Muse's hopes of collecting the 2006 Nationwide Mercury Prize were dashed when the judges awarded the prestigious gong to the Arctic Monkeys. At a ceremony in London on 5th September, Jools Holland handed the prize to the Arctic Monkeys for their album, Whatever People Say That I Am, That's What I'm Not. The NMP is for the best album by a British band and is decided by a panel of judges.  | | Matt Bellamy |
Muse's CD, Black Holes and Revelations, went straight to Number 1 in the album chart when it was released in July 2006. In nominating Black Holes and Revelations, the judges said it was "bold, brave and bright - Muse going stratospheric." The trio are Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard. They've already won some major of gongs since starting out in 1997 - including being named Best British Live Act at the 2005 Brits. The 2006 NMW nominations were:Richard Hawley - for the album Coles Corner
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say That I Am, That's What I'm Not
Guillemots - Through the Windowpane
Editors - The Back Room
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Scritti Politti - White Bread Black Beer
Lou Rhodes - Beloved One
Sway - This is My Demo
Hot Chip The Warning
Zoe Rahman -Melting Pot | 
