For the first time in their histories, both the Brit Awards and the Mercury Prize are relocating outside of London, signaling a potential shift in the UK music industry’s geographic focus. the Mercury Prize ceremony has already begun its move to Newcastle, with fringe events currently underway ahead of thursday’s main event.
The decision to decentralize these prominent awards challenges long-held assumptions about the necessity of a London-centric music scene. Organizers hope the move will spotlight vibrant musical communities across the UK and foster growth beyond the capital. This year’s Mercury Prize is a collaboration between the BPI, Newcastle City Council, The North East Combined Authority, and Generator, a North East music growth agency.
Previously, there was skepticism about whether artists would participate in events held outside London or if audiences would attend. However, those concerns proved unfounded when the Mercury Prize initially left the capital, with organizers describing the resulting energy as “electric” and calling it “one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”
nominee emma-Jean thackray, shortlisted for her album Weirdo, expressed enthusiasm for the broadened spotlight.”I love that different scenes are being highlighted,” she saeid. “There’s so much going on,its not just about london – I live in London and I love London,but I’m from Leeds and there’s so much going on there and other different parts of the country.”
Fellow nominee Jacob Alon, who grew up in Fife, Scotland, echoed this sentiment, stating, “I think there’s just so much vibrancy everywhere and it’s nice to get a bit of spotlight on those different projects.” Alon playfully suggested, “Maybe one day it’ll end up in Fife.Who knows?”
