Newcastle Celebrates the Mercury Prize Shortlist

As Newcastle prepares to host the prestigious Mercury Prize, the first time it moves beyond London, partners have come together to celebrate what this means to the city and wider region.

The Mercury Prize is a celebration and recognition of artistic achievement with and for music fans of British and Irish albums celebrating the art of the album as a stand-alone body of work.

Earlier in the day (Wednesday 10 September), the 2025 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ were announced. Amongst those on the list is the region’s very own Sam Fender, bringing an extra local dimension to the Award Show that is taking place at the Utilita Arena, Newcastle, on Thursday 16th October.

The move to Newcastle, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority, signals a new dawn for the Prize and a reflection of how far the North East music industry has come in the last few years. Newcastle also hosted the national MOBO Awards in February this year, and the highly successful MOBO Fringe, as well a summer packed with sold out gigs, including Sam Fender’s three nights at St James Park and Fontaines DC at the city’s Exhibition Park.

It also comes at a time when partners further their ongoing commitment to ensure Newcastle and the wider region becomes a music industry leader, with continued investment and more opportunities for those who want to build a career in the sector, as well providing support for local artists to develop and succeed.

Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council said: “While other cities are renowned for past icons of music, Newcastle is looking to the future. We have a growing reputation for emerging talents and industry investment, and the fact the Mercury Prize has chosen this Newcastle to be the first host city outside of London is further testament to this.

“We’re so proud to have such incredible talent here from across all genres and a fantastic support network that will ensure this talent succeeds.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to our city - the artists shortlisted, those from the wider music industry and everyone who has or will be buying tickets for the Awards Show on 16 October. I think they will agree, Mercury has made the right choice in selecting Newcastle as the host for 2025 Mercury Prize.”

YolanDa Brown OBE DL, Chair of UK record labels association, the BPI – which is home to the Mercury Prize – said: “When we first announced that the Mercury Prize would be coming to Newcastle, I made the point that I had long held an ambition to see the event hosted outside of London for the first time.

“From my own experience and relationships in the city, I knew that Newcastle would be the ideal location for such a landmark moment, but I have to say that all of us at the BPI have been blown away by the incredible response that we have seen to date.

“The warmth, the energy and excitement is off the scale, and with such brilliant Albums of the Year shortlisted alongside amazing demand for tickets from fans and a week-long series of fringe events as part of the build-up, I feel sure that we are going to witness one of the most memorable and special nights in the Prize’s history.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “We're about to host an incredible shortlist and I'm delighted that includes our home-grown star Sam Fender who is such an inspiration to young musicians here.

"But I want to make sure he's just one of many incredible local talents that succeed.

"So, I'm delighted that our young people will have the opportunity to join in with a fantastic line up of fringe events happening right across the region."

In the lead up to the Award Show, the Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe will be taking place, offering a bold, region-wide celebration to bring the North East’s phenomenal music scene and iconic venues alive like never before. Led by Generator - the North’s leading music development agency, it will run from Thursday 9th to Wednesday 15th October. Not only will it showcase the North East’s incredible talent, but it will also engage everyone; from local schools and music hubs to emerging artists, talent networks, established musicians, cultural organisations and music lovers eager to discover something new."

David Haley - Chair, Generator, said: "The Mercury Prize coming to Newcastle is historic - and the Fringe is what makes it belong to everyone. Generator has been the driving force behind the North’s music scene for over three decades, and we’re determined that this moment doesn’t just put our city in the spotlight for one night, but leaves a legacy of skills, opportunities and visibility that will shape the future of music in the North for generations to come."

Full programme details will be revealed soon. For more information, visit www.generator.org/mercuryfringe

The 2025 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ are:

• CMAT ‘EURO-COUNTRY’
• Emma-Jean Thackray ‘Weirdo’
• FKA twigs ‘EUSEXUA’
• Fontaines D.C. ‘Romance’
• Jacob Alon ‘In Limerence’
• Joe Webb ‘Hamstrings & Hurricanes’
• Martin Carthy ‘Transform Me Then Into A Fish’
• Pa Salieu ‘Afrikan Alien’
• PinkPantheress ‘Fancy That’
• Pulp ‘More’
• Sam Fender ‘People Watching’
• Wolf Alice ‘The Clearing’

The last remaining tickets for the 2025 Mercury Prize Award Show are available here.