I will always remember the day the Queen died. Upon hearing the sombre announcement over my mum’s car radio, my heart sank at the realisation that the Mercury Prize, due to take place that evening, would be cancelled. The annual event, the most important date in the calendar of any self-appointed muso, has influenced my music taste more than any friends or family members — an influence which I know is felt by countless my age; the prize’s impact on British music since its inception in 1992 is unparalleled. Yet on Thursday, for the first time in its history, the awards show will be without live performances and a ticketed audience.

“Shortlisted artists often speak of the opportunity to perform at the ceremony as tantamount to winning the award itself ”

Each year, the Mercury Prize’s panel of experts names twelve British and Irish albums as the best of the year. Its ability to honour established greats like Arctic Monkeys some years, while spotlighting young and alternative artists such as Arlo Parks in others has impressively maintained both its public appeal and critical weight. Every September, one of the dozen is awarded the prize for best album in a live-broadcast ceremony (held at the Hammersmith Apollo in recent years), where almost all of the nominated acts perform live. The quality of these performances is consistently staggering: nominees often pick album tracks or experiment with new arrangements, and the energy with which they perform leaves no doubt that the Mercury Prize is revered in the industry. Shortlisted artists often speak of the opportunity to perform at the ceremony as tantamount to winning the award itself.

The decision to downsize the Mercuries was taken after the awards failed to attract a sponsor to fund the ceremony. Though its executive insisted that the awards show would still, “as ever, benefit all 12 artists in reaching a wider audience,” the lack of live performances not only robs nominees of their opportunity to woo millions of new fans on the night, but also indicates that the industry has decided that fresh, independent British music is not an asset worth investing in. I can trace almost all of my favourite artists back to their live appearances at the Mercuries.

In 2023, I stayed up to watch the entire broadcast on catch-up after missing it while at work, and was rewarded by Raye’s bravura performance of ‘The Thrill is Gone’. Almost a decade before, Benjamin Clementine’s Mercury win introduced me to his masterpiece At Least for Now, an album which single-handedly unlocked my love for music. These live performances are the golden ticket for independent British acts, to reach millions of potential fans like me.

“The spirit of this community is also clear to see”

When Elbow won the prize in 2008, frontman Guy Garvey described the accolade as “quite literally the best thing that has ever happened to us,” now frequently championing the prize on his show on BBC Radio 6 Music. CMAT, named among this year’s nominees for her excellent Crazymad, for Me, spoke of tuning into the show every year as a teenager, describing her inclusion on the list as “like [being] in Miss America”. The spirit of this community is also clear to see: in 2022, when the Queen’s death caused the awards show to be axed last minute, nominee Self Esteem instantly took to social media to ensure that food prepared for the ceremony was donated to homeless shelters.

Only last year, the prize seemed to be in good health. Often criticised for its practice of naming a “token” jazz and folk record on each list of nominees, the Mercuries finally bucked the trend. Dublin-based folk group Lankum were touted as outside favourites ahead of the ceremony, and Ezra Collective, that year’s “token” jazz band, took home the prize. Though far from the bookies’ pick, they stole the show with a barn storming performance of ‘Victory Dance,’ which they repeated, through tears, after being announced victors. Hailing this decision as one which proved the Mercury prize’s continuing value and relevance, the Guardian’s Alexis Patridis was hopeful: “A jazz album winning may well prove an aberration, and things may go back to business as usual next year, but if their victory means that Where I’m Meant To Be finds a wider audience than it has thus far then the 2023 Mercury prize has done a good thing, and made itself seem worthwhile in the process.”

The band emphasised the significance of the win in their acceptance speech, gesturing towards a bold future for the award: “If a jazz band winning the Mercury prize doesn’t make you believe in God, nothing will.” As is common with winners and nominees, their profile soared: album sales increased by nearly 900% in a matter of days. It’s hard to see the buzz of this ceremony, and Ezra Collective’s win, being reproduced this Thursday without the live music that makes the Mercury Prize so important.

BBC 6 Music’s commitment to the Prize, despite its ailing financial health, is a testament to its cultural significance: this year’s slimmed-down awards show will be hosted by two of its many great DJs — Annie Mac and Huw Stephens. However, without live performances or convincing backing from the industry, the prize will still careen towards insignificance. If the Mercury Prize is lost, so too is the lifeblood of British music.