Welsh Music Prize 2026 announce genre-spanning shortlist

Stephen Price

The shortlist for the 16th Welsh Music Prize 2026 has been announced, with 15 artists across genres from rap and metal to pop, folk, rock and indie rock in the running for the prestigious award and £10,000 prize money.

Artists up for the prize for the best Welsh album of the past 12 months include previous winner Gruff Rhys with his latest album, Dim Probs. The Super Furry Animals frontman won the inaugural Welsh Music Prize in 2011 with Hotel Shampoo. You Got This, the UK number one album from ragga-metal stalwarts Skindred, becomes the Newport band’s third nomination.

Several other previously nominated artists have another chance at winning the coveted prize including champion of the finger picked guitar Gwenifer Raymond’s Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark, alongside Art School Girlfriend’s dreamy shoegaze LP Lean In, while international reggae sensation Aleighcia Scott makes the shortlist again with her first Welsh language album Taith.

A number of Welsh language albums from previous nominees make the shortlist: Ani Glass and dreampop long player Phantasmorgia, join Ymarfer Byw by Caernarfon composer Dafydd Owain and Angel from multi-instrumentalist Cerys Hafana.

First-time nominee and folk star Mari Mathias makes the cut with Cyfarwydd alongside electro pop wizards Dewin with their debut album Dan y Dderwen.

Adjua’s Everything Is Beautiful is the other debut album to make the list and she’s joined by second-time nominees, the hardcore heartthrobs CHROMA with 25 Forever. Making the shortlist for the first time are Cardiff’s rising rap star Local with Too Broke to

Be This Busy. Caldicot indie rockers The Bug Club make the shortlist for the first time with Every Single Muscle and are joined by North Walian guitar heroes The Royston Club and their album, Song For The Spine.

The winner of the 2026 Welsh Music Prize is part of Cardiff Music City Festival and will be announced at a ceremony held at the Wales Millennium Centre’s Donald Gordon Theatre on Wednesday, October 7, hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Sian Eleri. The event will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru and kickstarts the celebrations for Llais festival.

Last year’s Welsh Music Prize winner was Don Leisure with his album Tyrchu Sain, which breathed new life into the archive of Welsh language label Recordiau Sain. Speaking about the recognition, the Cardiff-based producer said: “It’s mind-blowing to win.

Making the album was a real voyage of discovery. My ethos is always ‘would this song sound good as a hip hop sample?’ and so much did. There’s so much amazing Welsh music of all genres that I’m still discovering.”

Welsh Music Prize co-founder, Huw Stephens said: “For the 16th year running, the Welsh Music Prize will celebrate these great albums in a special night. The longlist and subsequent shortlist of albums is a yearly reminder of the incredible breadth of music from Wales. From hip hop and rap to folk, electronica, and heavy rock, this year’s artists showcase the rich, diverse, and vibrant creativity thriving across the Welsh music scene.”

Heledd Fychan, Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport, said: “This year’s shortlist perfectly captures what the breadth of talent we have across the Welsh music scene. It brings together artists from across a wide range of genres, backgrounds and communities, all producing work of exceptional quality. Congratulations to every artist recognised. Through Creative Wales, we are proud to support the Welsh Music Prize as it continues to champion the talent, ambition and creativity that define Wales’ vibrant music scene. It’s going to be a fantastic evening of music and celebration. Llongyfarchiadau!”

Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: “The Welsh Music Prize showcases the very best of Wales’s music scene – it’s a great opportunity for artists to broaden their audience and for fans to find new music to fall in love with. That’s why we support it, and why we’re so pleased it’s part of Cardiff Music City Festival.”

The Welsh Music Prize 2026 shortlist

ADJUA -Everything Is Beautiful
Aleighcia Scott – Taith
Ani Glass – Phantasmagoria
Art School Girlfriend – Lean In
Cerys Hafana – Angel
CHROMA – 25 Forever
Dafydd Owain – Ymarfer Byw
Dewin – Dan y Dderwen
Gruff Rhys – Dim Probs
Gwenifer Raymond – Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark
Local – Too Broke to Be This Busy
Mari Mathias – Cyfarwydd
Skindred – You Got This
The Bug Club – Every Single Muscle
The Royston Club – Songs For The Spine

The Welsh Music Prize is supported by Welsh Government via Creative Wales and Cardiff Council as part of Cardiff Music City Festival.

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