Antony & The Johnsons win Mercury Music Prize - NME.COM

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS have won the 2005 NATIONWIDE MERCURY PRIZE with their album ‘I AM A BIRD NOW’.

New York-based but English born frontman Antony Hegarty was declared winner this evening (September 6) at the ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Reacting to the win, Hegarty said: "I think they must have made a mistake. I am completely overwhelmed. I think that's insane. It's kind of like a crazy contest between an orange and a spaceship and a potted plant and a spoon - which one do you like better?"

This year has been one of the most open contests in the prize’s history, with speculation over who would triumph surrounding the whole of the 12-act shortlist.

Kaiser Chiefs’ ’Employment’ had emerged as the favourite with the bookies, while nominees as varied as Bloc Party, Antony And The Johnsons and MIA had all also been strongly fancied.

This year’s nominees for the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize were:

* Bloc Party – 'Silent Alarm'
* Hard-Fi –'Stars Of CCTV'
* Kaiser Chiefs – 'Employment'
* MIA – 'Arular'
* The Magic Numbers – 'The Magic Numbers'
* Coldplay – 'X&Y'
* The Go! Team – 'Thunder, Lightning Strike'
* Antony And The Johnsons – 'I Am A Bird Now'
* KT Tunstall – 'Eye To The Telescope'
* Maximo Park – 'A Certain Trigger'
* Seth Lakeman – 'Kitty Jay'
* Polar Bear – 'Held On The Tips Of Fingers'

The winners pocket a cheque for the £20,000 prize.