Sam Fender bags the Mercury Prize on home turf
The assembled masses at Newcastle's Utilita Arena erupted as the North Shields singer's album came out on top at the end of a triumphant out-of-London (and onto Tyneside) debut for the ceremony
The Low Lights Tavern might have to consider adding a few more beers to its on-draught collection.
After donating two Brit Awards to his favourite local to be used as prestigious pint pullers, we’re betting chart-topping North Shields superstar Sam Fender will be adding a Mercury Prize to the behind-the-bar mix.
As the climax of the coveted competition stepped out of London for the first time, the 31-year-old’s third album, People Watching defied all the bookies’ predictions to win out of the 12 shortlisted long players.
Fittingly announced from the stage at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle which was decked out in dinner tables and general fanciness for the occasion, Radio One DJ, Sian Eleri said the judges described the platinum-selling release as ‘a classic album which would take pride of place in record collections for years to come’.
Sam looked visibly stunned as his name was announced and told the crowd he “really didn’t think it would happen” and hadn’t prepared a speech.
Joined on stage by his ecstatic bandmates, he paid an emotional tribute to his ‘surrogate mother’ the late Byker Grove actress, Annie Orwin who inspired the album’s title track.
The all that was left to do was roar ‘“This region is the best region in the country,” to an adoring crowd before playing an encore.
The stage had welcomed nine out of the 12 finalists for live performances throughout the evening’s proceedings which were led by top drawer Sunderland BBC broadcaster, Lauren Laverne.
Along with Sam, Pulp, FKA Twigs, Martin Carthy, Joe Webb, Wolf Alice, Emma-Jean Thackray, Pa Salieu and Jacob Allon all took their moment in the spotlight with recorded performances from Fontaines D.C., PinkPantheress and CMAT being shown on the big screens too.
This year proved that the album remains the format of choice for artists to best present a body of work. That, however, made our job as judges of the 2025 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year is more challenging than ever. All 12 records on the shortlist worked so well on their own terms, ranging from ancient ballads to futuristic electronics. After much discussion, however, we all decided on one album that stood out for its cohesion, character and ambition. It felt like a classic album, which will take pride of place in record collections for years to come. ‘People Watching’ by Sam Fender is both melody-rich and expansive, marrying heartland rock with the realities of everyday life and the importance of community. These are thoughtful songs with broad appeal, as cinematic as they are intimate, making ‘People Watching’ a worthy winner of the 2025 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.
What the Mercury Prize judges said
BBC Music broadcast the event live on 6 Music and BBC Sounds, with a televised showing on BBC Four and iPlayer - where you can still (re)watch it.
Bringing the Mercury Prize to Newcastle - in partnership with Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority - was hailed as a defining cultural moment for the region.
The move capped a week-long celebration of music powered by Generator, whose Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe filled the city with gigs, workshops and creative collaborations from October 9–15.