Under The Hood of the Choice Music Prize

The Choice Music Prize is one of the best spotlights around for Irish bands and this year’s event, which looks at the top Irish albums released in 2015 along with the top song of the year, takes pace on Thursday 3 March at Vicar Street.

Each year, there’s a mixed panel of journalists, TV heads, radio heads and more that pour over all the albums released that meet the competition critera, knock out a short list of ten and then lock themselves away in a hotel in Dublin to pick an overall winner on the night.

KCLR’s own Roddie Cleere is one of the judges for this year and he joined me on KCLR Drive to go under the hood of the Choice Music Prize and outline how the process works.

Choice Music Prize 2015 Album Of The Year Shortlist

• Girl Band – Holding Hands with Jamie
• Ham Sandwich – Stories From The Surface
• Gavin James – Bitter Pill
• Jape – This Chemical Romance
• Le Galaxie – Le Club
• Colm Mac Con Iomaire – And Now The Weather
• Roisin Murphy – Hairless Toys
• SOAK – Before We Forgot How To Dream
• Villagers – Darling Arithmetic
• Young Wonder – Birth

Choice Music Prize 2015 Song Of The Year Shortlist

• The Academic – Different
• All Tvvins – Thank You
• The Coronas – How This Goes
• Daithi – Mary Keanes Introduction
• Fight Like Apes – Pretty Keen On Centrefolds
• Hozier – Someone New
• Gavin James – Bitter Pill
• Kodaline – Ready
• Otherkin – Ay Ay
• Pleasure Beach – Go