Welsh Music Prize

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. It was originally scheduled to take place alongside Sŵn music festival in Cardiff but sometimes takes place later in the year.

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.

Eligibility criteria The long list and short list is chosen each year from new albums of original, previously unreleased work, that have been made available for the first time during the 12 months up to 31 July each year. The artist, or at least 50% of a group's core members, must be born in Wales. Alternatively the artist or group must have had their creative base in Wales for at least 3 years.

Winners and shortlisted nominees YearShortlisted nominees - Winner in BOLDNOTES2011 Al Lewis – In the Wake Colorama – Box Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo Lleuwen Steffan – Tân Manic Street Preachers – Postcards from a Young Man Stagga – The Warm Air Room Sweet Baboo – I'm a Dancer/Songs About Sleepin The Blackout – Hope The Gentle Good – Tethered for the Storm The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar Y Niwl – Y Niwl Funeral for a Friend – Welcome Home Armageddon | valign="top"| INAUGURAL EVENT |- | align="center"|2012 | Bright Light Bright Light – Make Me Believe in Hope Cate Le Bon – Cyrk Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog – Draw Dros Y Mynydd Exit International – Black Junk Future of the Left – The Plot Against Common Sense Huw M – Gathering Dusk Islet – Illuminated People Jodie Marie – Mountain Echo Kids in Glass Houses – In Gold Blood Kutosis – Fanatical Love Los Campesinos! – Hello Sadness Truckers of Husk – Accelerated Learning

| align="center"|2013 | Euros Childs – Summer Special Fist of the First Man – Fist of the First Man Georgia Ruth – Week of Pines Laurence Made Me Cry – The Diary of Me Little Arrow – Wild Wishes Metabeats – Caviar Crackle Neon Neon – Praxis Makes Perfect Race Horses – Furniture Sweet Baboo – Ships Trwbador – Trwbador Winter Villains – February Zervas and Pepper – Lifebringer

| align="center"|2014 | 9 Bach – Tincian Cate Le Bon – Mug Museum Euros Childs – Situation Comedy Future of the Left – How to Stop Your Brain in an Accident Gruff Rhys – American Interior Gulp – Season Sun Joanna Gruesome – Weird Sister Manic Street Preachers – Futurology Samoans – Rescue Slowly Rolling Camera – Slowly Rolling Camera The Gentle Good – Y Bardd Anfarwol The People The Poet – The Narrator

| align="center"|2015 | Calan – Dinas Catfish and the Bottlemen – The Balcony Geraint Jarman – Dwyn yr Hogyn Nol Gwenno – Y Dydd Olaf H. Hawkline – In the Pink of Condition Hippies vs Ghosts – Droogs Houdini Dax – Naughty Nation Joanna Gruesome – Peanut Butter Keys – Ring the Changes Paper Aeroplanes – Joy Richard James – All the New Highways Tender Prey – Organ Calzone Trwbador – Several Wolves Zarelli – Soft Rains Zefur Wolves – Zefur Wolves

| align="center"|2016 | 9Bach – Anian Alun Gaffey – Alun Gaffey Cate Le Bon – Crab Day Climbing Trees – Borders Datblygu – Porwr Trallod Plu – Tir a Golau Meilyr Jones – 2013 Right Hand Left Hand – Right Hand Left Hand Simon Love – It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time Skindred – Volume Sŵnami – Sŵnami The Anchoress – Confessions of a Romance Novelist

| align="center"|2017 | Baby Queens – Baby Queens Bendith (Plu and Colorama) – Bendith Cotton Wolf – Life in Analogue H. Hawkline – I Romanticize Toby Hay – The Gathering HMS Morris – Interior Design Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Y Proffwyd Dwyll Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens Gruff Rhys – Set Fire to the Stars Georgia Ruth – Fossil Scale Sweet Baboo – Wild Imagination The Gentle Good – Ruins/Adfeilion| |- | align="center"|2018 | Alex Dingley – Beat the Babble Astroid Boys – Broke Boy Azooga – 1, 2, Kung Fu! Bryde – Like an Island Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita – Soar Eugene Capper & Rhodri Brooks – Pontvane Gwenno – Le Kov Gruff Rhys – Babelsberg Manic Street Preachers – Resistance Is Futile Mellt – Mae'n Hawdd Pan Ti'n Ifanc Seazoo – Trunks Toby Hay – The Longest Day

