2018 MERCURY PRIZE CONTENDERS 

The shortlist of 12 British albums up for 2018's Hyundai Mercury Music Prize has been revealed, with XL Records appearing twice among eight independent entries, Universal counting two and Sony and Warner one apiece. Who’s the bookies’ favourite?

The winner will be revealed at a ceremony in London on 9/20 celebrating artistic achievement in U.K. music over the last year.

XL boss Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded project is up for the gong, as is labelmate King Krule with The Ooz.

Universal has Florence + The Machine with High As Hope (Island) and Sons of Kemet with Your Queen is a Reptile (Verve). Sony’s contender is Everything Everything with A Fever Dream (RCA), while Warner will compete with Lily Allen’s No Shame (Parlophone).

Other independent entries include Arctic Monkeys with Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (Domino), Jorja Smith with Lost & Found (FAMM) and Wolf Alice and Visions of a Life (Dirty Hit).

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds with Who Built the Moon? (Sour Mash), Nadine Shah and Holiday Destination (1965 Records) and Novelist with Novelist Guy (Mmmyeh) complete the list. Right now, bookmaker William Hill has most favorable odds on Florence and the Machine, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Arctic Monkeys.

BBC Music is the official broadcast partner for the ceremony, while Spotify has replaced Apple Music as this year's digital partner.