NationStates Jolt Archive

For those of you who don't know, the Mercury Prize is for the best unique album by a British artist. Twelve albums are shortlisted, then a panel of judges picks the winner. Now, I've not heard Antony and the Johnsons' album, but apparently it's rather good...and at least those overrated sellouts the Kaiser Chiefs didn't win. But is the Mercury Prize really worth anything (apart from the £20000 prize money, and the inevitable jump in sales the winner gets)?

For those of you who don't know, the Mercury Prize is for the best unique album by a British artist. Twelve albums are shortlisted, then a panel of judges picks the winner. Now, I've not heard Antony and the Johnsons' album, but apparently it's rather good...and at least those overrated sellouts the Kaiser Chiefs didn't win. But is the Mercury Prize really worth anything (apart from the £20000 prize money, and the inevitable jump in sales the winner gets)?


the MP is worth a hell of a lot more than something like a brit for example. oh and bloc party were robbed.

the MP is worth a hell of a lot more than something like a brit for example. oh and bloc party were robbed.
Well, yes. But the Brits et al are crap, based almost entirely on sales - "your album sold 500,000? Wow, it must be popular. And we want our awards to be popular. So we'll give the award to a popular band. Everyone wins. Except the people who think our award is shit, and they're in the majority. Erm..."
And no, Bloc Party were not robbed. Their album isn't that good. The Magic Numbers were perhaps robbed, but not BP.

...and at least those overrated sellouts the Kaiser Chiefs didn't win.

I like the Kaiser Chiefs. Whats wrong with them? It's as if when it comes to the Mercury Prize people don't want someone popular to win. They want some unheard of gay who paints his face bizarrely or some obese man with long black hair. Or Dizzie Rascal, he won last year instead of the Darkness who are a lot more popular than he is.

Dude, I heard a little of one of their songs this morning on the "News hour", the BBC news program. I thought it sucked. The guy's voice wasn't that great, the lyrics were repetative, and the music wasn't anything special. Plus I heard that he's lived in New York since he was 12. How does someone like that win a British music award?

EDIT: I originally wrote the name of the early evening news program produced by the BBC for public radio. I've corrected the error.

I like the Kaiser Chiefs. Whats wrong with them? It's as if when it comes to the Mercury Prize people don't want someone popular to win. They want some unheard of gay who paints his face bizarrely or some obese man with long black hair. Or Dizzie Rascal, he won last year instead of the Darkness who are a lot more popular than he is.
They're crap. And they're sellouts.
And I don't think Dizzie Rascal should have won either...can't remember who else was nominated last year, but not him. But then, the whole thing's not done on popularity - it's done on who the judges think made the best, most unique album. Kaiser Chiefs hardly did anything original either lyrically or musically, but, from what I've heard now, A and the J's have come up with something unique both lyrically and musically.
And, to Drunk Commies, he was born in and lived in Chichester for 12 years, and he holds a British passport. Hell, Morrissey has been nominated for it before, and since the Mercury Prize was founded, he's barely lived in the UK at all.

The Antony and the Johnson album has recieved just about unanimous praise this year and will probably recieve almost unanimous mention as one of the top albums this year.

As for me, I am with Drunk Commies, didn't think the songs were all that great, and Antony's voice is more irritating than anything else. If it wasn't for his off-the-wall voice and the fact that he is very openly transgendered that won the award for him, because the songs themselves are really nothing spectacular or unique.

EDIT: Some samples from Antony's website:

Hope There's Someone (http://www.brainwashed.com/common/sounds/mp3/antony_and_the_johnsons-hope_theres_someone.mp3)

For Today I am a Boy (http://www.brainwashed.com/common/sounds/mp3/antony_and_the_johnsons-for_today_i_am_a_buoy.mp3)

Fistful of Love (http://www.brainwashed.com/common/sounds/mp3/antony-fistful_of_love.mp3)

Spiralling (http://www.brainwashed.com/common/sounds/mp3/antony_and_the_johnsons-spiralling.mp3)

And no, Bloc Party were not robbed. Their album isn't that good. The Magic Numbers were perhaps robbed, but not BP.

Got to disagree there. Magic Numbers album is rather mundane aside from the 2 songs that have already been released. Bloc Party's album was far more substantial in content.
Hard Fi are another band that could of taken it, but the band that really got robbed was Maximo Park. Saw them at Leeds Festival and they are awesome, the lead singer (Paul Smith) is a great performer and lyricist. Then the songs and guitar riffs are sheer class.

How does someone like that win a British music award?

British and Irish, isn't it?