Lankum have been announced as the winners of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Album of the Year for their album The Livelong Day. 

Ten albums were shortlisted for the award, which was decided by a panel of judges working in the Irish media. Lankum, who are currently on tour in the US, will receive a prize of €10,000, which is funded by the Irish Music Rights Organisation. The award was accepted by the band’s manager Cian Lawless.

The Livelong Day is the Dublin folk act’s third album following their debut Cold Old Fire in 2015 and Between the Earth and Sky in 2017. The album features songs such as ‘Wild Rover’, ‘The Dark Eyed Gypsy’ and ‘Hunting the Wren’, demonstrating a progression in sound and an even darker approach compared to their earlier work. The band has been recognised for bringing a new energy and intensity to Irish folk, having already won BBC and RTÉ folk awards. Read more about the album in our article here. 

The awards event was hosted by 2FM presenter Eoghan McDermott and broadcast live on Tara Stewart’s show. Performers on the night included nominees Maija Sofia, SOAK, Junior Brother, Jafaris, Sorcha Richardson, Daithí, Fontaines D.C., and Mick Flannery. 

Also awarded on the night was the prize for Irish Song of the Year, which went to Westlife for ‘Hello My Love’. Other nominees for the Song of the Year prize included Hozier’s ‘Almost (Sweet Music)’, pop singer Lyra’s ‘Falling’, hip hop artist Soulé’s track ‘Love Tonight’, and indie-pop duo Wild Youth with ‘Making me Dance’. Lankum were also nominated in this category for ‘Wild Rover’. The RTÉ Choice Music Prize Song of the Year was decided by public vote on the RTÉ and Choice Music Prize websites. The album judges included RTÉ 2FM’s Jenny Greene, Molly King of Other Voices, music journalist Andrea Cleary and Fiachna Ó Braonáin of RTÉ Radio 1.  

Listen to all the nominated artists for Album of the Year below. For more, visit www.choicemusicprize.ie.