Sam Fender announced as winner of the Mercury Prize Award 2025

Sam Fender was announced tonight, Thursday 16th October, as the overall winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album ‘People Watching’.

Broadcaster Lauren Laverne hosted the 2025 Mercury Prize ‘Albums of The Year’ ceremony live from Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, marking the first time the prestigious awards show has been held outside of London. A delighted Sam Fender received the trophy from Broadcaster & DJ Sian Eleri – presenting on behalf of the judging team – before performing the title track ‘People Watching’ from his winning album to a standing ovation.

The judging panel said: ‘This year proved that the album remains the format of choice for artists to

best present a body of work. That, however, made our job as judges of the 2025 Mercury Prize for

Album of the Year is more challenging than ever. All 12 records on the shortlist worked so well on their own terms, ranging from ancient ballads to futuristic electronics. After much discussion, however, we all decided on one album that stood out for its cohesion, character and ambition. It felt like a classic album, which will take pride of place in record collections for years to come. ‘People Watching’ by Sam Fender is both melody-rich and expansive, marrying heartland rock with the realities of everyday life and the importance of community. These are thoughtful songs with broad appeal, as cinematic as they are intimate, making ‘People Watching’ a worthy winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.