This is the most influential music award of the year , anywhere in the world .
The nominees this year were truly outstanding and at least half of the total twelve could have been deserving winners . Of course , at a Popular level , Adele has had a world wide smash -- and deservedly so . But other names are artistically superb and show why and how the hub of progressive world music still flows from out of the United Kingdom .
Much of the music will make little sense to people grounded on the appallingly bland , monotonous and old fashioned pop scene of Eastern Europe .
The winner and deservedly was PJ Harvey a very serious and important talent whose work has been with us for twenty years . Her latest  CD will stand the test of time and is a very interesting view of England's past and present by a very great individual performer . She is not my personal favourite but quite clearly a huge and enduring talent .
For anybody truly interested to know what is going on  ,  listen to as much  as possible from  the artists who will shape so much of  world output  and acclamation over the next 12months , and  listen to as many of these artists as you can --- see names at end of article  .
Many will confound you for a time -- just as modern representational artists can do . But perseverance will be hugely rewarding .

It is an interesting Mercury Prize list this year, that suggests to me a nation of adventurous musical talent, stirring a bubbling cauldron of musical possibilities, and starting to forge something new. This is the sound of pop at a crossroads, looking out towards new horizons.
It’s interesting how well all these albums actually sit together, from the mainstream pop successes of Adele, Katy B and Tinie Tempah to the dreamy underground experimentation of James Blake and Ghostpoet; the intelligent, emotional songcraft of Elbow, PJ Harvey, Anna Calvi and King Creosote & Jon Hopkins to the the multifarious genre adventures of Everything Everything and Metronomy, what they share is an intrinsic sense of purpose and a feeling of not being enclosed by genre specifics, that anything is possible in the modern musical world. Even Gwilym Simcock, who might be confined by the notion of being the “token jazz” artist, seems to belong in the same clubby world as James Blake and Ghostpoet, his bubbling rhythms and physical assaults on the piano suggesting veils of mysterious possibilities, curtains of sound that are drawn back and allow glimpses of other worlds. These albums are like windows to the future.
You might conclude from the list that rock is dead, but we knew that already. Straightforward guitar bands are fading in their appeal and covering ground too well tread by others (although I still love the Arctic Monkeys, who seem determined to follow their own wayward path). Even the nominees who might be described as “rock” (PJ, Elbow, Anna Calvi, Everything Everything) are really making music that is much broader and subtler than genre conventions suggest.
There will always be complaints from fans of particular overlooked artists but I don’t think there are any glaring omissions. The Mercury hasn’t delved too deeply into the darkest corners of pop experimentation but I think that’s right, they need to highlight music that is confident enough to speak to everyone. And you can certainly make a case for nominees of past years whose work has advanced this year: The Wild Beasts, Horrors and even Radiohead would have fitted well on the list…but not at the expense of anyone else. It was important that Adele be included, despite the mass popularity of her album, 21, the biggest seller in the world so far this year. Some years the Mercury prize seems to wilfully turn its back on big names, as if being artistically valid and popular were mutually exclusive. Adele’s album connects because it has got heart, soul and burning truth. The year has belonged to her but (despite William Hill installing her as joint favourite) I don’t think she will win.
I think PJ Harvey may be the first previous winner to twice carry off the prize. Her album, Let England Shake, is a masterpiece, deeply thought and felt, the work of a true artist creating something utterly self contained and yet powerfully resonant to the world outside. Its a stand alone work with riches and resonances that grow with repeated listening. It is hard to imagine how anyone on the judging panel could find an argument against it.
Tags: Adele, Anna Calvi, Elbow, Everything Everything, Ghostpoet, james blake, Katy B, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Mercury prize, Metronomy, PJ Harvey, Tinie Tempah