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Olivia Dean and Paul McCartney shortlisted for Mercury Prize
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
Olivia Dean has been shortlisted for the 2026 Mercury Prize for The Art of Loving, reinforcing her awards success after the album won album of the year at both the Brit and Mobo Awards. Sir Paul McCartney has also earned his first Mercury nomination, aged 84, for The Boys of Dungeon Lane, while Lily Allen’s critically acclaimed West End Girl is absent from the list; it is unclear whether she was overlooked or did not submit it.
The £25,000 award recognises outstanding albums and will be decided by a 12-member judging panel at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on 22 October. Former winners Dave and Suede are nominated alongside Florence + The Machine, Jade, Raye, Nia Archives and Irish newcomer Dove Ellis; other notable omissions include Harry Styles and Gorillaz.
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In short
- Olivia Dean and Paul McCartney are Mercury Prize nominees.
- Lily Allen’s acclaimed album is not shortlisted.
- The £25,000 winner will be announced on 22 October.
How this story developed
- 4 months ago It was clarified that Mercury contenders must submit their own albums, meaning Allen’s absence may have resulted from her not entering rather than a judges’ decision.
- 4 months ago McCartney’s nominated album was identified as The Boys of Dungeon Lane, and Harry Styles and Gorillaz were added to the notable omissions from the 22 October Newcastle ceremony.
- 4 months ago The shortlist was further reported to include Irish newcomer Dove Ellis, while Lily Allen’s West End Girl was missing amid uncertainty over whether it had been entered for the £25,000 award.
- 4 months ago Olivia Dean was named on the 2026 Mercury Prize shortlist for The Art of Loving, following Brit and Mobo album-of-the-year wins, alongside first-time nominee Sir Paul McCartney and artists including Suede, Jade, Raye, Nia Archives, Dave and Florence + The Machine.
Where outlets differ
Left-leaning outlets 1
- Paul McCartney becomes first-time nominee for Mercury prize, up against Olivia Dean, Dave and moreThe Guardian
Only here: becomes, time, nominee, dave
Centre outlets 1
- Olivia Dean and Paul McCartney shortlisted for Mercury PrizeBBC Entertainment
Only here: shortlisted
Every side used: paul, mccartney, mercury, prize, olivia, dean
Headline columns compared word for word; nothing in them is AI-written.
Explained simply
The Mercury Prize is a major annual music award for the best album released by an artist from the UK or Ireland. It is judged by a panel drawn from the music industry and media, and the winner receives £25,000.
Olivia Dean is a British singer-songwriter whose recent success has made her one of the country’s most prominent newer pop and soul artists. Sir Paul McCartney is a former member of the Beatles and one of Britain’s best-known musicians, while Lily Allen is a British singer and actor with a long-established career.
Albums must usually be entered for consideration before the judges select a shortlist, so an artist’s absence does not necessarily mean the panel rejected their work. The prize often brings extra attention to both established musicians and less familiar acts.
Coverage · 3 sources
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Originally published by BBC Entertainment as “Olivia Dean nominated and Lily Allen snubbed in Mercury Prize list”.