The shortlist for this year's Mercury Music Prize has just been announced in London. We haven't checked all the birth certs yet but there doesn't appear to be any Irish involvement this year apart from BBC Radio One's Annie Mac, a Dub, being among the judges. For the first time in the Mercury's 29-year history, there are more female artists and female-fronted bands than there are men. The nominated acts and albums are:

Anna Meredith - FIBS

Charli XCX - How I’m Feeling Now

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

Georgia - Seeking Thrills

Lanterns On The Lake - Spook The Herd

Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter

Kano - Hoodies All Summer

Michael Kiwanuka - KIWANUKA

Moses Boyd - Dark Matter

Porridge Radio - Every Bad

Sports Team - Deep Down Happy

Stormzy - Heavy Is The Head

The judges will gather on Thursday September 10 to pick the winner.

The 2020 #HyundaiMercuryPrize Shortlist has been revealed! Let's take a deeper look at the 12 incredible albums that make up a snapshot in music over the past twelve months... pic.twitter.com/2xuP1WtMWG

— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) July 23, 2020