| align="center"|2019 | Accü – Echo the Red Adwaith – Melyn Audiobooks – Now! (in a minute) Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 – Joia! Cate Le Bon – Reward 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

| align="center"|2020 | Ani Glass – Mirores Colorama – Chaos Wonderland Cotton Wolf – Ofni Deyah – Care City Don Leisure – Steel Zakuski Georgia Ruth – Mai Gruff Rhys – Pang! Islet – Eyelet Keys – Bring 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

|2021 | Afro Cluster – The Reach The Anchoress – The Art Of Losing Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 – Mas Datblygu – Cwm Gwagle El Goodo – Zombie Gruff Rhys – Seeking New Gods Gwenifer Raymond – Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song Mace The Great – My Side Of The Bridge Novo Amor – Cannot Be, Whatsover Private World – Aleph Pys Melyn – Bywyd Llonydd2022 Adwaith – Bato Mato Art School Girlfriend – Is It Light Where You Are Breichiau Hir – Hir Oes I'r Cof Bryde – Still Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – Backhand Deals Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales – Yn Rio Cate Le Bon – Pompeii Danielle Lewis – Dreaming in Slow Motion Dead Method – Future Femme Don Leisure – Shaboo Strikes Back Gwenno – Tresor L E M F R E C K – The Pursuit Manic Street Preachers – The Ultra Vivid Lament Papur Wal – Amser Mynd Adra Sywel Nyw – Deuddeg2023 Cerys Hafana – Edyf CVC – Get Real Dafydd Owain – Uwch Dros Y Pysgod H. Hawkline – Milk 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 Overmono – Good Lies Rogue Jones - Dos Bebés Sister Wives – Y Gawres Stella Donnelly – Flood Sŵnami – Sŵnamii YNYS – Ynys2024 Aleighcia Scott – Windrush Baby ANGHARAD – Motherland Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – Skinwalker CHROMA – Ask for Angela Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog – Mynd â'r Tŷ Am Dro Elkka – Prism of Pleasure Georgia Ruth – Cool Head Gruff Rhys – Sadness Sets Me Free HMS Morris – Dollar Lizard Money Zombie L E M F R E C K – BLOOD, SWEAT & FEARS Mellt – Dim Dwywaith Pys Melyn – Bolmynydd Skindred – Smile Slate – Deathless YNYS – Dosbarth NosCeremony date: 8 October 2024 Venue: Wales Millennium Centre

Presenters: Sian Eleri, Huw Stephens2025 Adwaith – Solas Breichiau Hir - Y Dwylo Uwchben Buddug - Rhwng Gwyll a Gwawr Cerys Hafana - Difrisg (instrumental) Don Leisure – Tyrchu Sain Gwenno - Utopia Kelly Lee Owens - Dreamstate KEYS - Acid Communism Melin Melyn - Mill on The Hill Panic Shack - Panic Shack Sage Todz - Stopia Cwyno Siula - Night Falls on the World Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn - Ein Albwm Cyntaf Ni The Gentle Good - Elan The Tubs - Cotton CrownCeremony date: 6 October 2024 Venue: Wales Millennium Centre

Presenters: Sian Eleri, Huw Stephens

Most-nominated artists Artist Nominations Winner Gruff Rhys 71 Cate Le Bon 50 Georgia Ruth 41 Gwenno 41 Manic Street Preachers 40 Adwaith 32 Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 30 The Gentle Good 31 Sweet Baboo 30 HMS Morris 30 Kelly Lee Owens 31 Breichiau Hir 20 Bryde 20 Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard 20 Cerys Hafana 20 Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog 20 Datblygu 20 Deyah 21 Don Leisure 20 Euros Childs 20 Future of the Left 21 Islet 20 L E M F R E C K 21 Lleuwen 20 Right Hand Left Hand 20 Trwbador 20 Mellt 20 Ynys 20 Skindred 20 Pys Melyn 20

References

External links