The best British and Irish albums of the year have been shortlisted ready for this year’s Mercury Prize awards, which is slated for the 7th September. With that in mind, SportsLens have compiled exclusive early Mercury Prize 2023 odds, with previous winners and first time nominees all featuring this year.
- Arctic Monkeys shortlisted for a record-tying fifth time, 17 years after winning on their first nomination.
- The London-centric award has seen the last eight winners hail from the capital, and 75% of 2023’s nominees are made up of Londoners.
- Olivia Dean, Shygirl and Raye are among the notable nominee debutants whose projects have caught the eye this year.
Mercury Prize 2023 Odds
- Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy: 10/3
- Raye – My 21st Century Blues: 9/2
- Arctic Monkeys – The Car: 6/1
- Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!: 6/1
- J Hus – Beautiful and Brutal Yard: 13/2
- Loyle Carner – Hugo: 15/2
- Olivia Dean – Messy: 8/1
- Fred Again – Actual Life 3: 11/1
- Jockstrap – I Love You Jennifer B: 16/1
- Shygirl – Nymph: 18/1
- Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be: 18/1
- Lankum – False Lankum: 22/1
Last year’s recipient Little Simz marked the third time in seven editions that a rap album has proved most popular, but Sampha, Michael Kiwunka and Arlo Parks have also shown the popularity of indie pop and alternative R&B in recent years.
2023’s shortlist spans a variety of genres, with five-time Mercury Prize nominees Arctic Monkeys leading the alternative and indie rock artists.
The Sheffield-based band join Radiohead as the most-nominated act in the prize’s history, and they return to the shortlist for the first time since 2018’s experimental psychedelic pop entry Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.
However, it is Scottish band and 2014 winners Young Fathers who currently lead the odds market with their fourth studio album Heavy Heavy.
The brief 10-track album is a joyous listen that intertwines gospel-like elements and poetic lyrics to arrive at what many are labelling as their best project to date.
London-based singer-songwriter Raye has bounced between R&B, pop and dance in the past, but the emerging 25-year-old has drawn considerable attention with her debut studio album My 21st Century Blues. It features the popular single “Escapism”, which peaked at number one in the UK Singles Chart during the first week of 2023.
Jessie Ware’s disco-fulled fifth album That! Feels Good! sees her return to the Mercury Prize shortlist for the first time in 11 years, while fellow dance act Fred Again adds another successful chapter to his breakout year, with his Actual Life 3 project brimming with floor-fillers.
Rappers Loyle Carner and J Hus both appear with their second nominations, and given the genre’s popularity in recent years, the duo are among the leading acts according to our exclusive odds.
SportsLens Head of News Lee Astley said: “The London – sorry – the Mercury Prize has drawn criticism in recent years for its disproportionate weighting towards acts from the capital, but it is hard to disagree with the previous winners.
“Nevertheless, this year’s favourites Young Fathers will be hoping to end the eight-year monopoly Londoners have held over the prize, while previous winners and five-time nominees Arctic Monkeys are in with shout to bring the Mercury Prize back north.”
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