The Mercury Prize may be one of the most prestigious music awards ceremonies in the U.K., but there were fears that last year's edition would be the very last after a funding void forced severe cutbacks. Newcastle and the North East have, however, come to its rescue, so it's safe to assume that local hero Sam Fender, who's picked up a nomination for "People Watching", will bring the house down.
You can watch Mercury Prize 2025 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free.
The 2025 Mercury Prize ceremony takes place on Thursday, October 16.
► Time: 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 a.m. AEDT (Thu.)
• FREE STREAM — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
It's somewhat fitting, given that 12 months ago English Teacher became the first artist from outside Greater London to win the award since Young Fathers in 2014, that the Mercury Prize has been given a new lease of life beyond the confines of the capital. Might the forced change of direction inspire a bolder tone?
Albums released by British and Irish artists between July 13, 2024 and August 29, 2025 — just shy of 14 months — are eligible for the 2025 Mercury Prize, and even then, CMAT was pushing it. "Euro-Country" came out on deadline day itself, making Wolf Alice's August 22 release of "The Clearing" look vigilant by comparison.
The shortlist comprises 12 nominees, each of whom also had to cough up £220 + VAT in order to be considered by the judging panel. As well as a trophy, the winning artist receives £25,000 and a welcome publicity bump, though the Spotify-Ticketmaster duopoly has put a squeeze on most of the fruits that past winners would have enjoyed.
Here's how to watch Mercury Prize live streams for free from anywhere. Scroll down for the full list of nominees.
Watch Mercury Prize live streams for FREE
Watch Mercury Prize 2025 from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the ceremony on your usual service?
You can still watch Mercury Prize 2025 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
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2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. but want to view your free BBC coverage, you'd select a U.K. server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head over to BBC iPlayer and enjoy!
Can you watch Mercury Prize 2025 live streams in the U.S., Australia or Canada?
The Mercury Prize isn't shown outside the U.K..
If you're currently on holiday in the U.S., Australia or Canada from the U.K., one of the best VPN services will help tap into your FREE home coverage of Mercury Prize 2025. We recommend NordVPN.
Mercury Prize 2025 — Need to Know
Mercury Prize nominees 2025
- CMAT — EURO-COUNTRY
- Emma-Jean Thackray — Weirdo
- FKA twigs — EUSEXUA
- Fontaines D.C. — Romance
- Jacob Alon — In Limerence
- Joe Webb — Hamstrings & Hurricanes
- Martin Carthy — Transform MeThen Into a Fish
- Pa Salieu — Afrikan Alien
- PinkPantheress — Fancy That
- Pulp — More
- Sam Fender — People Watching
- Wolf Alice — The Clearing
Where is the Mercury Prize 2025 venue?
The 2025 Mercury Prize is being staged at the Newcastle Arena. It's the first edition of the ceremony to take place outside London.
Who is hosting Mercury Prize 2025?
This year's Mercury Prize is being hosted by Radio DJ and "Desert Island Discs" presenter Lauren Laverne. The Sunderland native has also helmed past editions of the ceremony.
Who are the Mercury Prize 2025 judges?
The 2025 Mercury Prize winner is chosen by a 10-person panel, comprising DJs, broadcasters, journalists and musicians:
- Danielle Perry — Musician and radio presenter
- Jamie Cullum — Musician radio presenter
- Jamz Supernova — DJ and radio presenter
- Jeff Smith — Head of music for BBC Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music
- Lea Stonhill — Music programming consultant
- Mistajam — Songwriter, DJ and radio presenter
- Phil Alexander — Editor
- Sian Eleri — DJ and radio presenter
- Will Hodgkinson — Journalist
- Sophie Williams — Journalist
Who are the Mercury Prize 2025 performers?
The ceremony's organizers have promised that "many" of the 12 shortlisted artists — CMAT, Emma-Jean Thackray, FKA Twigs, Fontaines D.C., Jacob Alon, Joe Webb, Martin Carthy, Pa Salieu, PinkPantheress, Pulp, Sam Fender and Wolf Alice — will perform live.
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