A stellar lineup of artists including King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Alex Lahey, Cub Sport, Polish Club and Methyl Ethel are in the running for the 2019 Australian Music Prize (AMP).
The prestigious award celebrates the importance of the album as an artistic format, and the first 20 nominated albums have been revealed.
Nominees come from a variety of genres around Australia, with others including Hatchie, Thelma Plum, Stella Donnelly, Julia Jacklin, Mansionair and Olympia, and more nominees yet to be announced.
“In its fifteenth year, the Australian Music Prize has never been more vital in our music ecosystem, so it was important for us to show the evolution of the prize with a refreshing new look and an expansion of judges,” said Australian Music Prize Director Scott Murphy.
“Our processes have listed over 250 eligible albums so far this year, which is an unbelievable nod to the amazing body of work being produced by Australian musicians every year.”
The nominees were put together by a panel of 37 judges, who will eventually shortlist the best nine albums (judged by artistic merit alone, not commercial success).
Finally, a smaller panel will select the 15th AMP winner to receive a $30,000 prize.
Previous winners include Gurrumul, Sampa the Great, Courtney Barnett, Hermitude, The Jezabels, Eddy Current Suppression Ring and The Drones.
Full list of nominees below:
Alex Lahey – The Best of Luck Club
Andrea Keller – Transients Volume 1
Charlie Collins – Snowpine
Cub Sport – Cub Sport
Daggy Man – I’m Going To Love As Long As I Live
Dispossessed – Warpath Never Ended
Emma Russack – Winter Blues
Hatchie – Keepsake
Jess Ribeiro – Love Hate
Julia Jacklin – Crushing
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Fishing forFishies
Mansionair – Shadowboxer
Martin Frawley – Undone At 31
Methyl Ethel – Triage
Olympia – Flamingo
Polish Club – Iguana
Stella Donnelly – Beware of the Dogs
Sunbeam Sound Machine – GoodnessGracious
Thelma Plum – Better In Blak
Two People – First Body
