Raye wins the Mercury Prize with This Music May Contain Hope
Artist Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album, 'This Music May Contain Hope.' This marks the first time a pop album has secured the prestigious British award since 1994.
Why it matters
The Mercury Prize is a significant cultural indicator in the UK music industry, and this win signals a shift in the committee's recognition of pop music as a boundary-pushing genre.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Raye is the 35th winner of the Mercury Prize, which was established to recognise albums that push the boundaries of music
Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her show-stopping second album This Music May Contain Hope.
A pop record sprinkled with golden age Hollywood glamour, it beat the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean and Jade to scoop the £25,000 prize.
"I couldn't tell you how grateful I am to be holding this," said Raye, clutching her trophy at Newcastle's Utilita Arena. "I'm shaking, I'm jet-lagged, I'm tired. It's all blurry."
It is the first time a pop album has won the coveted prize - which recognises the best British or Irish album of the last 12 months - since M People's Elegant Slumming in 1994.
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