- Title: Shortlist for the prestigious British music award announced
- Date: 27th July 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JULY 27, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) EDITOR IN CHIEF OF MOJO AND Q MAGAZINES, PHIL ALEXANDER, SAYING: "I think that maybe what there is in there is, yes there are some artists that are established, but I think that what there is this it's a really broad snapshot of where music is now in my opinion, be it mainstream or be it slightly left of centre and I think actually there is a unity in that because I feel that a lot of these records have real detail in them. So you know everyone knows Stormzy, but listen to the album as an album because people listen to Stormzy a lot of the time as a guy you know who has released tracks. As an album it's a different experience when you listen to what Stormzy does." HOST HUW STEPHENS, RADIO ONE PRESENTER, ANNOUNCING NOMINATIONS
- Embargoed: 10th August 2017 15:54
- Keywords: music alt-j Stormzy Ed Sheeran Mercury Music Prize The xx J Hus The Big Moon Blossoms Sampa Dinosaur Glass Animals Loyle Carner Kate Tempest
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK & VARIOUS UNKNOWN FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK & VARIOUS UNKNOWN FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA0076RHTKY5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ed Sheeran has been nominated for the Mercury Prize, the organisers of the music award said on Thursday, putting the global singing star in competition with much less well-known names.
Stormzy, Blossoms, J Hus, Dinosaur, The XX, Loyle Carner, The Big Moon, Kate Tempest, Glass Animals, Alt J and Sampha are the other nominees for the 25,000-pound ($32,600) prize that will be awarded on Sept. 14.
"It's a really broad snapshot of where music is now, in my opinion, be it mainstream or be it slightly left of centre," Phil Alexander, editor of Mojo and Q music magazines, said of the award meant to identify the best of the year from British and Irish artists, as judged by industry experts and musicians.
Sheeran's latest album "Divide," topped the charts in the United States and Britain this year.
The Mercury prize, seen as an alternative to the more mainstream Brit Awards, has sometimes been criticized for showcasing established artists rather than lesser-known newcomers.
"Having kind of mainstream acts alongside more subversive ones - maybe that brings out the subversive ones more," said Elliot Galvin, keyboard player in jazz band Dinosaur.
"Why shouldn't you be able to listen to Ed Sheeran and then also listen to Stormzy and then listen to Dinosaur?" ($1 = 0.7658 pounds) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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