No second Mercury for Suede, RAYE wins
It just wasn’t meant to be tonight. Suede didn’t win a second Mercury Prize. Still, we are all very proud of them. We’d like to congratulate RAYE, who won this year’s Mercury with the wonderfully ambitious and personal album THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
Suede kick off the show
Simon and Brett gave a short interview upon arrival and Neil and Mat spoke to the Newcastle Chronicle. Suede were definitely owning that black carpet. The band kicked off the show with Dancing with the Europeans. The Mercury Prize shared a short reel of the performance.
Not joining PJ Harvey yet
RAYE won, which means PJ Harvey remains the only artist in the history of the prize to have won it twice. Suede will have to wait a little longer to join her.
In 1993, the band took the prize with their self-titled debut album, Suede. Tonight in Newcastle, 33 years later, Antidepressants had the chance to do it again. Although that didn’t happen, we are convinced there will be a next time to claim that membership card to this very exclusive club.
Chosen on the night
How does the Mercury Prize work? An independent panel of music professionals draws up the Mercury Prize shortlist, but the winner is not chosen in advance.
At the awards show in Newcastle on 22 October 2026, the nominated artists each performed a track, and the judges made their final decision on the night.
Why a nomination still matters
For Brett and the others, a nomination is still very important. “I think you care more because it is very rare for bands 33 years after winning the Mercury Music Prize to still be relevant,” Brett told Graham Norton.
“I think one of the reasons that we’re still here now is because we approach the new music we’re making now as passionately as we ever have. In a way I think we have reinvented our sound.”
It's a great thing
‘It’s great – the thing is, our three nominations have come up at really big times for the band,” Mat told the Press Association
“The debut, the comeback record and now this new incarnation of the band, and just to be recognised, that we’re still doing it, and still doing really well is lovely, it’s great.”
Obsessed
Neil added: “The thing that keeps us going… is the day-to-day work, which is sitting down and trying to come up with songs out of nowhere.”
“That’s the thing that drives us because we’re kind of fascinated and obsessed by pop music and rock music.”
The other contenders
Suede were up against some serious heavyweights. Strangely enough, this was Sir Paul’s first-ever nomination. And Florence couldn’t take the award home on her three previous attempts either.
Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp
Olivia Dean - The Art of Lovingfresh
Paul McCartney - The Boys of Dungeon Lane
RAYE - THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
War Child - HELP(2)
Dove Ellis - Blizzard
Florence + The Machine - Everybody Scream
Jade - That’s Showbiz Baby!
Knats - A Great Day In Newcastle
Kojey Radical - Don't Look Down
Nia Archives - Emotional Junglist
Suede weren’t up against just anybody, so a nomination in this field is an achievement in itself. No matter how often the judges grind you down, Suede, you will always be winners to us!
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