Despite 2021 being a hard year for all in the music industry, the quality of music produced by artists across Ireland has been phenomenal. And with the announcement of this year’s RTE Choice Music Prize, Irish Album of the Year shortlist, a diverse range of genres, themes, and intensity brought by all of the artists, narrowing it down to one, will be no easy feat.
The 10 Irish albums battling it out are:
- 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)
Last year saw Denise Chaila take the crown – who do you think it will be this year? Of course, we’re always disappointed to see the lack of NI representation in there, Joshua Burnside and Jealous of the Birds, could both sit nicely alongside any artist on that list. However for Bicep and Saint Sister, we are chuffed, they both have had a class 2021.
Bicep won Dance Album of the Year at the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards, they took the Innovation Award at 2021 Artist & Manager Awards, and they were nominated for TWO Brit Awards, competing against the likes of Little Mix, Biffy Clyro and 1975, with an immaculate album of lush beats, where it doesn’t matter how many times you listen, it just keeps getting better. Who knew apricots could inspire a song of such beauty?
Saint Sister won Album of the Year at the Northern Ireland Music Prize 2021, Bob Boilen at NPR Music chose ‘Manchester Air’ as his 8th best song of the year, which is so cool, because they were alongside the likes of Wet Leg, Lucy Dacus and Olivia Rodrigo – not too shabby. And they toured as much as they possibly could, charming us all with their vibrant, ethereal and unabashedly honest ‘atmosfolk’.
The Irish Album of the Year 2021 will be announced live from Vicar St on RTÉ 2FM on Thursday 3rd March. The show will feature live performances from some of the shortlisted acts, further details on the line-up are to be announced soon.
The Song of the Year shortlist will be announced on 26th January.
Keep up to date with all the announcements at http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/
Good luck to all the artists – thank you for keeping us sane in 2021.