Mercury Prize 2024: Innovative changes to be made to live ceremony
In a shake-up, the Mercury Prize have announced plans for a change to the annual ceremony ahead of the highly-anticipated shortlist being unveiled on July 24th, 2024.
Typically, during the live ceremony, which has recently taken place at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, each of the 12 artists nominated for the esteemed prize take to the stage during the evening, unless they are unable to attend the event and will instead pre-record a performance that is played in their absence.
This has been the way that the Mercury Prize has operated for many years, but in 2024, they are opting to change this tactic. While the award ceremony remain committed to their partnership with the BBC who are set to provide “exclusive television and radio coverage as well as online and social media support”, exact details of the ceremony’s broadcast are yet to be revealed.
The winner of the Mercury Prize 2024 is set to be announced in September, but a precise date and location are currently undisclosed.
In a statement, Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of the BPI, said ahead of the Mercury Prize ahead of the shortlist announcement: “The Mercury Prize is a cherished part of our cultural landscape, celebrating the art of the album and recognising the exceptional creative achievements of diverse British and Irish artists across the many different genres that make up our thriving and global-facing music scene.”
Twist then explained the decision to alter the format for this year’s event, stating the new method will benefit the nominees, “We are delighted to deepen our relationship with our long-term partner BBC Music to promote the Prize across its networks, including its national broadcast and digital channels, to ensure the greatest possible impact and profile as part of a wider campaign to support the artists who produced the 12 Albums of the Year.”
She also promised that the Mercury Prize will “work imaginatively with the BBC” across all platforms with the aim to “benefit all 12 artists in reaching a wider audience, providing an important platform for their evolving career and musical journey.”
It remains to be seen what these changes entail, but the Mercury Prize remains the most prestigious in British music and has helped catapult the careers of countless artists ranging from inaugural winners Primal Scream to Young Fathers, who won in 2014. Judges on this year’s panel include Jamie Cullum, Jamz Supernova and Sian Eleri.
Last year, Ezra Collective beat competition from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Fred Again, Loyle Carner, Lankum and Young Fathers to be victorious with Where I’m Meant To Be. Acts possibly up for nomination in 2024 include The Last Dinner Party, Blur, English Teacher, Idles, The Smile and Nadine Shah.
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