Radiohead, Robert Plant lead Nationwide Mercury Prize shortlist

The shortlist for the Nationwide Mercury Prize has been announced today (July 22).

The 12 nominees for the 2008 award were confirmed at a small ceremony held at Covent Garden in London this morning.

Radiohead and frontman Robert Plant were the biggest names on the list - the Oxford band were nominated for 'In Rainbows', while Plant picked up the nod for his collaboration with Alison Krauss, 'Raising Sand'.

Alex Turner made it three Mercury nominations on the trot as his The Last Shadow Puppets collaboration with The Rascals' Miles Kane followed the first two Arctic Monkeys albums in 2006 and 2007 to win a place on the 2008 shortlist.

As widely anticipated anonymous dubstep producer Burial was nominated for 'Untrue', while Elbow, Estelle and Adele were also among the 12.

Some of this year's biggest selling British albums were notable by their absence, with no place for either Duffy or Coldplay on the shortlist, as the panel gave nods to the likes of Laura Marling, Neon Neon and British Sea Power.

Rachel Unthank And The Winterset bagged the folk spot with 'The Bairns', while jazz act Portico Quartet were nominated for 'Knee-Deep In The North Sea'.

The 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize shortlist is:

Adele - '19'
British Sea Power - 'Do You Like Rock Music?'
Burial - 'Untrue'
Elbow - 'The Seldom Seen Kid'
Estelle - 'Shine'
The Last Shadow Puppets - 'The Age Of The Understatement'
Laura Marling - 'Alas I Cannot Swim'
Neon Neon - 'Stainless Style'
Portico Quartet - 'Knee-Deep In The North Sea'
Robert Plant And Alison Krauss – 'Raising Sand'
Radiohead - 'In Rainbows'
Rachel Unthank And The Winterset – 'The Bairns'

The winners will be announced at the ceremony in London on September 9.

You can now read NME.COM's reaction to the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize nominations - and have your say on the who the judges left out - over on the NME Office Blog.