I'm never really sure the point of prizes be they for music or literature or anything else. But out of morbid curiosity, I ran down the Mercury list on Spotify. I'd blame it on being old, but it all seems a bit anodyne. Florence is another I think I should like – but again, it's a couple of decent songs that, tbh, seem to be exactly the same song, and a lot of filler.
Still, musical horses for musical courses, and all that. I probably am too old. It had to happen. My dad used to make me listen to Pink Floyd all the fucking time. You have no idea how much I hate that shit. He now goes to see PF tribute bands and I'm not entirely sure he knows they're not the real things. Or, for that matter, cares.
That said, I can't really be bothered with live music these days either (I said I was old). Sweaty rooms, sweaty people, and bad beer. I'd rather crank up the stereogram*, put up my feet and have a decent beer. That said, I was in Nashville a year or so back and, against my better judgement, was dragged to a couple of venues. Blimey, that place has an awesome music scene. And they serve decent beer.
*I do have to crank it up too, on account of a shitty Logitech bluetooth adaptor. Plus I like loud and I have a detached house and one neighbour who's old enough to be deaf.