This October, the Mercury Prize moves beyond London for the first time ever, as plans were revealed today on how the Prize will make its mark on host city Newcastle. The move to Newcastle, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority, signals a new dawn for the prestigious Prize, with the October Award Show always a fantastic night celebrating the best British and Irish music of the year.
The Award Show, taking place on Thursday 16th October at the Utilita Arena, will feature live performances from many of the twelve shortlisted artists and the evening will culminate in the announcement of the overall winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize in Newcastle. The Prize’s broadcast partner BBC Music will provide coverage of the event. Last remaining tickets are available here.
The Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ will be announced exclusively live on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds from 10:30am on Wednesday 10th September.
Each year, the shortlist is curated by an independent judging panel of music industry professionals who are eternally passionate about spotlighting artistic achievement across a range of genres. The 2025 Mercury Prize judges are: Danielle Perry – Broadcaster & Writer; Jamie Cullum - Musician & Radio 2 Broadcaster; Jamz Supernova – Radio 6 Music Presenter; Jeff Smith - Head of Music, Radio 2 & Radio 6 Music; Lea Stonhill – Music Programming Consultant; Mistajam – Songwriter, DJ & Broadcaster; Phil Alexander – Creative Director, Kerrang!/Contributing Editor, Mojo; Sian Eleri – Radio 1 Broadcaster & DJ; Will Hodgkinson - Chief Rock & Pop Critic, The Times; Sophie Williams – Music Writer & Broadcaster. The Chair of the judging team is Jeff Smith.
Also announced today is the return of Radio 6 Music presenter and North East native Lauren Laverne as the Award Show host. Lauren, a beloved member of the Mercury Prize family, has been at the helm of many of the Prize’s famed nights in years gone by, and is a welcome addition to the 2025 event. Radio 1’s Maia Beth will be hosting exclusive artist interviews with those featuring on the Albums of The Year Shortlist for Mercury Prize social channels, and will also be hosting Red Carpet coverage of the Awards Show in Newcastle.
Alongside the Award Show, Generator - the North’s leading music development agency - is powering the Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe: a bold, region-wide celebration to bring the North East’s phenomenal music scene and iconic venues alive like never before.
Running from Thursday 9th to Wednesday 15th October, the Mercury Fringe will fill the region with live music, creative energy and new opportunities to not only showcase the North East’s incredible talent but to 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.
Spanning all seven local authority areas of the North East Combined Authority - Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Durham and Northumberland - the Mercury Fringe will unfold across iconic venues including The Glasshouse in Gateshead, Pop Recs in Sunderland, Queens Hall Arts in Northumberland, World Headquarters and Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle, with more locations to be announced soon.
The Mercury Fringe promises a week packed with live gigs curated alongside local promoters, genre-spanning workshops and roundtables, a major industry conference, and intimate conversations with some of the UK’s most exciting and influential artists - including 2024 Mercury Prize winners, English Teacher. Across the week, audiences can explore themes including music production, broadcasting, songwriting, composition, and the art of album-making and promotion. Record store listening events will extend the Fringe’s community reach while supporting local businesses, inviting music lovers into spaces that celebrate the art of the album.
Full programme details will be revealed soon. For more information, visit www.generator.org/mercuryfringe and direct enquiries to [email protected]
An exciting array of partner activity was also announced today, including the unveiling of LNER (London North Eastern Railway) as the Official Travel Partner of the Mercury Prize. LNER will carry many of the shortlisted artists and judges to the 2025 Award Show in October as the brand continues to champion the unique connection that travel has with music and culture. adidas, will celebrate the shortlist with a Mercury Prize themed display in END. on Grey Street in the city centre and Newcastle’s flagship department store, Fenwick, will showcase the 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ in store and will host live music performances and creative workshops in-store during the Mercury Fringe.
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting UK recorded music, renowned British premium audio brand, Bowers & Wilkins, continues as long-term official audio partner of the Mercury Prize. At the forefront of music creation for over 40 years, it is uniquely placed to help the Mercury Prize celebrate the album format and the creative achievements of the 12 artists.
The Mercury Prize recognises the best new British & Irish music, celebrating artistic achievement across an eclectic range of contemporary music genres. As an independent arts prize, it champions the album format, acts a snapshot of the year in music and often provides a major platform for up and coming artists and their musical work. The Prize has been an important milestone in past winners’ journeys, acting as a stepping stone to wider success in the UK and Ireland as well as internationally.
Last year saw English Teacher claim the Prize, and other recent past winners include Ezra Collective, Little Simz, Dave, Wolf Alice, Young Fathers, and more.