With the winner of this year’s award being announced this evening, we’re looking back at all the Scots who have wowed the judges.
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, was created in 1992 as an alternative to the Brit Awards and is known for its eclectic mix of musical genres.
To be eligible for the prize over 50 per cent of a band’s members must be British or Irish, and submissions are made by record labels.
The shortlist is chosen “based solely on their musical merit and irrespective of how popular or successful an album or act that has been submitted may have been in the previous calendar year”.
Acts to have won include Arctic Monkeys, Skepta, Dave, Wolf Alice, Ms. Dynamite, Dizzee Rascal, Klaxons, James Blake, Pulp, Elbow, The xx, Suede, and alt-J.
PJ Harvey is the only artist to have won the prize twice – for Let England Shake and Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.
Last year’s winner was Sam Fender, who this week announced a huge gig at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium, for his album People Watching.
And this evening the 2026 winner will be announced at a ceremony at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena and broadcast live on the BBC.
The first prize was won by Scottish band Primal Scream for their seminal album ‘Screamadelica’, but since then only 17 other acts from north of the border have been nominated, with not a single Scot shortlisted this year.
Here are all 18 Scottish Mercury-nominated acts in the history of the award.
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1. The Jesus and Mary Chain
East Kilbride's The Jesus and Mary Chain, led by songwriting brothers Jim and William Reid, were nominated for the very first Mercury Prize in 1992 for their fourth studio album 'Honey's Dead'. After a seven year hiatus they released their eighth studio album, 'Glasgow Eyes', earlier this year and are currently touring. That album came quickly compared to 2017's 'Damage and Joy' - released a full 19 years after 'Munki'. | Getty Images
2. Primal Scream
Glasgow rockers Primal Scream won the inaugural Mercury back in 1992 with their seminal album Screamadelica - beating U2's 'Achtung Baby' and Simply Red's 'Stars'. The band, fronted by Bobby Gillespie (who had previously played drums for fellow nominees The Jesus and Mary Chain) will release their 12th studio album, entitled 'Come Ahead', in November. They were also nominated in 1997 for album 'Vanishing Point'. | AFP via Getty Images
3. James MacMillan
Scottish classical composer and conductor James MacMillan was nominated in 1995 for 'Seven Last Words From The Cross'. He was beaten to the prize by Portishead's 'Dummy'. | Getty Images
4. Helicopter Girl
Perth-born Helicopter Girl - known as Jacqueline Joyce to her mum - was nominated in 2001 for her debut solo album 'How To Steal The World'. Her last studio album, 'Wanda Meant', was released in 2015. | Contributed