Mercury 2013: Apparently a level playing field for Bowie & Bugg

So, the shortlist for the Mercurys was released yesterday, and it's in no way undermined by having found space for both James Blake and Jake Bugg on it.

Obviously, Bowie, who managed to combine a re-entry into music, releasing an album and pulling off a coup de theatre should just be given the prize now - for if the remit of the Mercury is intended to promote the idea of an album as an event, releasing the only album that created a stir beyond the music press surely did that?

Of course, it might not have been as good as the Savages album, but that's not really the point.

Here's the list in full:

Arctic Monkeys - AM
David Bowie - The Next Day
Disclosure - Settle
Foals - Holy Fire
Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
James Blake - Overgrown
Jon Hopkins - Immunity
Laura Marling - Once I Was An Eagle (pictured)
Laura Mvula - Sing to the Moon
Rudimental - Home
Savages - Silence Yourself
Villagers - Awayland

Has anyone gone to ask One Direction fans if they have any problem with the shortlist?