Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not picked up the Mercury Music Prize last night. The band, who picked up a £20,000 cheque for winning, had been favourites to pick up the award, but the selectors usually pick someone other than the favourites to win.
Singer Alex Turner said:
“Thanks to everyone that’s helped us. Normally it (the award) doesn’t go to a band that’s sold so many records, to put it bluntly, but we’re pleased. They’re good tunes, that’s what we do and there aren’t any tricks, people are trying to do too many tricks.”
They beat off competition from Isobel Campell and Mark Lanegan, Editors, Guillemots, Richard Hawley, Muse, Hot Chip, Zoe Rahman, Lou Rhodes, Thom Yorke, Sway and Scritti Politti.