Uncut magazine is proud to announce the launch of the Uncut Music Award, to find the most inspiring and richly rewarding album of the last 12 months.

Chosen from a longlist of 25 albums (see the full list below) released between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008, a ten-strong industry panel including Peter Hook and Edwyn Collins will choose the winner by ranking their five favourites from the year.

Other industry luminaries on the Uncut Music Award panel are: BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, producer of Later With Jools Holland Alison Howe, radio presenter and former NME editor Danny Kelly, legendary promoter Vince Power, broadcaster and writer Mark Radcliffe, British folk artist Linda Thompson and chairman of the British Phonographic Industry and former EMI chairman Tony Wadsworth.

Naturally, chairing the judges, will be legendary Uncut editor Allan Jones.

Once the panel’s votes have been combined, a short list of eight albums will be generated. The panellists will then pick the very best to take the inaugural Uncut Music Award. The winner will be announced in early November.

Editor Allan Jones says: “We are extremely excited about the launch of the Uncut Music Award and the panel of judges we are assembling, whose votes will decide the eventual winner. With so much brilliant music released over the last year to chose from, argue over and champion, I predict only that the judging process will be combative, to say the least.”

The Uncut Music Award long list is as follows, join us at www.uncut.co.uk throughout the coming weeks to discuss what you think are the highs and lows of the 25 chosen albums, and to say which you think deserves our first annual prize.

KEVIN AYERS – The Unfairground

ROBERT WYATT – Comicopera

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