Mercury Music Prize 2016

[dentalplan]

15 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

just not as good as The 1975, clearly

You're right. It wasn't.

I think Music Complete was released on the last date eligible for last years anyway so wouldn't have been in contention.

Sorta disappointing that there's such a short supply of new nominees. I know it's not a new artist award but it just feels like they forgot to listen to anything and picked whoever seemed most Mercury.

The list is pretty agreeable and Blackstar, Hopelessness and AMSP are all great albums for me so it's a strong list anyway.

Edited August 4, 2016 by dentalplan

[big__phil]

8 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

Sorta disappointing that there's such a short supply of new nominees. I know it's not a new artist award but it just feels like they forgot to listen to anything and picked whoever seemed most Mercury.

The list is pretty agreeable and Blackstar, Hopelessness and AMSP are all great albums for me so it's a strong list anyway.

Yeah I agree. Hard to argue with much on there, although I'm sure there'll be lots of disappointed Floating Points fans on here. I'd have given Tourist a nod as well, although I appreciate electronic music can divide people.

Can't see the winner coming from outside the three you've listed though. Paddy Power has the following prices (not updated since the nominations):

Bowie - 2/1

Anohni - 8/1 (got my fiver)

Radiohead - 9/1

(Everyone else they've priced up hasn't been nominated. They include James Blake, Peej, TLSP, Villagers, C*ldplay)

[Mezhyp1]

Quite a strong and mainstream list for Mercury. Would be a revelation to see Skepta win it 

[Chawk]

12 hours ago, thegremlin_1999 said:

Iron Maiden - The Book of Souls

 

but no, apparently metal ain't British music.....

 

seriously though, it's the best album Maiden have put out in a very, very long time. 

 

No doubt there's some other killer British rock and metal albums that apparently can't be considered too... 

 

The Mercury prize is bollocks that consistently overlooks great records that just don't happen to be either indie or obscure... It can't claim to represent the best of British music when it does that... 

You do have to pay to enter, so it's not like every album released is automatically considered. Ok it's only about £200, but I doubt that the Mercury Prize is on Iron Maiden's radar so they probably didn't even enter. 

Edited August 4, 2016 by Chawk

[thegremlin_1999]

36 minutes ago, Chawk said:

You do have to pay to enter, so it's not like every album released is automatically considered. Ok it's only about £200, but I doubt that the Mercury Prize is on Iron Maiden's radar so they probably didn't even enter. 

Well there's little point because when was the last time something like that was even considered?

 

point still remains though, they can't claim to represent British music when the ignore a huge sector of it...

[FloorFiller]

6 minutes ago, thegremlin_1999 said:

Well there's little point because when was the last time something like that was even considered?

 

point still remains though, they can't claim to represent British music when the ignore a huge sector of it...

Bullet for my Valentine need to get their act together and scrape together that £200 to enter then don't they

[Gucci Piggy]

34 minutes ago, thegremlin_1999 said:

Well there's little point because when was the last time something like that was even considered?

 

point still remains though, they can't claim to represent British music when the ignore a huge sector of it...

You don't know whether any metal band has ever even paid to be considered.

[ThomThomDrum]

1 hour ago, thegremlin_1999 said:

point still remains though, they can't claim to represent British music when the ignore a huge sector of it...

Metal is not the only sector of British music ignored by the Mercury. There is shit loads of genres that are "ignored" 

The competition is what it is. Lets not get our knickers in a twist that the best of the latest metal/opera/classical/trad etc etc is not part of the comp. 

[thegremlin_1999]

5 minutes ago, ThomThomDrum said:

Metal is not the only sector of British music ignored by the Mercury. There is shit loads of genres that are "ignored" 

The competition is what it is. Lets not get our knickers in a twist that the best of the latest metal/opera/classical/trad etc etc is not part of the comp. 

So they can't claim to represent British music then can they? 

[thegremlin_1999]

1 hour ago, FloorFiller said:

Bullet for my Valentine need to get their act together and scrape together that £200 to enter then don't they

Ah, ignorance is a wonderful thing. Bullet suck ass. They're kerrang metal for kiddies. 

 

See? Metalheads can be musical snobs too...

 

seriously tho, if it's there to promote the best of British music then it has failed in its mission...

[dentalplan]

You haven't mentioned one eligible hard rock/metal album that, in your opinion, should've been included yet.

[thegremlin_1999]

13 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

You haven't mentioned one eligible hard rock/metal album that, in your opinion, should've been included yet.

Yep, I did. The maiden album. 

 

By your original post its eligible.  

[dentalplan]

It came out September 5th; three weeks before the start of this year's period.

[thegremlin_1999]

How about the new Steven Wilson LP? Or The Heavy's new one?

