The second annual Uncut Music Award launches today (September 23) as we reveal our longlist of albums in the running for the prize to reward the “most inspiring and rewarding musical experience” of the past year.

Advertisement

25 albums from the past year (full list is below), include those by Bob Dylan, Arctic Monkeys, Wilco, Animal Collective and Kings of Leon.

Uncut editor, Allan Jones, UMA 2008 winner Fleet FoxesRobin Pecknold, Billy Bragg, folk singer Rachel Unthank, Absolute Radio DJ Christian O’Connell, BBC creative head of music entertainment Mark Cooper, Stiff Records founder Dave Robinson plus broadcasters Mark Radcliffe, Bob Harris and Danny Kelly are all on the 2009 prize judging panel.

Commenting on the launch of this year’s prize, Allan Jones says: “The inaugural Uncut Music Award was a resounding success. This year’s award looks like it will be just as hotly contested, with the judges facing a daunting task.

Advertisement

“There has been a lot of brilliant music over the last year, as our long list of 25 albums vividly demonstrates. Deciding which of them most merits winning the 2009 Uncut Music Award is going to be an exciting process, but no easy task.”

A shortlist of eight will be announced in the November issue, on sale October 27, with the 2009 Uncut Music Award winner being revealed in Uncut’s January 2010 issue, which goes on sale on November 24.

The inaugural Uncut Music Award was awarded to Fleet Foxes for their self-titled debut album.

The Uncut Music Award longlist 2009 is:

The Acorn – ‘Glory Hope Mountain’

Animal Collective – ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’

Arctic Monkeys – ‘Humbug’

Bill Callahan – ‘Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle’

Graham Coxon – ‘The Spinning Top’

Alela Diane – ‘To Be Still’

Dirty Projectors – ‘Bitte Orca’

Doves – ‘Kingdom Of Rust’

The Duke And The King – ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’

Bob Dylan – ‘Together Through Life’

Fever Ray – ‘Fever Ray’

Grizzly Bear – ‘Veckatimest’

Levon Helm – ‘Electric Dirt’

The Horrors – ‘Primary Colours’

Kings Of Leon – ‘Only By The Night’

The Low Anthem – ‘Oh My God Charlie Darwin’

Madness – ‘The Liberty Of Norton Folgate’

Raphael Saadiq – ‘The Way I See It’

Super Furry Animals – ‘Dark Days/Light Years’

TV On The Radio – ‘Dear Science’

Tinariwen – ‘Imidiwan: Companions’

White Denim – ‘Fits’

Wilco – ‘Wilco (The Album)’

Wild Beasts – ‘Two Dancers’

The xx – ‘xx’

Let us know what you think of the shortlist. What would your winner be?