downes Trio, nu-folksters Mumford & Sons, UK music legend Paul Weller (with his tenth studio album!), the hypnotising swirl of The XX, the captivating Wild Beasts and Manchester's I Am Kloot.

Laura Marling follows the 2008 shortlist place for her debut Alas, I Cannot Swim with a place for the follow-up, I Speak Because I Can. While Dizzee Rascal secures a shortlist place for his fourth studio album, following his Mercury Prize win in 2003 for his debut Boy In Da Corner.

As with any shortlist nominated by a select panel, speculation is rife as to who should appear and who shouldn't, who deserves to win and who doesn't. And that's part of the beauty of this prize; shortlisted or not, winner or no winner, it champions the discussion and discovery of contemporary music. Following the announcement, we caught up with presenter Lauren Laverne to ask her opinions on the shortlist;

Also See: ilikemusic.com | Mercury Prize

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