The British singer Sam Fender has been crowned the winner of the Mercury Prize 2025 for his third album, People Watching.
The Mercury Prize was first awarded in 1992, and it is the first time that the ceremony has been held outside of London.
The 31-year-old musician earned a prior nomination back in 2022 and triumphed over tough rivals this time, including Pulp, FKA twigs, CMAT, Wolf Alice, and the top pick to take it, Fontaines D.C.
The judges commented on Fender: “This year proved that the album remains the format of choice for artists to best present a body of work. That, however, made our job as judges of the 2025 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year…more challenging than ever."
“After much discussion, however, we all decided on one album that stood out for its cohesion, character and ambition. It felt like a classic album, which will take pride of place in record collections for years to come. People Watching by Sam Fender is both melody-rich and expansive, marrying heartland rock with the realities of everyday life and the importance of community.”
The Mercury Prize was held at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle last night on October 16, 2025.
Newcastle is Sam Fender’s hometown, which marks the debut of the Mercury awards being held outside of London.
Fender applauded Newcastle in his acceptance speech: “This region is the best region in the country.”
Last year, the mercury award was clinched by indie quartet English Teacher for their album This Could Be Texas.
Here’s a timeline of some Mercury Prize winners from the previous year.
So far, PJ Harvey stands alone as the sole artist to clinch two Mercury Prizes, for Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea in 2001 and Let England Shake in 2011.