The Mercury Prize is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the United Kingdom or Ireland. It recognizes and celebrates artistic achievement in music across all genres including pop, rock, folk, urban, grime, dance, jazz, blues, electronica, and classical. The prize aims to provide a snapshot of the year in music and to help introduce new albums from a wide range of genres to a broader audience. It serves as a prestigious alternative to mainstream awards, judging albums solely on their musical merit rather than commercial success. Twelve albums each year are shortlisted by an independent panel of industry professionals, who select the albums based purely on artistic quality. Each shortlisted artist receives a special trophy, and the overall winner receives an additional trophy plus a cash prize of £25,000. The prize is known for boosting the profiles and sales of both winners and shortlisted acts, often providing a major platform for emerging artists. In essence, the Mercury Prize is awarded for the best album from the UK and Ireland, chosen for its artistic merit across any contemporary music genre, celebrating broad and innovative musical achievement.