The Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize 2010: Nominees & The Offcial Charts

20/07/2010

The Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominees have been announced and at the Official Charts Company we take our annual look at how they have fared so far in the Official Albums Chart.

Of the twelve albums on the short list, no less than nine have already scored Top 40 chart placings (two more than last year) and four of those have made it into the Top 5 (one less than last year)

The following list shows the nominees ranked by order of biggest first week sales. The last column shows the highest chart position achieved where applicable (not necessarily in the first week).   How the "Mercury Effect" changes things will become apparent over the coming weeks. 

Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot said, "The Barclaycard Mercury Prize throws a welcome spotlight on some great albums and for some, a nomination can have as big an effect as winning the prize itself."

There have been 18 Mercury winning albums to date and between them they have have sold 10.2m copies.

2010 Mercury Nominees Ranked by Biggest 1st week Sales (highest chart position recorded)

Rank          Artist                                      Album                                Highest Chart Posit.

   1            DIZZEE RASCAL                     TONGUE N' CHEEK                            3    

   2            PAUL WELLER                       WAKE UP THE NATION                       2

   3            BIFFY CLYRO                        ONLY REVOLUTIONS                         8

   4           LAURA MARLING                     I SPEAK BECAUSE I CAN                    4

   5           CORINNE BAILEY RAE              THE SEA                                          5

   6           MUMFORD & SONS                  SIGH NO MORE                                6

    7           FOALS                                  TOTAL LIFE FOREVER                        8

    8           I AM KLOOT                          SKY AT NIGHT                                24

    9           XX                                       XX                                                31

   10          VILLAGERS                            BECOMING A JACKAL                       85 
                                
   11          WILD BEASTS                        TWO DANCERS                               68

   12          KIT DOWNES TRIO                 GOLDEN                                        n/a
               
                
   

Notes to Editors:

 

1.   Chart information quoted from this release must be credited to The Official Charts Company

 

2.  The Official Charts Company (OCC) is a joint venture between record labels’ body the BPI and ERA, the Entertainment Retailers Association.   The OCC is responsible for the commissioning, marketing, distribution and management of the UK’s industry standard music and video charts and is endorsed by the BVA (British Video Association).

 

3. The Official Charts Company compiles its charts from sales information gathered across all key distribution (or entertainment) channels including all major high street retail chains, independent stores, supermarkets, mail order internet retailers and digital music service providers. This market research sample equates to 99% of the total UK Singles market; 98% of the total UK Albums market and 90% of the total UK DVD market.

 

 
For further information contact:
Amy Howard, Official Charts Company.
T: 01480 860 530  M. 07768 891 264
E: amy@theofficialcharts.com
         W:  www.theofficialcharts.com

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