These 10 Irish songs of 2019 should be on your playlist

Vote for the Irish Song of 2019 and help your favourite Irish artist win an RTÉ Choice Music Prize.

Ireland’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize, an organisation showcasing the best of Irish music, is coming back again to celebrate best songs and albums of 2019.

The Irish Album of the Year award is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of twelve Irish music media professionals and industry experts. But people can vote in the second category: Song of the Year.  Votes are limited to one per person a day. People can vote from Ireland only, and the voting period ends on March 1.

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The winning song and album will be announced live on RTÉ 2FM on March 5 between 19:00 and 23:00. The events will take place in and be broadcast from Dublin’s Vicar Street.

Daithi, Mick Flannery, Fontaines D.C., Jafaris, Junior Brother, Maija Sofia, and Sorcha Richardson have been confirmed to appear on stage during the award ceremony.

Picture This on the way to their third win

Although a top 10 list contains a lot of new names, the Irish rock band Picture This may be off to win another Song of the Year, this time for One Night. The band, which released their self-titled debut album only in 2017, won their first RTÉ Choice Music Prize for the best song in 2016. The record is called Take my Hand. Another win came two years later, when One Drink was named the best Irish song of 2018.

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Lesser known names, at least to the non-Irish audience, have made to the list as well. For instance, a folk group by the name of Lankum is nominated for their 10-minute song Wild Rover.

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Corkonian Lyra, who has been dubbed as the new Kate Bush, is also on the list with her Falling.

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Hip Hop is represented by Mango X Mathman’s song Deep Blue, on which Lisa Hannigan features. Her albums were nominated in this contest back in 2011 and 2016.

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Soulé is a new Irish discovery, playing a fusion of electronic music and RnB. She is nominated for her song Love Tonight, on which London-based female MC C Cane features.

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Will Kennedy win?

Hozier’s track Almost (Sweet Music) off his 2019 album Wasteland, Baby! is also among the nominated songs. Hozier’s debut album Hozier was nominated for the best album six years ago, in 2014. The record made him a global superstar as soon as he dropped the track Take Me to Church.

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Dermot Kennedy, who began his career as busker on Grafton Street, is also nominated with his massive radio hit Outnumbered.  Kennedy is now touring his debut album Without Fear, released in October 2019, in North America. The BBC put him on its Sound of 2019 Longlist besides.

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The 1998-formed iconic Irish group Westlife, which reunited in 2018, was also shortlisted for the best Irish song this year. The pop song Hello My Love appears on the list.

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Murphy’s Incapable

Róisín Murphy was in the past years nominated twice in the best album category: in 2007 for Overpowered in 2007 and for Hairless Toys in 2015.

She kicked off her career in the UK-Irish duo Moloko. The band broke up, and Murphy went on to produce music on her own. In 2005, she released her debut album Ruby Blue, followed by Overpowered two years later.

Murphy has been bringing several music styles together throughout her career. One of her latest songs Incapable is a mix of electro pop, house and dance music. The song could lead to her first win.

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A list of top 10 best Irish songs of 2019 concludes the band named Wild Youth and their pop song Making me Dance.

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Last year’s best song went to Picture This and their song One Drink. O Emperor’s album Jason became the best Irish album of 2018.

RTÉ Choice Music Prize has been honouring the best Irish songs and albums since 2005.