RTE Choice Music Prize

The RTE Choice Music Prize is an Irish music award established in 2005 by journalist Jim Carroll and manager Dave Reid. It awards 10,000 EUR to the best Irish album of the year, judged by a panel of 11 on artistic merit alone. The prize is best suited for Irish artists seeking recognition based on musical quality rather than commercial success or industry politics. CMAT won the 2026 prize for her album EURO-COUNTRY, her second Album of the Year win.

At the 2026 ceremony on March 5, 2026 at Vicar Street in Dublin, CMAT accepted the award from Barry Devlin of Horslips. She also won Irish Artist of the Year. Her acceptance speech included a performance of "I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!" to make up for the fact that she could not accept her 2022 Choice Music Prize in person. She joked that "the word genius gets thrown around a lot these days, but I think this award proves that I am one!" and offered words of support for Palestine.

Past Winners by Category and Year

The RTE Choice Music Prize has been awarded annually since 2006 (for albums released in 2005). Below is a reference table of Album of the Year winners from the last three ceremonies, along with the label and the presenter who announced the winner.

CMAT became the first artist to win the Album of the Year prize twice, having previously won in 2022 for her debut album If My Wife New I'd Be Dead. Fontaines D.C. won on their fourth shortlist nomination, having been previously nominated for Dogrel (2019), A Hero's Death (2020), and Skinty Fia (2022). Lankum also won for the second time, having previously won in 2019 for The Livelong Day. Their album False Lankum was also shortlisted for the UK's Mercury Prize, making it one of the few albums to appear on both shortlists.

Fontaines D.C. were on tour in Australia when they won the 2025 prize, so artist Roisin El Cherif accepted the award on their behalf. The band's album Romance peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and was named the second-best album of 2024 by NME. The official video for "In The Modern World," the lead single from Romance, has over 1.4 million views on YouTube.

Lankum's False Lankum was released on Rough Trade Records in April 2023. The Dublin four-piece folk group's album received widespread critical acclaim for its reinterpretation of traditional Irish folk music. The official visualiser for "The New York Trader," one of the album's standout tracks, has over 120,000 views on the band's YouTube channel.

CMAT's album EURO-COUNTRY was released on August 29, 2025 via AWAL Recordings. The title track's official music video, directed by Eilis Doherty, was filmed at the Omni Park shopping centre in Dublin and has over 1.2 million views on CMAT's VEVO channel. The album blends country pop with Irish lyricism and was produced by Oli Deakin and CMAT herself.

Submission and Eligibility Details

The prize was created as an alternative to the industry-dominated Meteor Music Awards (which ended in 2010). It is modelled after the UK's Mercury Prize. Key eligibility and process details:

• Albums must be from artists from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland
• A panel of 11 judges drawn from Irish music media and industry compiles a shortlist of 10 albums
• The panel selects the winner on the night of the ceremony, based solely on the music
• No sales, airplay, or label affiliation is considered
• The 10,000 EUR prize is jointly funded by IMRO and IRMA
• There is no sponsorship influencing the outcome
• The ceremony takes place at Vicar Street in Dublin, typically in February or March
• Self-released albums are eligible, as are releases on any label size

The 2026 ceremony took place on March 5, 2026 at Vicar Street, celebrating 21 years of the prize. CMAT won both Irish Album of the Year for EURO-COUNTRY and Irish Artist of the Year. Barry Devlin from Horslips announced the winner. The 10-album shortlist for 2025 included Amble (Reverie), Bricknasty (Black's Law), Joshua Burnside (Teeth of Time), CMAT (EURO-COUNTRY), Dove Ellis (Blizzard), Junior Brother (The End), Just Mustard (WE WERE JUST HERE), pot-pot (Warsaw 480km), Maria Somerville (Luster), and SPRINTS (All That Is Over).

Key Benefits for Artists

• Artistic merit only: The panel judges on musical quality, not sales or airplay. This levels the playing field for independent artists competing against major label releases.
• 10,000 EUR unrestricted cash: The prize is usable for recording, touring, or living expenses. No strings attached.
• Shortlist exposure: The 10-album shortlist provides significant media exposure in Ireland for all listed artists, not just the winner.
• Self-released eligibility: Self-released albums qualify alongside label releases. CMAT won her first Choice Music Prize in 2022 for her debut album.
• Focused competitive field: The prize's focus on Irish artists means a smaller, more focused field than international awards.
• Performance opportunity: The ceremony at Vicar Street provides performance opportunities for nominees.
• No sponsorship influence: The lack of sponsorship means the prize is not influenced by commercial interests.

Potential Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Irish eligibility only: Only artists from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland are eligible. This excludes the vast majority of independent artists.
• Album requirement: The main prize focuses on albums. Artists who release only singles or EPs qualify for fewer categories.
• Modest cash prize: The 10,000 EUR award, while helpful, is small compared to major international prizes like the Polar Music Prize's 1 million SEK.
• Small market impact: The Irish music market is small, limiting the commercial impact of winning. Media coverage is primarily within Ireland.
• Travel requirement: The ceremony takes place in Dublin, requiring nominees to travel.
• Unpredictable judging: The panel of 11 judges changes annually, making outcomes hard to predict.
• Category expansion concerns: The expansion to five categories may dilute the focus on the album prize.

Related Resources

• Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - How prize money fits into broader revenue strategies
• Building a Music Fanbase From Scratch - Growing your audience as an independent artist
• Music Awards Directory - Browse all music awards in our directory
• Mercury Prize - The UK equivalent that the Choice Music Prize is modelled after
• Polaris Music Prize - The Canadian equivalent, also judged on artistic merit
• Brit Awards - The UK's major industry music awards
• NME Awards - UK music awards voted partly by the public
• BBC Music Awards - UK broadcaster music awards
• Official website: choicemusicprize.ie