TEN IRISH ARTISTS have been nominated for the RTÉ Choice Music Awards’ Irish Album of the Year category for 2022.

The nominees, announced on RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford Show, feature both big names in the Irish music scene as well as newcomers.

Dermot Kennedy’s second album, ‘Sonder’, was released just four days before the late November deadline and reached Number One on both the Irish and UK album charts.

Fellow nominees Fontaines D.C secured a place for their third album ‘Skinty Fia,’ which was well-received by critics when it was released in April of last year.

CMAT’s debut album ‘If My Wife New I’d Be Dead’ also makes the list. The Dublin-born pop singer began self-releasing her own music before her debut made it to Number One on the album charts in February.

The Choice Awards are currently in their 18th year, and will be broadcast from Vicar Street in March.

Prevous winners of Album of the Year include Two Door Cinema Club, Denise Chaila and Villagers.

Dundalk contemporary folk group, The Mary Wallopers, were nominated for their self-titled album and have just finished a two-month Irish and European tour.

All female indie band Pillow Queens made the shortlist for their second LP ‘Leave the Light On’.

The five other nominees and albums are:

‘Protector’ by Aoife Nessa Frances
‘Heart Under’ by Just Mustard
‘Theatre’ by Anna Mieke
‘Smiling Like an Idiot’ by Sorcha Richardson
‘Delusions of Grandeur’ by Thumper