Welsh Music Prize
The Welsh Music Prize (Welsh: Gwobr Gerddoriaeth Gymreig) is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from Wales, as voted for by members of the music industry based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. It was founded by music promoter John Rostron and radio presenter Huw Stephens in 2011.[1] It was originally scheduled to take place alongside Sŵn music festival in Cardiff but sometimes takes place later in the year.[2]
Prior to the awards, Welsh TV Show The Pop Factory held its own award ceremony between 2003 and 2007. From 2004 onwards the Best Album category was won by a Welsh artist, therefore allowing this to be seen as a spiritual pre-successor of the awards, although this was by a public vote and not a judging panel. Prior to this, the short-lived Welsh Music Awards between 2001 and 2004 also had a Best Album category, with the 2005 Pop Factory Awards only nominating Welsh artists, possibly in response to the awards ceasing.
Eligibility criteria
The long list and short list is chosen each year from new albums of original, previously unreleased work, that have been made available for the first time during the 12 months up to 31 July each year. The artist, or at least 50% of a group's core members, must be born in Wales. Alternatively the artist or group must have had their creative base in Wales for at least 3 years.[3][4]
Winners and shortlisted nominees
| Year | Shortlisted nominees - Winner in BOLD | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 |
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INAUGURAL EVENT |
| 2012 |
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| 2013 |
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| 2014 |
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| 2015 |
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| 2016 |
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| 2017 |
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| 2018 |
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| 2019 |
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| 2020 |
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| 2021 |
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| 2022 |
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| 2023 |
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| 2024 |
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Ceremony date: 8 October 2024 |
| 2025 |
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Ceremony date: 6 October 2024 |
Most-nominated artists
| Artist | Nominations | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Gruff Rhys | 7 | 1 |
| Cate Le Bon | 5 | 0 |
| Georgia Ruth | 4 | 1 |
| Gwenno | 4 | 1 |
| Manic Street Preachers | 4 | 0 |
| Adwaith | 3 | 2 |
| Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 | 3 | 0 |
| The Gentle Good | 3 | 1 |
| Sweet Baboo | 3 | 0 |
| HMS Morris | 3 | 0 |
| Kelly Lee Owens | 3 | 1 |
| Breichiau Hir | 2 | 0 |
| Bryde | 2 | 0 |
| Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard | 2 | 0 |
| Cerys Hafana | 2 | 0 |
| Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog | 2 | 0 |
| Datblygu | 2 | 0 |
| Deyah | 2 | 1 |
| Don Leisure | 2 | 0 |
| Euros Childs | 2 | 0 |
| Future of the Left | 2 | 1 |
| Islet | 2 | 0 |
| L E M F R E C K | 2 | 1 |
| Lleuwen | 2 | 0 |
| Right Hand Left Hand | 2 | 0 |
| Trwbador | 2 | 0 |
| Mellt | 2 | 0 |
| Ynys | 2 | 0 |
| Skindred | 2 | 0 |
| Pys Melyn | 2 | 0 |
References
- ^ "Catfish and The Bottlemen, Joanna Gruesome lead Welsh Music Prize nominees - NME". NME. 2017-07-29. Archived from the original on 2017-07-29. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "WELSH MUSIC PRIZE 2016: THE SHORTLIST". Recordoftheday.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "Eligibility criteria". Welsh Music Prize. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ a b Cath Holland (26 August 2025). "Welsh Music Prize 2025 shortlist – Adwaith, The Gentle Good, KEYS, Don Leisure, Sage Todz". God Is in the TV. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Winners – WMP". Welshmusicprize.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "Gwenno wins Welsh Music Prize 2015". BBC Wales. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ "Welsh Music Prize shortlist for 2016 unveiled". BBC News. 2016-09-08. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "The Gentle Good wins Welsh Music Prize 2017". BBC News. 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "Boy Azooga win Welsh Music Prize". BBC News. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "Tweet". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "Welsh Music Prize won by Carmarthen trio Adwaith". BBC News. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ "Welsh Music Prize 2023 winner announced as Rogue Jones". BBC News. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ a b Ben Beaumont-Thomas (9 October 2024). "Underground rapper Lemfreck wins 2024 Welsh music prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Don Leisure wins Welsh Music Prize 2025 for album Tyrchu Sain". Nation.Cymru. 7 October 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.