The shortlist for this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2021, in association with IMRO & IRMA, was announced today on RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show by Jim Carroll, chairman of the judging panel.
The shortlist is as follows:
Bicep – Isles (Ninja Tune)
Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill – In the Game (Rosaleen Records / Rosa Productions)
For Those I Love – For Those I Love (September Recordings)
Orla Gartland – Woman on the Internet (New Friends Music)
HousePlants – Dry Goods (Bone China Records)
Kojaque – Town’s Dead (Soft Boy Records)
Elaine Mai – Home (Elaine Mai)
Saint Sister – Where I Should End (Saint Sister)
Soda Blonde – Small Talk (Velveteen Records)
Villagers – Fever Dreams (Domino)
Listen to all shortlisted albums here.
As part of RTÉ’s continued commitment to promoting Irish music, RTÉ 2FM again celebrates the announcement of the shortlist across its schedule throughout the day with All Irish Music All Day from 6am to midnight.
Commenting, Adam Fogarty, Head of Music, RTÉ 2FM, said “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. 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.”
The Irish Album of the Year 2021 will be announced live from Vicar St on RTÉ 2FM in a special show 7-11pm on Thursday 3rd March. The show will feature live performances from some of the shortlisted acts, further details on the line-up to be announced soon.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.
A special RTÉ Choice Music Prize highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ2 television the following week. The Song of the Year shortlist will be announced on 26th January.
“Despite the enormous challenges, 2021 proved to be an incredible year for new music releases in Ireland. RTÉ Choice Music Prize provides a snapshot of the vast amount of creativity and diversity to be found in Irish music right now. IMRO is delighted to continue its longstanding association with this prestigious music prize which champions some of our finest songwriters and performers”, Keith Johnson, Director of Marketing & Membership, IMRO.
The 17th annual RTÉ Choice Music Prize will once again celebrate the best in Irish recorded music. The Prize has become one of the music-industry highlights of the year since its inception in 2005. The Irish Album of the Year award is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of eleven Irish music media professionals and industry experts. The full list of judges is listed on http://www.choicemusicprize.ie
The winning act will receive €10,000, a prize fund which has been provided by The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). All shortlisted acts will receive a specially commissioned award.
RAAP and Minding Creative Minds are also official project partners of the RTE Choice Music Prize as are Culture Ireland and First Music Contact (FMC).
Through its funding of FMC’s Music From Ireland programme, Culture Ireland support of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize will be directed towards participant artists, as well as assisting the online RTÉ Choice Music Prize “Conversations”.
#rtechoiceprize
Stay up to date with the latest RTÉ Choice Music Prize news by following @choiceprize, @rte2fm, @rte and @rte2 on Twitter and Facebook and @explorerte and @rte2fm on Instagram using #rtechoiceprize.
