Coldplay gets third shot at UK's Mercury Prize

LONDON - British rock band Coldplay was given its third shot at a Mercury Prize today when its third album, the multi-million selling "X&Y" was short-listed for the highly regarded but often quirky music award that honors albums from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Nominated in 2000 for its debut album "Parachutes," Coldplay lost to Badly Drawn Boy's "The Hour of the Bewilderbeast," and in 2003 Dizzee Rascal's "Boy in Da Corner" beat out Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head."

This year, British bookmakers have installed rock band Kaiser Chiefs as favorite with their album "Employment" ahead of "X&Y," "Silent Alarm" by rockers Bloc Party, and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall's "Eye to the Telescope."

Rounding out the list are "I Am a Bird Now" by Antony and the Johnsons, "Stars of CCTV" by Hard-Fi, "A Certain Trigger" by Maximo Park, "Arular" by M.I.A., "Held On the Tips of Fingers" by Polar Bear, "Kitty Jay" by Seth Lakeman, "Thunder, Lighting, Strike" by the Go! Team, and the Magic Numbers' self-titled album.

"The renaissance in British music continues with the emergence of a wealth of new talents," said Simon Frith, chair of the judging panel. "It's also significant that the country's musical excellence includes such contrasting releases as Coldplay's worldwide number one hit album and Seth Lakeman's self-released folk record."

The Mercury Prize is voted on by a panel of music industry experts, journalists and artists, who select 12 nominees from more than 170 entries.

The winner will be named on Sept. 6 at the "Albums of the Year" celebration in London telecast by BBC 2 and BBC 4 and broadcast on BBC Radio 1.

Last year, rock band Franz Ferdinand's debut eponymous album picked up the prize ahead of entries by Joss Stone, Jamelia, Basement Jaxx, Keane, Snow Patrol and the Streets.

- REUTERS/HOLLYWOOD REPORTER