Kasabian head Britain's Mercury Prize shortlist

LONDON (AFP) - Kasabian, Glasvegas, La Roux and Florence and the Machine topped the acts shortlisted Tuesday for the Mercury Prize, one of Britains most prestigious music awards.
The winners of the award, for the best British or Irish album of any genre released in the year to July, will be announced at a ceremony in London on September 8.
The victors, chosen by an independent panel of judges, will join an exclusive club of past winners including Arctic Monkeys, Portishead, Pulp and Franz Ferdinand.
Rock act Kasabian are the biggest names on the list and their psychedelic-influenced West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum album will be among the favourites to claim the prize.
Bat For Lashes - singer-songwriter Natasha Khan - receives a second nomination for her folk-tinged release Two Suns.
This years charts have been dominated by female artists, something acknowledged by the inclusion of La Roux and Florence and the Machine.
Electro-singer La Roux is nominated for her eponymous debut album which includes smash hits In For The Kill and Bulletproof, while fellow redhead Florence and the Machine is shortlisted for her first album Lungs.
Art-school rockers The Horrors received a nomination for their second album Primary Colours whose dark Joy Division-influenced tracks have seen them shrug off criticism of lacking substance. Scottish quartet Glasvegas, who boast former professional footballer James Allan as their frontman, are also nominated for their self-titled debut release.
Other contenders include Irish folk singer Lisa Hannigan, indie three-piece The Invisible, jazz quintet Led Bib, plus bass-and-banjo trio Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
The Mercury Prize organisers claim it is Europes top arts award in terms of influence and media coverage. Winning, or even being shortlisted, usually sparks a surge in sales.
The prize is known for representing an eclectic range of styles, but usually leans towards indie and rock music, demonstrated by the inclusion of the highly-rated Oxford band Friendly Fires.
Speech Therapy, by rapper Speech Debelle, dealing with her south London upbringing, is also nominated.
Blackpool songstress Little Boots was widely expected to be included but has missed out along with fellow hot-tips Doves and White Lies.
Manchester band Elbow scooped last years prize.