Paul McCartney becomes first-time nominee for Mercury prize, up against Olivia Dean, Dave and more

Big names including Raye and Suede face off against smaller artists such as Knats and Nia Archives for prestigious album award A formidable array of chart-topping A-listers feature in a competitive shortlist for the 2026 Mercury prize, the prestigious award that honours the best album of the year by a British or Irish artist. Despite the prize’s history stretching back to 1992, Paul McCartney gets his first ever nomination this year, for his album The Boys of Dungeon Lane , a hugely affecting look back at his Liverpool childhood and his burgeoning friendships with his Beatles bandmates. Contin

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