Another year, another Mercury, another token jazz act (The Comet is Coming for 2016 even if it is far from a conventional jazz act), and of course the token jazz act never wins.

I do wonder what the point is of including jazz if it is only to make up the numbers. Yes, of course there is additional exposure to be gained although it is fairly limited it must be said. Most of the speculation this year for instance revolved around whether the late David Bowie would win the award posthumously.

If the organisers wanted huge controversy they could let the jazz act win but they would probably be attacked mercilessly by the press so that is hardly going to happen.

Since the advent of the Jazz FM awards arguably the Mercury token is hardly the rare breed that it once was. And it is hardly at the epicentre of the jazz world’s calendar with the Parliamentary awards taking that spot for good or ill.

So maybe it’s time for the Mercurys to forget altogether about jazz unless they are really going to bite the bullet and let the jazz act win!

Skepta, this year’s Mercury winner, in the video, above