Photo: WENN.com
Gigwise readers have voted Arctic Monkeys their favourite to win the Mercury Music Prize tonight.
The Sheffield rockers came ahead of James Blake, who placed second with his sophomore effort Overgrown, and David Bowie's comeback record The Next Day. Completing the top five are Foals with Holy Fire and Jake Bugg's self-titled debut.
Adverse to the bookies' odds, Laura Mvula was the least popular with Sing To The Moon, as were Villagers, Savages, Jon Hopkins and Rudimental.
See the results of the poll here.
Laura Mvula has been named as the final bookies' favourite to win this year's Mercury Music Prize, with the winner to announced at a ceremony this evening (Wednesday 30 October). The soulful songstress is currently ahead of the likes of nearest rivals Disclosure, David Bowie and Foals - according to easyodds.com
EasyOdds spokesmn Simon Hopper said: “All of our partners have seen money for Mvula, and that has corresponded in the betting market, where she is now the outright favourite to get the gong.”
Disclosure were early favourites for the prestigious prize, which isn't surprising with their phenomenal success and increasing the mainstream standing of dance music this year. Bowie has been high-ranking in the odds since they were announced, and the Thin White Duke will also premiere a new video for the James Murphy remix of The Next Day track 'Love Is Lost' at the ceremony tonight.
Chairman of the judging panel Simon Frith said: ''This year's Barclaycard Mercury Prize shortlist celebrates a fascinating year for British and Irish music, marked by a wonderful range of musical voices - urgent, reflective, upbeat and tender, acoustic and electronic, and all with something intriguing to say.''
The full list of favourites is as follows:
Laura Mvula - 7/4
Disclosure - 11/2
David Bowie - 8/1
Foals - 8/1
Jon Hopkins - 11/1
Laura Marling - 12/1
Savages - 14/1
Arctic Monkeys - 16/1
James Blake - 18/1
Villagers - 40/1
Jake Bugg - 40/1
Rudimental - 50/1
Below - Mercury Music Prize: the biggest success stories - and failures