The shortlist was revealed today on RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show.
The Irish Album of the Year award is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of eleven Irish music media professionals and industry experts, including RTÉ music presenter Louise Duffy, Domino Recording director Harry Martin and RTÉ Brainstorm editor Jim Carroll.
The nominated albums are:
The winner of the Irish Album of the Year 2024 will be announced live from Vicar St on RTÉ 2FM in a special show from 7pm to 11pm on Thursday, March 6.
The show will feature live performances from some of the shortlisted acts, with further line-up details announced soon.
The winning album will receive a prize fund of €10,000, provided by the Irish Music Right Organisation (IM RO) and Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), with all shortlisted acts receiving a specially commissioned award.
Tickets for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize live on Vicar St with an RTÉ 2FM broadcast are available on Ticketmaster, with prices starting at €33.15.
Further shortlists and announcements, including details on the additional prizes and the Irish Song of the Year, will continue to be announced on 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show every day this week.
The shortlist for the Irish Artist of the Year will be announced tomorrow, with the shortlist for the Irish Breakthrough Artist announced on Wednesday. Both winners will be awarded during the live event on Vicar St in March.
Meanwhile, further details on the Classic Irish Album will be announced on Thursday.
The shortlist for the Irish Song of the Year 2024 will be revealed on Friday, with the winner announced on 2FM daytime on March 6. The public vote for this category will also open on Friday.
It comes as the RTÉ Choice Music Prize turns 20 this year, marking 200 shortlisted albums and 20 winning albums from artists, such as SOAK, Jape, The Divine Comedy, CMAT or Lankum.
The Prize has become one of the music-industry highlights of the year since its establishment in 2005.
Jazzy won Irish Artist of the Year presented as well as Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize 2024. Picture Andres Poveda
Choice Music Prize co-founder and chairperson of the judging panel, Jim Carroll said: “It’s quite something to be talking about the 20th outing of this event.
“I firmly believe that the longevity of the Choice Music Prize is due to how Irish bands and musicians have actively and enthusiastically supported the event over the years.
“It is clear that they value its integrity and independence, as well as its impact on their profile and careers,” he said.
Another Choice Music Prize co-founder, Dave Reid, said the music prize continues to “highlight, promote and support Irish music annually”.
“We are delighted to be hosting the 20th edition of the project in 2025 and right now music across all genres in Ireland is in its healthiest state ever.
“We strive to continue to shine a light on quality Irish music, both domestically and internationally into the future,” he added.
The IMRO Director of Marketing and Membership Development, Keith Johnson, said: “For the past two decades, the RTÉ Choice Music Prize has played a vital role in elevating Irish music, providing a platform that celebrates and amplifies Irish artists on the global stage.
“The Prize has brought well-deserved recognition to countless artists.”
IRMA’s Willie Kavanagh added: “Choice Music Prize have been focused on discovering and uncovering the amazing talent that continues to emerge in Ireland.
“The multiplicity of genres in the Awards allows us to shine a light on the best music in each category, and no genre is overlooked.
“[The shortlist] will bring great focus to artists and their music, some of which may be overlooked or undiscovered by mainstream media to date,” he added.
