LONDON, UK (Mercury Prize Website) - Unlike in recent years, this year's Mercury
Music Prize nominations include several more artists who aren't already household names in the U.S.
David Bowie and the Doves rank as the two best-known names to American audiences on the 12-artist nomination list. The rest of the list goes like this: the Coral, Electric Soft Parade, Roots Manuva, Beverley Knight, Joanna MacGregor, Guy Barker, the Bees, Gemma Hayes, Ms. Dynamite, and the Streets.
Past winners included P.J. Harvey (2001), Badly Drawn Boy (2000), Talvin Singh (1999), Gomez (1998), and Roni Size/Reprazent (1997).
Complete list of 2002 Mercury Music Prize nominees:
Who I Am, Beverley Knight
Sunshine, Hit Me, The Bees
The Coral, The Coral
Heathen, David Bowie
The Last Broadcast, The Doves
Holes in the Wall, The Electric Soft Parade
Night on My Side, Gemma Hayes
Soundtrack, Guy Barker
Play, Joanna MacGregor
A Little Deeper, Ms. Dynamite
Run Come Save Me, Roots Manuva
Original Pirate Material, The Streets