David Bowie’s Blackstar and Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool are the early favourites to win this year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize, with William Hill offering odds of 4/1 on both albums.
The albums of the year were revealed in London earlier today.
A spokesperson from bookmaker William Hill was on-hand to give early odds on the contenders, with David Bowie and Radiohead emerging as joint favourites.
At 6/1 are Laura Mvula’s The Dreaming Room, Skepta’s Konnichiwa, Michael Kiwanuka’s Love & Hate and Anohni’s Hopelesness.
The 1975’s I Like It When You sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, Bat For Lashes’ The Bride and Kano’s Made In The Manor were given odds of 8/1, while Jamie Woon, Savages and The Comet Is Coming were given outside odds of 10/1.
For the first time in the event’s history, fans will be able to select the first of the final six finalists via an online vote, which is now open at www.mercuryprize.com.
The five remaining finalists and overall winner are chosen by the Hyundai Mercury Prize Judging Panel, based solely on artistic merit.
The six finalists and the overall winner will be announced as part of the 2016 Awards Show, which will take place on Thursday September 15, at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith.
The event will feature live performances from the shortlisted artists and will culminate in the announcement of the overall winner of the 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.
For the second year BBC Music is the official UK broadcast partner and will be providing live television and radio coverage of the event on BBC Four and BBC Radio 6 Music with additional content at bbc.co.uk/music and via the BBC Music app.
Yesterday, Music Week gave its predictions on which albums might make the list, correctly identifying eight of the final 12.
