The Mercury Prize has announced the dates for the 2025 event, and confirmed that it will be taking place in Newcastle. Find out more below.
This year’s edition of the prestigious music awards comes as part of a new partnership with Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority, and marks the first time that the event has been held outside of London.
The shortlist of the 12 albums of the year will be revealed on September 10, and the award show will be held on October 16 at the city’s Utilita Arena.
Broadcast partner BBC Music will provide coverage of the event, and the Award Show will feature performances from many of the shortlisted artists.
A new press release shared that the city was chosen as it is “quickly cementing its place as the cultural heartbeat of the North of England”, and the event will mark a “landmark moment for the North East’s music sector”.
To celebrate the first instalment in Newcastle, music development agency and the event’s partner Generator will organise a week-long regional fringe programme in the run-up to the Awards. This will celebrate the depth and diversity of talent in the north and create opportunities for local talent.
More details about the week of events will be confirmed at a later date, and tickets to the awards ceremony are available here.
“We are delighted to announce this groundbreaking moment for the Mercury Prize,” said Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI Chief Executive. “We and our label community are committed to celebrating and providing the opportunity to showcase talent from all over the UK.
“Previous Mercury Prize winners and Album of the Year artists have consistently demonstrated this breadth of talent that is uniquely homegrown. Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a true music city and we are excited to work with our partners at The City of Newcastle & North East Combined Authority to deliver this inaugural moment and a memorable Mercury Prize 2025.”
Newcastle Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “Bringing the Mercury Prize to the North East is yet another fantastic accolade that builds on our proud cultural history and strengthens our reputation as a region of culture.
“The success of artists like Sam Fender shows what is possible for young musicians in our region and hosting the Mercury Prize in the North East gives us the opportunity to showcase our home-grown talent,” McGuinness added. “Our region’s cultural offer is strong, and steeped in the pride and creativity of our people, places and industrial heritage. This event is testament to that and will help our region stand tall on the national and international stage.”
The 2024 edition of the Mercury Prize Awards was held at Abbey Road Studios and saw Leeds four-piece English Teacher snag the prestigious trophy.
That edition did not include its usual live performance element, and instead saw all 12 shortlisted artists attend the ceremony and watch their recent performances that were recorded for numerous BBC programmes.
With their win, the former NME Cover stars warded off competition from Charli XCX, CMAT, Ghetts, The Last Dinner Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, Beth Gibbons, Barry Can’t Swim and more with their debut album, ‘This Could Be Texas’.
The victory also marked the first Mercury Prize to be won by a non-London act since Edinburgh’s Young Fathers took home the trophy in 2014, and their victory speech saw them thank “everyone in Leeds” for the support.
Since then, their record has bagged the Number Three spot on NME’s 50 Best Albums Of 2024 list, while their track ‘Albert Road’ was named the sixth-best song of the year. They will soon be joining Fontaines D.C. for a 100,000-capactity show in Newcastle on July 13. In February they confirmed details of their biggest UK headline tour to date too, and then went on to add a second show at London’s Roundhouse due to high demand.
Speaking to NME at the BRITs this year, English Teacher opened up about the upcoming slot with Fontaines and told us that they would “love to” work with the band in the future.
They also gave insight into new material, suggesting that some new songs should be finding their way into the setlists for the upcoming headline shows.
“Expect new songs… we’ll write them in time for that!” guitarist Lewis Whiting said on the BRITs red carpet. Bassist Nicholas Eden added: “We are writing, but it’s individual at the minute. We’ll get together in the next week or so and throw our stuff at each other.”