Sir Paul McCartney has been nominated for the Mercury Prize for the first time in his career, as the 2026 shortlist was unveiled on BBC Radio 6 Music. McCartney’s nomination sits alongside records from Dave (The Boy Who Played the Harp), Florence + The Machine (Everybody Scream), RAYE (THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. Tickets for the 2026 Mercury Prize Albums of the Year event in Newcastle are available now via axs.com/uk. Last year's Mercury Prize was handed to a local hero, Geordie chart-topper Sam Fender, for his No.1 album People Watching. The 2026 Mercury Prize 12 Albums of the Year:Dave - The Boy Who Played the HarpDove Ellis - BlizzardFlorence + The Machine - Everybody ScreamJADE - THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!