Paul McCartney has received his first Mercury Prize nomination, despite his long career, numerous major awards and 11 solo albums released since the prize began in 1992. He is nominated for The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, making him reportedly the first member of The Beatles to be recognised by the annual UK and Ireland album award.

The 12-album shortlist covers pop, rap, jazz, indie and charitable compilation releases, with previous winners Dave and Suede also nominated. Eligibility covered albums released from 30 August 2025 to 17 July 2026, and the winner will be announced on 22 October at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena. Commentators have noted the shortlist’s heavy representation of major-label releases, while several prominent artists, including Lily Allen and Harry Styles, were omitted.