The shortlists for the 2025 Northern Ireland Music Prize have been announced, ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for 12 November at Ulster Hall in Belfast.
The Album of the Year category is sponsored by PPL and features the following 12 records:
- And So I Watch You From Afar | MEGAFAUNA
- Ciaran Lavery | Light Entertainment
- George Houston | TODC
- Jordan Adetunji | A Jaguar’s Dream
- Joshua Burnside | Teeth of Time
- Junk Drawer | Days of Heaven
- OR:LA | Trusting Theta
- RÓIS | MO LÉAN
- Sister Ghost | Beyond The Water
- Snow Patrol | The Forest Is The Path
- Taylor Lally | Taylor Lally
- The Wood Burning Savages | Hand To Mouth
The Single of the Year category is sponsored by Help Musicians and features the following six releases:
- Becky McNeice | All My Love
- California Irish | Julie Ann
- Chalk | Afraid
- Ciaran Lavery | Ida
- Joshua Burnside | Marching Round The Ladies
- RÓIS | CAOINE
The Live Act of the Year category is sponsored by MCD and features the following artists:
- Joshua Burnside
- KNEECAP
- RÓIS
- tessio
Created in partnership with PRS for Music, there is a new award for NI Creator of the Year which will shine a spotlight on the exceptional creativity of Northern Ireland’s music creators. The award will also further strengthen the Prize’s mission to ‘celebrate and champion the artists shaping our cultural landscape’. The inaugural shortlist for the PRS for Music NI Creator of the Year Award is as follows:
- Dani Larkin
- Jordan Adetunji
- Die Hexen
- Chalk
- Dea Matrona
The awards evening, part of the Sound of Belfast music festival, promises performances from shortlisted artists and special guests, making it the marquee night in Northern Ireland’s music calendar.
The event will feature performances from Becky McNeice, California Irish, Esmeralda Road, George Houston, Junk Drawer and Róis. Remaining tickets for the NI Music Prize are available here.
