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Mercury Prize Nominees 2004 Announced

added 19 July 2004 at 20.17

The shortlist of twelve artists in the running for the prestigious 2004 Nationwide Mercury Music Prize was announced at ceremony in London this morning (July 20) with Franz Ferdinand, The Streets, Basement Jaxx and Keane all up for the coveted prize.

The twelve nominations for the Nationwide Mercury Prize was announced this morning (Tuesday July 20) at the Royal Commonwealth Club in London at a ceremony hosted by Edith Bowman.

Since their inception in 1992, the annual Mercury Music Prize awards have set out to reward the best in British music, regardless of genre or style. An independent panel of judges (music industry experts, journalists, record company bosses and the like) selects twelve ‘Albums of The Year’, before choosing one and announcing the overall winner on the night of the Mercury Music Show.

The awards often provide new or less traditionally commercial acts with a chance to break through into the mainstream, win an estimated £20,000 prize money and also have a significant effect on album sales (in some cases boosting them by anything from 20% to 100%).

As expected Xfm favourites Belle And Sebastian (‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’), Franz Ferdinand (‘Franz Ferdinand’), The Streets (‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’), Keane (‘Hopes & Fears’) and Snow Patrol ('Final Straw') all got nominations.

Elsewhere, Jamelia ('Thank You'),  Amy Winehouse (‘Frank’), The Zutons (‘Who Killed The Zutons’), Joss Stone (‘The Soul Sessions’), Robert Wyatt (‘Cuckooland’), Basement Jaxx (‘Kish Kash’) and Ty (‘Upwards’) were all honoured.

Notable absentees include Morrissey and the British jazz star, Jamie Cullum. The list also fails to include any classical music while Basement Jaxx's token dance act nomination testifies to the genre's declining fortunes.

The overall winner of the 2004 Nationwide Mercury Prize will be announced at a ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel, London on Tuesday September 7.

The full list of nominations is:

• Franz Ferdinand ‘Franz Ferdinand’ (3-1 joint favourite)
• The Streets ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ (3-1 joint favourite)
• Snow Patrol ‘Final Straw’ (6-1)
• Keane ‘Hopes & Fears’ (6-1)
• Amy Winehouse ‘Frank’ (6-1)
• Basement Jaxx ‘Kish Kash’) 10-1)
• Jamelia ‘Thank You’ (10-1)
• Joss Stone ‘The Soul Sessions’ (10-1)
• Belle And Sebastian ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’ (12-1)
• Ty ‘Upwards’ (12-1)
• Robert Wyatt ‘Cuckooland’ (12-1)
• The Zutons ‘Who Killed The Zutons’ (12-1)

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Matt Everitt

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