Chart sales of Raye’s album THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. have risen 275% since it won the 2026 Mercury Prize, according to figures released on Tuesday, October 27, by the Mercury Prize organizers, with several other shortlisted artists also reporting sharp increases in streams.

The figure comes from analysis of Official Charts Company data by the BPI, a music industry body whose members include record labels. The album was at number 11 in the midweek Official Albums Chart, up from 88 the previous chart week, the organizers said.

Raye’s single “Where Is My Husband” rose to 31 in the midweek Official Singles Chart, up from 51, while her previous album, My 21st Century Blues, returned to the chart at 175 after a 47% increase in sales, according to the same analysis.

Gains for other shortlisted acts

Other artists on the 12-album shortlist also saw their streams rise over the two days after the awards show, compared with the same period a week earlier, the organizers said. Knats recorded a 453% increase for A Great Day In Newcastle, while JADE was up 476%, Kojey Radical 279% and Dove Ellis 163%. The release did not name the data source for the streaming figures.

The organizers also said content on the prize’s official digital platforms drew more than 23.7 million views across Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook and YouTube on the day of the awards show, a 295% increase on 2025. The moment Raye was named winner received 2.3 million views on its own, they said.

Dr. Jo Twist, chief executive of the BPI, said: “The Mercury Prize’s impact and reach continues to grow, supporting the art of the album and helping human artistry in all its musical styles build fanbases.”

The night in Newcastle

Raye, styled RAYE, was named the winner on Thursday, October 22, at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, in a ceremony hosted by Lauren Laverne, according to the prize’s announcement. The broadcaster and DJ Sian Eleri presented the award on behalf of the judges, and Raye then performed “I Hate The Way I Look Today” from the album. Official Charts reported that it was the second time the event had been hosted in the city.

“Wow, I’m shaking,” Raye said, according to Official Charts. “I’ve always banged on about how much I believe in albums, albums are so important.” She added: “Hope is a very cheesy word, but hope is something we all need.”

The album was released in March and reached number 1 in its first week, Official Charts reported. The judges said it is divided into four sections, with styles ranging “from jazz to soul, R&B to classical.” In a statement read on the night, they said: “We believe the album continues to have an important role to play in music in the age of streaming.”

The judging panel was chaired by Jeff Smith and included AFRODEUTSCHE, Danielle Perry, Jamie Cullum, Lea Brook, MistaJam, Phil Alexander, Sian Eleri, Sophie Williams and Will Hodgkinson.

The shortlist

The other albums shortlisted were Dave’s The Boy Who Played the Harp, Dove Ellis’s Blizzard, Florence + The Machine’s Everybody Scream, JADE’s THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!, Knats’ A Great Day In Newcastle, Kojey Radical’s Don’t Look Down, Nia Archives’ Emotional Junglist, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, Paul McCartney’s The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Suede’s Antidepressants and the War Child Records compilation HELP(2).

The awards show was broadcast on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer and covered live on BBC Radio 6 Music. A fringe program of more than 30 events ran in Newcastle from October 15 to 22.

Why it matters

The figures give a measure of the prize’s commercial effect in the days after the ceremony, both for the winner and for other acts on the shortlist, such as Knats, whose album shares its name with the host city. The BPI’s chief executive said the prize supports “the art of the album,” and the judges argued that the format still matters “in the age of streaming.”

The win has also lifted Raye’s wider catalog: her single climbed the midweek singles chart and her previous album returned to the albums chart.

The caveats

The chart and streaming figures were published by the prize’s organizers, and the sales analysis was carried out by the BPI, whose chief executive is quoted in the same release. The chart positions cited are midweek positions rather than final weekly placings, and the release does not say where the streaming figures came from.

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