Mercury Music Prize 2009

Florence + The Machine, Kasabian, Glasvegas and La Roux are some of this years acts making up the 12 nominees for this year's Mercury Music Prize that were announced today.
The award (now in its 17th year) is to recognise the best albums released over the past year by British and Irish artists.
The winner will be announced on September 8th, taking home the £20,000 prize money, as well as a guaranteed up take in their album sales.
Elbow won the award last year with their fourth album “Seldom Seen Kid”, which before the win had sold 150K, but up to April ’09 had shifted a massive 500K+
The nominees are judged by an independent panel of industry figures and music journalists
Previous winners of the prize have included Pulp, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons

The early bookies favourite is Kasabian, however my money would be on either the fantastic Florence + the Machine, Glasvegas or La Roux

The full shortlist:

Bat For Lashes – “Two Suns”
Florence + The Machine – “Lungs”
Friendly Fires – “Friendly Fires”

Glasvegas – “Glasvegas”
Kasabian – “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum”

La Roux – “La Roux”
Led Bib – “Sensible Shoes”

Lisa Hannigan – “Sea Sew”
The Horrors – “Primary Colours”
The Invisible – “the Invisible”

Sweet Billy Pilgrim – “Twice Born Men”

Speech Debelle – “Speech Therapy”