The winner of the Mercury Prize 2025 is... Sam Fender

This year's ceremony took place in Newcastle for the first time.

The 2025 Mercury Prize Album of the Year winner has been announced as Sam Fender with ‘People Watching’.

The event was held at the Utilita Arena, Newcastle tonight (16th October), marking the first time the awards ceremony will take place outside of London.

The shortlist was announced live on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds in September, and included current and former Dork cover stars CMAT, Fontaines D.C. and previous winners Wolf Alice, as well as FKA twigs, PinkPantheress, Pulp and more.

The full list of nominations read:

CMAT ‘EURO-COUNTRY’

The 2025 Mercury Prize Album of the Year winner has been announced as Sam Fender with ‘People Watching’.

The event was held at the Utilita Arena, Newcastle tonight (16th October), marking the first time the awards ceremony will take place outside of London.

The full list of nominations read:

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 Me Then Into A Fish’

Pa Salieu ‘Afrikan Alien’

PinkPantheress ‘Fancy That’

Sam Fender ‘People Watching’

Wolf Alice ‘The Clearing’