Following another remarkable year for Irish music – despite the ongoing Covid-related challenges – the nominations for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Albums of the Year have been revealed.

In the running for the prize this year are:

• Bicep, Isles
• Mick Flannery & Susan O'Neill, In The Game
• For Those I Love, For Those I Love
• Orla Gartland, Woman On The Internet
• HousePlants, Dry Goods
• Kojaque, Town's Dead
• Elaine Mai, Home
• Saint Sister, Where I Should End
• Soda Blonde, Small Talk
• Villagers, Fever Dreams

The shortlist, announced on Tracy Clifford's RTÉ 2FM show today, was compiled by a panel of 11 music media professionals from Irish print, radio, TV, and online.

Following today's announcement, the Irish Songs of the Year shortlist is set to be unveiled on January 26. The live show, where the winners of both categories will be revealed, takes place at Vicar Street in Dublin on Thursday, March 3 – featuring performances from the shortlisted acts.

"The sheer quality of this year's RTÉ Choice Music Prize shortlist highlights the incredible standards now being reached routinely by musicians and artists in Ireland across a range of genres," comments Adam Fogarty, Head of Music, RTÉ 2FM. "While it has been an extremely challenging year for the music industry, so many Irish artists, not just those who have made the shortlist, have used this time, much of it in the absence of live shows, to produce some incredible music."

Last year's nominees for Irish Albums of the Year included Bitch Falcon's Staring at Clocks, Fontaines D.C.'s A Hero's Death, JyellowL's 2020 DIvision, Róisín Murphy's Róisín Machine, Nealo's All The Leaves Are Falling, Pillow Queens' In Waiting, Ailbhe Reddy's Personal History, Niamh Regan's Hemet and Silverbacks' Fad – with Denise Chaila taking home the top prize with Go Bravely.

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