Welsh Music Prize

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The Welsh Music Prize is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from Wales, as voted for by members of the music industry based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. It was founded by music promoter John Rostron and radio presenter Huw Stephens in 2011. [1] It was originally scheduled to take place alongside Sŵn music festival in Cardiff but now takes place later in the year. [2]

Contents

Prior to the awards, Welsh TV Show The Pop Factory held its own award ceremony between 2003 and 2007. From 2004 onwards the Best Album category was won by a Welsh artist, therefore allowing this to be seen as a spiritual pre-successor of the awards, although this was by a public vote and not a judging panel. Prior to this, the short-lived Welsh Music Awards between 2001 and 2004 also had a Best Album category, with the 2005 Pop Factory Awards only nominating Welsh artists, possibly in response to the awards ceasing.

Winners and shortlisted nominees

YearWinnerShortlisted nominees
2010–11 Gruff Rhys Hotel Shampoo [3]
2011–12 Future of the Left The Plot Against Common Sense [3]
2012–13 Georgia RuthWeek of Pines
2013–14 Joanna GruesomeWeird Sister
2014–15 Gwenno Y Dydd Olaf [4]
2015–16 Meilyr Jones2013 [5]
2016–17 The Gentle GoodRuins/Adfeilion [6]
  • Baby Queens – Baby Queens
  • Bendith (Plu and Colorama) – Bendith
  • Cotton Wolf – Life in Analogue
  • H. HawklineI Romanticize
  • Toby Hay – The Gathering
  • HMS Morris – Interior Design
  • Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Y Proffwyd Dwyll
  • Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens
  • Gruff RhysSet Fire to the Stars
  • Georgia RuthFossil Scale
  • Sweet BabooWild Imagination
2017–18 Boy Azooga1, 2, Kung Fu! [7]
2018–19 AdwaithMelyn [8] [9]
  • Accü – Echo the Red
  • Audiobooks – Now! (in a minute)
  • Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 – Joia!
  • Cate Le BonReward
  • Deyah – Lover Loner
  • Estrons – You Say I'm Too Much I Say You're Not Enough
  • HMS Morris – Inspirational Talks
  • Lleuwen – Gwn Glân Beibl Budr
  • Lucas J Rowe – Touchy Love
  • Mr – Oesoedd
  • Vrï – Tŷ Ein Tadau
2019–20Deyah – Care City
  • Ani Glass – Mirores
  • ColoramaChaos Wonderland
  • Cotton Wolf – Ofni
  • Don Leisure – Steel Zakuski
  • Georgia RuthMai'
  • Gruff Rhys Pang!
  • IsletEyelet
  • KeysBring Me The Head Of Jerry Garcia
  • Kidsmoke - A Vision In The Dark
  • Los Blancos – Sbwriel Gwyn
  • Luke RV – Valley Boy
  • Right Hand Left Hand – Zone Rouge
  • Silent Forum - Everything Solved At Once
  • Yr Ods – Iaith y Nefoedd
2020–21 Kelly Lee OwensInner Song
  • Afro Cluster – The Reach
  • The AnchoressThe Art Of Losing
  • Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18Mas
  • DatblyguCwm Gwagle
  • El Goodo – Zombie
  • Gruff RhysSeeking New Gods
  • Gwenifer Raymond – Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain
  • Mace The Great – My Side Of The Bridge
  • Novo AmorCannot Be, Whatsover
  • Private World – Aleph
  • Pys Melyn – Bywyd Llonydd
2021–22 AdwaithBato Mato
2022–23Rogue Jones - Dos Bebés [10]
  • Cerys HafanaEdyf
  • CVC – Get Real
  • Dafydd Owain – Uwch Dros Y Pysgod
  • H. HawklineMilk for Flowers
  • Hyll – Sŵn O’r Stafell Arall
  • Ivan Moult – Songs from Severn Grove
  • John Cale Mercy
  • Mace the Great – SplottWorld
  • Minas – All My Love Has Failed Me
  • OvermonoGood Lies
  • Sister Wives – Y Gawres
  • Stella Donnelly Flood
  • SŵnamiSŵnamii
  • YNYS – Ynys
2023–24L E M F R E C K – BLOOD, SWEAT & FEARS

Most-nominated artists

ArtistNominationsWinner
Gruff Rhys 71
Cate Le Bon 50
Georgia Ruth 41
Manic Street Preachers 40
Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 30
The Gentle Good 31
Gwenno 31
Sweet Baboo 30
HMS Morris30
Adwaith 22
Deyah21
Datblygu 20
Future of the Left 21
Euros Childs 20
Islet 20
Kelly Lee Owens 21
L E M F R E C K21
Lleuwen20
Right Hand Left Hand20
Trwbador 20
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard20
Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog 20
Mellt20
Ynys20
Skindred 20
Pys Melyn20

References

  1. "Catfish and The Bottlemen, Joanna Gruesome lead Welsh Music Prize nominees - NME". NME . 2017-07-29. Archived from the original on 2017-07-29. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  2. "WELSH MUSIC PRIZE 2016: THE SHORTLIST". Recordoftheday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  3. 1 2 "Winners – WMP". Welshmusicprize.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  4. "Gwenno wins Welsh Music Prize 2015". BBC Wales. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  5. "Welsh Music Prize shortlist for 2016 unveiled". BBC News. 2016-09-08. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  6. "The Gentle Good wins Welsh Music Prize 2017". BBC News. 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  7. "Boy Azooga win Welsh Music Prize". BBC News. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  8. "Tweet". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  9. "Welsh Music Prize won by Carmarthen trio Adwaith". BBC News. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  10. "Welsh Music Prize 2023 winner announced as Rogue Jones". BBC News. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.