Hello to you,
I’ve been very well thanks for asking.
‘I’m emailing you today’ because it is my pleasure, privilege and solemn responsibility to bring to you the shortlist for the 2023 Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize.
Housekeeping to begin with:
Every year for the past TWO DECADES Popjustice has given £20 (cash) to the artist responsible for the best British and Irish pop single of the last twelve months.
The judging this year will take place on Thursday, September 7. It’ll be in the evening, on Zoom, and you’re invited to take part: email me on peter.robinson@popjustice.com (or reply to this email) to get your name on the list.
There’s a football song on this year’s shortlist and I have mixed feelings about this but let’s just go with it.
And the shortlisted singles are…
Body Better
by Maisie Peters
Writers: Ines Dunn, Matias Tellez, Maisie Peters
Producers: Matias Tellez
Double Denim
by SKYLAR
Writers: Hight, Charlie Martin, Joe Housley, SKYLAR
Producers: The Nocturns
Easy Lover
by Ellie Goulding feat Big Sean
Writers: Julia Michaels, Ellie Goulding, Greg Kurstin, Big Sean
Producer: Greg Kurstin
Escapism.
by RAYE and 070 Shake
Writers: RAYE, 070 Shake, Mike Sabath
Producer: Mike Sabath
Falling In Love Again
by Leif Coffield and Wuh Oh
Writers: Leif Coffield, Wuh Oh
Producer: Leif Coffield
Forget Me
by Lewis Capaldi
Writers: Michael Pollack, Philip Plested, TMS
Producers: TMS, Lewis Capaldi
Free Yourself
by Jessie Ware
Writers: Clarence Coffee Jr, Jessie Ware, Stuart Price
Producer: Stuart Price
Light It Up
by Moss Kena and SUPER-Hi
Writers: SUPER-Hi, Moss Kena
Producers: Red Triangle
Lionheart (Fearless)
by Joel Corry and Tom Grennan
Writers: Lewis Thompson, Digital Farm Animals, James Murray, Jamie Scott, Joel Corry, Mike Needle, Mustafa Omer, Neave Applebaum, Tom Grennan
Producers: Digital Farm Animals, Joel Corry, Lewis Thompson, Neave Applebaum
Nothing Lasts Forever
by Dylan
Writers: Dylan, King Ed, Martin Luke Brown
Producer: King Ed
Nothing Left To Lose
by Everything But The Girl
Writers: Everything But The Girl
Producers: Everything But The Girl
Weightless
by Arlo Parks
Writers: Arlo Parks, Paul Epworth
Producer: Paul Epworth
Twelve very amazing songs, I’m sure you’ll not entirely agree. Here is a playlist of the whole lot.
Do drop me a line if you’d like to help with the judging in September.
As for this Substack, normal service should resume shortly although I don’t think I ever really established what normal service looked like, did I? I expect I’ll probably send something next week.
Bye for now,
Peter x
