David Bowie Lands Posthumous Mercury Prize Nomination

David Bowie's Blackstar
Copies of 'Blackstar', the last album by British musician David Bowie are on sale in a branch of HMV in central London, January 11, 2016. The record has been nominated for the... JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty

David Bowie has earned a posthumous Mercury Prize nomination for his final album, Blackstar.

The Starman's 25th studio album, released just two days before his death in January, was named as one of 12 albums competing for the prestigious Album of the Year award.

Other records that made the cut are Radiohead's ninth album, A Moon Shaped Pool, Laura Mvula's sophomore offering The Dreaming Room and The 1975's I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.

The final shortlist of six albums, including the overall winner, will be announced at a ceremony to be held in London on September 15. Fans can vote via the Mercury Prize website to pick one of the six shortlisted records; the other five will be picked by a panel of expert judges.

The judging panel said: "This is music to make sense of our unsettling times—heartfelt, angry, thoughtful and thrilling. The 2016 Hyundai Mercury Prize 'Albums of the Year' are marked by their musical ambitions, unexpected instrumentation and breathtaking arrangements."

The panel this year includes former Blur frontman Jarvis Cocker, music producer Naughty Boy and singers Jamie Cullum and Jessie Ware.

The 2015 Mercury Prize was won by Benjamin Clementine for his debut album At Least for Now.

The Mercury Prize 2016 nominees in full:

  • Anohni—Hopelessness
  • Bat for Lashes—The Bride
  • David Bowie—Blackstar
  • Jamie Woon—Making Time
  • Kano—Made in the Manor
  • Laura Mvula—The Dreaming Room
  • Michael Kiwanuka—Love & Hate
  • Radiohead—A Moon Shaped Pool
  • Savages—Adore Life
  • Skepta—Konnichiwa
  • The 1975—I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
  • The Comet is Coming—Channel the Spirits

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