The nominations for this year’s Mercury Prize are in, with The 1975, Foals, Dave and Idles among the shortlisted acts.

Now in its 28th year, the Mercury Prize was launched as an alternative to the Brit Awards, and celebrates the best of British music, with 12 acts nominated for the prestigious prize each year. There are no categories, just one album of the year, with the winning act claiming a £25,000 prize.

Some 200 albums were considered for shortlisting by the judges, who include Gaz Coombes, Stormzy and DJ Annie Mac, with those now whittled down to just a dozen.

Bristol-based punk outfit Idles – who have also just been shortlisted in four categories at the Association of Independent Music (AIM) awards – are among the favourites for the prize with their highly rated second album Joy As An Act Of Resistance.

Punk rock is well represented at this year’s Mercury prize, with Dublin’s Fontaines DC also nominated for their debut album Dogrel.

UK hip hop fairs just as well with the two early favourites with the bookmakers being Dave for Psychodrama and Slowthai’s Nothing Great About Britain.

Foals are arguably the biggest name shortlisted, while The 1975 could become the first band since Artic Monkeys in 2007 to win the Brit Award for best album and the Mercury Prize in the same year.

Anna Calvi joins Coldplay in having her first three albums shortlisted for the award. 

Previous winners of the Mercury Prize include PJ Harvey, Dizzee Rascal, Anthony and the Johnsons, Franz Ferdinand, Elbow and The xx. Last year’s winners were Wolf Alice.

The award ceremony takes place on September 19th.

The shortlist in full:

Anna Calvi – Hunter

Black Midi – Schlagenheim

Cate Le Bon – Reward

Dave – Psychodrama

Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost

Fontaines DC – Dogrel

Idles – Joy As An Act Of Resistance

Little Simz – Grey Area

Nao – Saturn

SEED Ensemble – Driftglass

Slowthai – Nothing Great About Britain

The 1975 – A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships

Find out more about the Mercury Prize.