Submissions for this year’s NI Music Prize have now closed, but keep your eyes peeled for the 2025 shortlists!

The NI Music Prize returns to the Ulster Hall on Wednesday 12th November 2025, as part of the Sound of Belfast festival, organised by the Oh Yeah Music Centre.

This year’s submissions window covered three key categories:

Album of the Year

Single of the Year

Live Act of the Year

The deadline for entries was Monday 4th August at 5pm, and the process is now closed. The next step? The shortlists, which will spotlight the very best of NI music across genres and career stages. Stay tuned to the NI Music Prize website and socials for the longlist, public vote and full nominee announcements.

Now in its twelfth year, the NI Music Prize celebrates artistic excellence, with past winners including Problem Patterns, Robocobra Quartet, Kitt Philippa, SOAK, Saint Sister and Joshua Burnside. This year’s Prize features refreshed processes, a wider nominator academy, and returning honours like the PRS for Music Creator Award and BBC Introducing Artist of the Year.

Coordinated by the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Belfast’s dedicated music hub, the Prize remains a flagship event within the city’s UNESCO City of Music status.

Visit the official NI Music Prize website to learn more and stay updated.