Raye Wins 2026 Mercury Prize for Album 'This Music May Contain Hope'

Raye won the Mercury Prize 2026 on Thursday, October 22, at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, according to NME and Euronews. The award, chaired by judge Jeff Smith and presented by a panel that also included Jamie Cullum, MistaJam and Sian Eleri, went to her second studio album, "This Music May Contain Hope."

It is Raye's first Mercury Prize win; she had been shortlisted once before, for her 2023 debut "My 21st Century Blues," per NME.

What the judges and Raye said

According to Euronews, the judging panel said the album showed real imagination and scope in demonstrating what an album can be, moving beyond any single style or genre, and predicted it would serve as an inspiration for future work.

Euronews also reported that Raye spoke about her long-standing belief in the album as a format and said she felt grateful for the recognition.

The album

"This Music May Contain Hope" was released independently on March 27, 2026, through the label Human Re Sources, according to its Wikipedia entry. The 17-track record is structured around four seasons and blends jazz, orchestral pop, blues, big band and soul; Raye has said the sound marks a deliberate move toward a fuller, more varied style than the minimalism of her debut, per the same source.

The album includes the number-one UK single "Where Is My Husband!," along with "Nightingale Lane" and "Click Clack Symphony," which features composer Hans Zimmer. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and also topped charts in Belgium, the Netherlands, Scotland and Switzerland, reaching number 11 on the US Billboard 200, according to Wikipedia's sourced chart data.

Euronews described the album as combining glamorous, old-Hollywood-style elements with everyday realism to portray a young woman's experiences with relationships and daily life.

Who else was shortlisted

NME reported the shortlist included Paul McCartney, JADE, Nia Archives, Dave, Suede, Florence + the Machine, Olivia Dean, Knats, Dove Ellis, Kojey Radical and the War Child charity compilation "Help(2)." Euronews reported that Olivia Dean had been considered the bookmakers' favourite, and that McCartney's nominated project, "The Boys of Dungeon Lane," marked his first-ever Mercury nomination at age 84.

Background on Raye

According to NME, Raye previously won six BRIT Awards in 2024, a record for the most wins by an artist in a single year. Euronews reported that her debut album, "My 21st Century Blues," was released independently in 2023 after her former label had declined to put it out.

NME listed recent Mercury Prize winners prior to 2026 as Sam Fender (2025), English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Little Simz, Arlo Parks and Wolf Alice.

The 2026 ceremony was hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne, per NME, which also reported that this marked the second consecutive year the event was held in Newcastle rather than London, where it had taken place for most of its history.