Mercury nomination provides sale success

Obscure artists nominated for the Mercury music prize are enjoying a huge boost in sales, figures showed today.

Jazz saxophonist Soweto Kinch is a 10/1 outsider to scoop the award. But sales of his debut album Conversations With The Unseen have shot up 318% at HMV.

Folk singer Eliza Carthy has also received a major boost, with her album Anglicana up 231%.

And R&B artist Terri Walker is enjoying a sales surge of 214% for her debut album Untitled.

“Once again we can see the growing commercial impact of the Mercury in showcasing new talent for a much wider audience,” a HMV spokesman said.

“As in previous years, it is the lower profile artists that seem to be benefiting most.”

Coldplay’s A Rush Of Blood To The Head and Radiohead’s Hail To The Thief are the bookies’ favourites to win the prize.

But because their albums have already sold millions, the rise in album sales is much less significant.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony on September 9.