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Radiohead and Coldplay top UK music prize list
London, July 23: Heavyweight rock bands Radiohead and Coldplay topped a shortlist released on Tuesday of 12 artists battling for Britain`s most prestigious popular music award, the Mercury Music Prize.
London, July 23: Heavyweight rock bands Radiohead and Coldplay topped a shortlist released on Tuesday of 12 artists battling for Britain's most prestigious popular music award, the Mercury Music Prize.
Nominated but passed over twice before, Radiohead will have to outshine an eclectic mix of rock, pop, dance, jazz and folk nominees to snag the 2003 Mercury with its album, "Hail to the Thief."
Coldplay, which made the 2000 shortlist with its debut, "Parachutes," is back with "A Rush of Blood to the Head," one of the rare recently released British albums to find chart success in the United States.
Other artists up for the prize, which honors the best British or Irish album of the year, include ethereal dance and techno duo Lemon Jelly for its "Lost Horizons" and 23-year-old soul singer Terri Walker for her debut "Untitled."
Irish melodic guitar band The Thrills is up for "So Much for the City" alongside 18-year-old Dizzee Rascal for his "Boy in Da Corner," Soweto Kinch for "Conversations with the Unseen" and soulful duo Floetry for their "Floetic."
Rounding out the nominees were power rock band The Darkness with "Permission to Land," folk artist Eliza Carthy with "Anglicana," "Quixotic" from Martina Topley-Bird and four-piece band Athlete with its "Vehicles and Animals."
Now in its 12th year, the Mercury prize often goes to lesser-known British artists producing albums on the fringes of popular taste, but past winners have included Primal Scream, Pulp and PJ Harvey.
Last year's surprise winner of the 20,000-pound prize, always chosen by an independent panel of judges, was north London Garage singer and rapper Ms. Dynamite.
The last guitar band to capture the award was Gomez, which triumphed in 1998.
Although widely regarded as Britain's most prestigious pop music prize, the Mercury rarely translates into huge sales for its winners and has even been labeled the kiss of death by some critics. The 2003 award will be presented on Sept. 9.
Bureau Report
Coldplay, which made the 2000 shortlist with its debut, "Parachutes," is back with "A Rush of Blood to the Head," one of the rare recently released British albums to find chart success in the United States.
Other artists up for the prize, which honors the best British or Irish album of the year, include ethereal dance and techno duo Lemon Jelly for its "Lost Horizons" and 23-year-old soul singer Terri Walker for her debut "Untitled."
Irish melodic guitar band The Thrills is up for "So Much for the City" alongside 18-year-old Dizzee Rascal for his "Boy in Da Corner," Soweto Kinch for "Conversations with the Unseen" and soulful duo Floetry for their "Floetic."
Rounding out the nominees were power rock band The Darkness with "Permission to Land," folk artist Eliza Carthy with "Anglicana," "Quixotic" from Martina Topley-Bird and four-piece band Athlete with its "Vehicles and Animals."
Now in its 12th year, the Mercury prize often goes to lesser-known British artists producing albums on the fringes of popular taste, but past winners have included Primal Scream, Pulp and PJ Harvey.
Last year's surprise winner of the 20,000-pound prize, always chosen by an independent panel of judges, was north London Garage singer and rapper Ms. Dynamite.
The last guitar band to capture the award was Gomez, which triumphed in 1998.
Although widely regarded as Britain's most prestigious pop music prize, the Mercury rarely translates into huge sales for its winners and has even been labeled the kiss of death by some critics. The 2003 award will be presented on Sept. 9.
Bureau Report