• Preview: RTÉ Choice Music Prize, Irish Album of the Year 2017

    February 4, 2018 - By 

    Since the inception of The Choice Music Prize – now in partnership with national broadcaster RTÉ – in 2005, the list of victors has been exceptionally varied making it close to impossible to cast a definitive answer on who will claim the bountiful cash prize and honour of releasing the best Irish album of the year. Over the last thirteen years, artists as diverse as Julie Feeney to Rusangano Family and The Gloaming to Villagers have won for their outstanding musical output. On paper, the ten albums nominated for 2017 can be broken down into as the following; seven hours…

  • RTÉ Choice Music Prize Shortlist Revealed

    January 10, 2018 - By 

    RTÉ Choice Music Prize has announced its ten-album shortlist for 2017. The prize selects the best Irish album of the previous calendar year. The shortlist is as follows: Come On Live Long – In The Still Marlene Enright – Placemats and Second Cuts Fangclub – Fangclub Lankum – Beneath The Earth and the Sky James Vincent McMorrow – True Care New Jackson – From Night To Night Otherkin – OK Fionn Regan – The Meetings of the Waters Ships – Precession Talos – Wild Alee The winner will be chosen during a live event, which will be held at Vicar Street in…

  • RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2017

    March 10, 2017 - By 

    The Choice Music Prize is a pivotal point in the Irish music industry calendar and a celebration of the best of the best of Irish music. Last year’s winner was Derry’s SOAK, who won for her debut, Before We Forgot How to Dream. This year’s awards at Vicar St. was the first time in its history being held in partnership with RTE, and was broadcast live in a special four-hour programme from 7-11pm on RTÉ 2FM, and will be broadcasted on March 18th on RTÉ2 as part of a special RTÉ Choice Music Prize programme.  This partnership is a focal point of host…

  • Playlist: Choice Music Prize 2017

    March 7, 2017 - By 

    On Thursday evening, the 12th annual award will once again celebrate and acknowledge the best in Irish recorded music, with one winning act walking away with €10,000 on the night. Set to be chosen by a panel of twelve Irish music media professionals and industry experts, the following ten releases will vie for the prize: All Tvvins – IIVV (Warner Music) Bantum – Move (Self Released) Wallis Bird – Home (Mount Silver/Caroline International) The Divine Comedy – Foreverland (Divine Comedy Records) Lisa Hannigan – At Swim (Hoop Recordings) Katie Kim – Salt (Art For Blind Records) James Vincent McMorrow –…

  • Line-Up For Choice Music Prize Revealed

    January 25, 2017 - By 

    With the shortlist for this year’s prize announced earlier this month, it’s been revealed that nominees Rusangano Family, Overhead, The Albatross, Katie Kim, All Tvvins, Bantum, Wallis Bird and We Cut Corners will perform at this year’s RTE Choice Muic Prize at Dublin’s Vicar Street on Thursday, March 9. Presented in association with IMRO and IRMA, the follow ten albums will vie for the coveted annual prize on the night. All Tvvins – IIVV (Warner Music) Bantum – Move (Self Released) Wallis Bird – Home (Mount Silver / Caroline International) The Divine Comedy – Foreverland (Divine Comedy Records) Lisa Hannigan…

  • RTÉ Choice Music Prize Shortlist Revealed

    January 11, 2017 - By 

    With a new primary sponsor in RTÉ in tow, the shortlist for this year’s Choice Music Prize has been revealed on 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show by Tony Clayton-Lea. Set to take place at its home at Dublin’s Vicar Street on March 9 (tickets here) the 12th annual award will once again celebrate and acknowledge the best in Irish recorded music, with one winning act walking away with €10,000 on the night. Set to be chosen by a panel of twelve Irish music media professionals and industry experts, the following ten releases will vie for the prize: All Tvvins – IIVV (Warner Music) Bantum…

  • RTÉ Announce Partnership with Choice Music Prize

    November 28, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of its return to Dublin’s Vicar Street on Thursday, March 9, RTÉ has announced a new partnership with the Choice Music Prize. The partnership will see both RTÉ2 and RTÉ 2FM play a lead role in supporting what has become one of the highlights of the Irish musical calendar as part of a new agreement. Speaking about the announcement, Director-General at RTÉ Dee Forbe said, “Supporting Irish music and Irish musicians is a core part of what RTÉ does and this partnership will allow us to take our support one step further. Through RTÉ2 and RTÉ2FM, two established brands…

  • Choice Music Prize 2016 @ Vicar Street, Dublin

    March 4, 2016 - By 

    The Choice Music Prize celebrates the diversity and talent present in the Irish music scene. Tonight’s show in particular shows the vast range of bands and artists, both up-and-coming and those who have already well and truly made their mark. Whilst there may only be two awards up for grabs – Song of the Year and Album of the Year – the 12 bands that perform illustrate the real reason why we’re all here. Before announcing the winner of the former prize, there are performances and interviews for Today FM. Although the interviews fall slightly flat at times (simply because the crowd talk…

  • Playlist: Choice Music Prize 2016

    March 3, 2016 - By 

    With The Gloaming proving well-deserved victors last time round, tonight’s Choice Music Prize is – as has almost always been the case with the award – an extremely tough one to call. Selected by an Irish industry judging panel, the following albums – perfectly diverse in score and vision – will all compete to walk away with the prize at Vicar Street later today. Girl Band – Holding Hands with Jamie (Rough Trade) HamsandwicH – Stories From The Surface (Route 109A Records) Gavin James – Bitter Pill (Warner Music Ireland) Jape – This Chemical Sea (Faction Records) Le Galaxie – Le Club (Universal Music…