The RTÉ Choice Music Awards will return to Vicar Street this year on March 9.

CMAT, Pillow Queens and more Dublin artists have been nominated for Album of the Year at this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Awards.

Country-pop artist CMAT was nominated for her debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead. Pillow Queens were nominated for their album Leave the Light On.

Sorcha Richardson was also nominated for Album of the Year with her second album Smiling Like An Idiot, while Fontaines DC were nominated for their third album Skinty Fia.

Dundalk band The Mary Wallopers were also nominated for their debut album The Mary Wallopers, while fellow Dundalk group Just Mustard were nominated for their album Heart Under.

The other nominees are Aoife Nessa Frances (Protector), Dermot Kennedy (Sonder), Anna Mieke (Theatre) and Thumper (Delusions of Grandeur).

Last year’s Album of the Year winner was For Those I Love with their self-titled debut album.

Starting today, RTÉ 2FM will broadcast Choice Music Prize announcements everyday. New categories Irish Artist of the Year will be announced tomorrow, followed by Irish Breakthrough Artist on Wednesday and Classic Album on Thursday. The shortlist for Irish Song of the Year will be announced on Friday, January 13.

RTÉ Choice Music Awards 2022

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize Event will return to Vicar Street on March 9. The act behind the winning album of the year will receive a 10,000 euro prize funded by The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA).

RTÉ will also host RTÉ Choice Music Prize Conversations at the BIMM Institute on March 8. Conversations is an international music forum designed to encourage frank exchanges amongst panellists, discussing the biggest prevailing issues confronting artists and industry professionals.

RTÉ announced the introduction of three new categories at this year’s award: Irish Artist of the Year, Irish Breakthrough Artist and Classic Irish Album.

Head of RTÉ 2FM Dan Healy said, “This has been another year of incredible music and performances from Irish artists and musicians which we have continued to celebrate across 2FM.”

“We are looking forward to giving all this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize shortlisted songs and artists the support they truly deserve and to getting behind the three new categories which will make a welcome addition to this important celebration of the very best in Irish music.”

Click here to get tickets to this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize at Vicar Street.

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