The 2026 Mercury Prize nominations include Paul McCartney’s debut album, alongside shortlisted records by RAYE and Olivia Dean, with JADE and other artists also making the list. The Mercury Prize is an annual UK and Irish music award that recognizes outstanding albums released over the previous year. Multiple outlets report that the shortlist features a mix of high-profile and emerging artists. The announcement follows last year’s Mercury Prize win by Sam Fender, a Geordie singer, who is referenced by several sources as the most recent recipient. While details of the full track record and individual album merits are not provided in the supplied excerpts, the coverage is consistent on the nomination’s core point: McCartney receives his first Mercury Prize nomination with his debut, and RAYE and Olivia Dean are also named among the nominees. Billboard notes that the prize is for albums by UK and Irish artists and highlights that a complete nominee list is published with the announcement.