Arctic Monkeys Win Mercury

The Arctic Monkeys have won the 2006 Nationwide Mercury Prize, the UK's most prestigious music award. The Sheffield, England-based band's debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, was named the winner at a ceremony held September 6, 2006 at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. The album, featuring the #1 hits "I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor" and "When The Sun Goes Down" became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history when it sold more than 360,000 copies during the first week of sales.

ASCAP/PRS members dominated the 12 spots on the shortlist. In addition to Arctic Monkeys, other finalists included Muse for Black Holes and Revelations, Isobel Campbell for Ballad of the Broken Seas, Editors for The Back Room, Lou Rhodes for Beloved One, Scritti Politti for White Bread, Black Beer, Richard Hawley for Coles Corner, Hot Chip for The Warning, and Thom Yorke for The Eraser.

Established in 1992, the Mercury Prize honors the best British or Irish album, and carries a GBP 20,000 prize.