IRISH BAND FONTAINES DC have been nominated for the 2019 Hyundai Mercury Prize.

The Dublin band’s album Dogrel is among the 12 albums celebrated from the past year that will now vy to be named record of 2019.

Though Fontaines DC are Irish, the Mercury Prize describes itself as an award that “promotes the best of UK music and the artists who produce it”. Both British and Irish artists are eligible to enter, at a cost of £190.

It is the music equivalent to the Booker Prize for literature and the Turner Prize for art.

The main objectives of the Prize are to recognise and celebrate artistic achievement, provide a snapshot of the year in music and to help introduce new albums from a range of music genres to a wider audience.

The albums come from a range of genres, and the winner will receive a cash prize of £25,000. An independent panel of judges listens to all the entries, before deciding on the 12 shortlisted records. The award will be presented to the overall winner on 19 September.

This year’s nominees are:

• Hunter by Anna Calvi
• Schlagenheim by Black Midi
• Reward by Cate Le Bon
• Psychodrama by Dave
• Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 by Foals
• Dogrel by Fontaines DC
• Joy by Idles
• Grey by Little Simz
• Saturn by NAO
• Driftglass by SEED Ensemble
• Nothing Great About Britain by slowthai
• A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships by The 1975

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