Paul McCartney has received his first Mercury Prize nomination for his album, 'The Boys of Dungeon Lane'. The album, described as a look back at his Liverpool childhood and early friendships with his Beatles bandmates, is among the competitive shortlist for the 2026 award.
McCartney joins a formidable array of artists, including Olivia Dean, whose album 'The Art of Loving' has spent 43 weeks in the UK Top 5. Other nominees include rapper Dave, a previous Mercury Prize winner, for 'The Boy Who Played the Harp', and Florence + the Machine, earning her fourth nomination for 'Everybody Scream'.
The shortlist also features Raye for 'This Music May Contain Hope', Jade for 'That’s Showbiz Baby!', and Suede for 'Antidepressants'. A charity compilation album, 'Help(2)', recorded for War Child and featuring artists like Arctic Monkeys and Pulp, has also been nominated. Less well-known artists such as Irish singer-songwriter Dove Ellis, jazz outfit Knats, Kojey Radical, and Nia Archives complete the diverse list.
The 2026 Mercury Prize will be awarded at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on October 22. An 11-strong panel of music industry experts will decide the winner.