DVD Collectors Online

Matthias, did you hear about PJ winning the Mercury Music Prize this year? It's not a glitzy showbiz award and certainly not one based on a popularity contest, but it's highly respected in the industry and the artists can benefit well from it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/07/pj-harvey-mercury-winning-album

I knew that she was nominated, but the actual winning slipped me by (I've been a bit busy the last couple of weeks). I don't know much about the Mercury Price except that it is Harvey's fourth nomination and second win and that out of the previous three nominations they inexplicably awarded her most mainstream album (Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea) while passing on the great stuff. Looks like the jury redeemed themselves somewhat this year.

The fact you don't know much about the prize is possibly their best bid for legitimacy. I heard some mainstream radio and commentators questioning the point of the award because "no-one cares". What they actually meant was, "no-one's paying us to attend a flashy, hyped up back slapping session and we don't like it".

To prove the point, you question their previous choice of PJ Harvey's most mainstream album. But to me, her "most mainstream" is still nothing that was marketed or released against, say, Coldplay or Madonna.

I don't know much about them, but long may they exist.