 

neither are metal, both are rock music. 

I'd say the new Uncle Acid but that's also start of September.

 

surely missing two months out doesn't represent everything either?

 

[thegremlin_1999]

Or on a metal bent, the new Sikth, newest Architects. Both killer records

[dentalplan]

But it isn't a British album of the year list; it's an arts competition that eligible UK and Ireland artists (read: their record companies) can enter the album for consideration. The time frame has nothing to do with it and representing proportionally the genres within the UK music scene isn't their objective either.

IMO that Uncle Acid album was pretty disappointing after the two preceding it. I don't really imagine Steven Wilson or The Heavy would be tied to the exclusion of heavy albums either. Maybe some albums just aren't good enough.

Seeing as you've given one album by Architects that would be eligible then I'm still not convinced that "most of the music in Britain" is being ignored by them not having some metal acts in there. If there were UK bands putting out the critically acclaimed stuff that is making the genre more interesting again like Deaheaven or High on Fire then yeah, there'd be grounds for complaint but I'm not aware of any.

[big__phil]

1 hour ago, thegremlin_1999 said:

So they can't claim to represent British music then can they? 

You're probably right, but they only have a certain number of albums they can shortlist. I can't actually comment on the state of metal and hard rock though, or your claims that the albums you've listed should be included.

Their websites says:  The main objectives of the Mercury Prize are to provide a snapshot of the year in music...

Which is probably why there are two (really good) grime albums this year. Grime is enjoying a tangible purple patch, but could you say the same about metal/hard rock? (Not a leading question - I genuinely don't know.)

[thegremlin_1999]

8 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

 I'm still not convinced that "most of the music in Britain" is being ignored by them not having some metal acts in there. 

You're putting words in my mouth there. 

 

I didnt say that. I said they ignore a huge section of the output of British bands. Not just metal.

 

and I said two bands actually. I mentioned Sikth too.

 

when end was the last time a rock/metal band was nominated? Note it's not just metal I've referred to, hence reference to Steven Wilson and The Heavy. Both are British rock acts who put out killer albums in the time frame.

 

I accept British rock/metal hasn't been too great this year, but when was any ever Been nominated?

 

Edited August 4, 2016 by thegremlin_1999

[the_hedge]

4 hours ago, FloorFiller said:

just not as good as The 1975, clearly

*sighs*

[FloorFiller]

Therapy?'s Troublegum in '94 is the only album in the whole thing that i could really consider 'metal', so there probably is a little prejudice there against that sort of music, but then as has been said, when was the last time a UK metal band really made a big impact? i guess the same could be said for the yearly jazz album nomination, but that's starting to seem like more and more of an in joke as the years go by

[thegremlin_1999]

7 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

Therapy?'s Troublegum in '94 is the only album in the whole thing that i could really consider 'metal', so there probably is a little prejudice there against that sort of music, but then as has been said, when was the last time a UK metal band really made a big impact? i guess the same could be said for the yearly jazz album nomination, but that's starting to seem like more and more of an in joke as the years go by

There's usually at least 2-3 albums of obscure stuff that's nominated so if we're having to go back 20+ years to find a rock/metal album then there might just be a prejudice...

 

are you telling me there's been no British rock and metal albums for over 20 years that have been worthy? 

 

 

[dentalplan]

7 minutes ago, thegremlin_1999 said:

You're putting words in my mouth there. 

 

I didnt say that. I said they ignore a huge section of the output of British bands. Not just metal.

 

and I said two bands actually. I mentioned Sikth too.

 

when end was the last time a rock/metal band was nominated? Note it's not just metal I've referred to, hence reference to Steven Wilson and The Heavy. Both are British rock acts who put out killer albums in the time frame.

 

I accept British rock/metal hasn't been too great this year, but when was any ever Been nominated?

 

Sikth released an EP according to Wiki.

Savages are nominated for a second time this year. Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro and Slaves were all nominated recently as well. Rock isn't really suffering so that's why I sidestepped that issue. I don't think the likes of the acts you mentioned are being denied by a prejudice against rock because there are some rock acts right there.

[gary1979666]

Just now, thegremlin_1999 said:

There's usually at least 2-3 albums of obscure stuff that's nominated so if we're having to go back 20+ years to find a rock/metal album then there might just be a prejudice...

 

are you telling me there's been no British rock and metal albums for over 20 years that have been worthy? 

 

 

Mind you have to go a fair way to beat Troublegum - LOVE that album!

[thegremlin_1999]

The Sikth album is a mini album so I'll give you that.  

 

Still, where's the punk? The prog? The bluesy hard rock? The doom? And yes the metal?

 

in the last 20 years? Non-existent... Are you seriously telling me there's been no great albums in the last 20 years in any of those genres?

[dentalplan]