Snow Patrol, The Thrills and Gemma Hayes have all carried the green torch with honour in the past, but this year the competition will be a strictly British affair. Well, on first inspection anyway, but our genealogical department are claiming that Anthony Johnson’s father is Irish and KT Tunstell’s grandmother hails from these shores as well.
Fresh from their barnstorming performance at Marlay Park, Coldplay are amongst the frontrunners, as are the Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party.
At a ceremony in London this morning, Jools Holland confirmed that the 12 albums battling it out for the £20,000 prize money on offer are:
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
Hard-Fi – Stars Of CCTV
Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
MIA – Arular
The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers
Coldplay – X&Y
The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning Strike
Antony And The Johnsons – I Am A Bird Now
KT Tunstall – Eye To The Telescope
Maximo Park – A Certain Trigger
Seth Lakeman – Kitty Jay
Polar Bear – Held On The Tips Of Fingers
The overall winner of the competition will be announced on September 6.