Baker Boy ProfileAn all-star roster of established and rising homegrown acts have been shortlisted for this year’s SoundMerch Australian Music Prize.
Inspired by the UK's prestigious Mercury Prize, the AMP was established to discover, reward, and promote excellent Australian music. The inaugural prize went to The Drones for their album Wait Long by the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By.
Since its beginnings in 2005, the prize has gone to artists across all genres, including Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Hermitude, Courtney Barnett, Sampa the Great, Gurrumul, The Avalanches, Genesis Owusu, King Stingray, Ninajirachi, and more.
This year, previous winners Courtney Barnett and Genesis Owusu make the shortlist with their albums, Creature of Habit and REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, respectively. Plus, last year’s winner, Ninajirachi, has joined the judging panel along with 2026 shortlist contenders Ruby Gill, Mudrat, Mia Wray, and Bleak Squad’s Mick Turner.
This year’s shortlisted albums are:
Baker Boy – DJANDJAY
Courtney Barnett – Creature Of Habit
Ecca Vandal – LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Georgia Knight – Beanpole
Grace Cummings – Bloodhorse!
Julia Jacklin – The Gem
Karnivool – In Verses
Swapmeet – Mount Zero
One artist will win the award and take home the $50,000 cash prize, courtesy of the AMP’s principal partner, SoundMerch, when the winner is revealed on Thursday, 5 November.
“Congratulations to the 9 Shortlisted artists whose albums were chosen from a record number of 600 heard this year,” said the Australian Music Prize’s Founder and Prize Director, Scott B Murphy.
“This very strong list of 9 albums features returnees - Genesis Owusu, Grace Cummings, Baker Boy and Courtney Barnett! I again thank the team of judges - their work hasn't been easy with so many great albums released this year.”
The process of deciding an AMP winner is rigorous. The judging panel, including this writer, uses a three-stage process.
In stage one, judges listen to randomly assigned eligible albums in full and disclose any personal or business connections to the artists. In stage two, the judging panel considers the nominated albums and works with the Prize Director to produce the nine-album shortlist. For the final stage, the judging panel meets face-to-face to deliberate and choose the winner.
Here’s what the nominated artists had to say about making the shortlist:
Courtney Barnett
It’s an honour to be shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, especially in a year with so many great records by so many artists that I admire. Thanks for listening; I’m eternally grateful when people connect with the songs that I write. Thanks for considering Creature of Habit!
Ecca Vandal
To have this album shortlisted is a huge honour, and I'm genuinely so grateful! Richie and I poured everything we have into this record, so to see it connecting with so many people is pretty surreal. We’re incredibly thankful to everyone who’s been part of the journey.
Georgia Knight
I’m very pleased to be shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. I hadn’t thought of this album as being musically competitive, so that’s surprising. It hasn’t really sunk in. Fifty thousand is exactly what I need to make the next album.
Genesis Owusu
It’s a privilege to be considered for such a great award again. Regardless of the outcome, I really think it’s such a gift to Australian artists that this exists; I’m very grateful that there are people around to help tangibly encourage and foster great Australian art.
Baker Boy
Honoured to be shortlisted for the AMP again. It has been a huge year for Australian music, so absolutely stoked to be included in the 9, fingers crossed for that $50k haha but for real just an honour to see my music, language and culture connect with people.
Karnivool
Hurrah! It's always something to celebrate when some weird heavy shit sneaks its way under the radar into the wider music world.
Swapmeet
Thank you to the AMP judges for considering us for this year’s shortlist. So many great releases this year - honoured to be recognised beside all these amazing artists.
Grace Cummings
It is such an honour to be considered for the Australian Music Prize, thank you thank you thank you. Bloodhorse! means a lot to me and I am so lucky and so grateful that I get to share that with people, let alone have it shortlisted in the company of so many wonderful musicians. Thank you, you fine bunch of absolute freaks.
Julia Jacklin
It’s an absolute honour to have an album I’m so proud of be recognised by the community I love. I made it for us, so thank you.
