Mercury prize acts from outside London under-represented, say former nominees

Former Mercury prize nominees have said acts that come from outside London are underrepresented in the awards, with 130 more nominees coming from the capital than the next most shortlisted region over the prize's 34-year history.

- Raphael Boyd

As musicians gathered last night in Newcastle for the awards ceremony - the first time the event has been held outside London - data gathered by the Guardian shows stark disparities in regional representation.

While 2025's nominations were the most diverse ever, with six regions of England represented as well as acts from Scotland, Wales and Ireland present, 2024's shortlist had just six regions or countries represented, and there were just four in 2023, when nine of the 12 nominations went to acts from London.

Since 2010 only three winners have not come from London and, between 2014 and 2023, every winner came from the city, with Leeds band English Teacher's win in 2024 stopping the trend.