Albums by Genesis Owusu, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and Hiatus Kaiyote are among the nine finalists for the coveted Australian Music Prize, details for which were announced Wednesday morning (Feb. 2).
The AMP, now in its 17th year, is inspired by Britain’s Mercury Music Prize and decided by a music industry panel, which is tasked with identifying Australia’s most important releases of the previous year.
After reviewing over 460 eligible Australian albums, the AMP’s judges last December reduced the batch to a longlist of 110 titles.
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The nine standouts, unveiled today, are judged on creative merit over mainstream popularity. They are: Amyl and The Sniffers’ Comfort to Me; Baker Boy’s Gela; Emma Donovan & The Putbacks’ Under These Streets; Genesis Owusu’s Smiling with No Teeth; Hiatus Kaiyote’s Mood Valiant; King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s Butterfly 3000; Martha Marlow’s Medicine Man; Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’s Carnage; and Odette’s Herald.
“This is a very strong list,” comments Soundmerch AMP founder and prize director Scott B. Murphy. “It’s incredibly diverse and truly captures another year of the world’s best music. I sincerely thank the Soundmerch AMP team of judges – their donation of time and passion is much greater than what most people would think.”
The winner will receive a check for $30,000 ($21,400), courtesy of headline sponsor Soundmerch, the independent Australian merchandise company, during a special event March 3 in Melbourne. The judges’ final decision will be made earlier on the day.
In another development, EMI, Virgin and Island have partnered with The Soundmerch AMP, which sees each label contribute A$3,000 cash for a “shortlist funding pool” that will be used to offset nominated artists’ out-of-pocket when attending the final.
Launched in 2005, the AMP is recognized as the most prestigious award for Australian recording artists honoring the album as an art form.
Previous winners include LPs by A.B.Original, Courtney Barnett, The Jezabels, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Sampa the Great (twice) and last year’s champ, The Avalanches’ We Will Always Love You.
The 17th Soundmerch Australian Music Prize finalists:
Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort to Me
Baker Boy – Gela
Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Under These Streets
Genesis Owusu – Smiling with No Teeth
Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3000
Martha Marlow – Medicine Man
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage
Odette – Herald
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