Today the Northern Ireland Music Prize announced the twelve album shortlist for the 2017 award. The winner will be announced at the Mandela Hall on 11th November. More than 70 judges from the music industry and media had a say in the shortlist for the best album of the last 12 months, with another round of voting ahead of the awards night.
The twelve shortlisted artists and albums are:
Arborist – Home Burial
Arvo Party – Arvo Party
Bap Kennedy – Reckless Heart
The Divine Comedy – Foreverland
Gross Net – Quantitative Easing
Hannah Peel – Awake But Always Dreaming
Invaderband – Invaderband
Joshua Burnside – Ephrata
Malojian – This Is Nowhere
Our Krypton Son – Fleas & Diamonds
Robocobra Quartet – Music For All Occasions
Sea Pinks – Watercourse
The eventual winner will no doubt be in grand company with previous winners including Ciaran Lavery, SOAK and Foy Vance. The November event will also see Northern Irish guitarist Vivian Campbell, best known for stints with Dio and Def Leppard, receive The Oh Yeah Legend award and perform with his band Last in Line.
Charlotte Dryden, CEO of the Oh Yeah Music Centre says:
“It’s been yet another great year for music from Northern Ireland. The shortlisted 12 are just a taste of what we have to offer, but what a strong example in this list. The continued partnership with Blue Moon for the NI Music Prize and the Sound of Belfast Festival is also a magnificent endorsement from them on our belief in the power of local music. It’s also great to welcome PPL as supporters of the Prize and we are delighted to continue the relationship with PRS on the Legend Award. It’s going to be a great ten days and the Prize and Legend Awards evening will be a fitting end to another celebration of all that is great about local music.”
Tickets for the award night can be purchased here.
[…] usual the programme highlight is the awarding of the Northern Ireland Music Prize for Best Album and also the presentation of Oh Yeah Legend Award this year to Vivian Campbell. For musicians […]