RADIOHEAD - RADIOHEAD BATTLE NEWCOMERS FOR MERCURY PRIZE

British band RADIOHEAD are fighting it out with a group of rock rookies for this year's (03) prestigious PANASONIC MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE.

The band's controversial HAIL TO THE THIEF long player is their third album to make the short-list, and must also compete with rivals COLDPLAY, one of the only other British groups to have Stateside success.

Eight of the twelve shortlisted releases are debuts, although MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD was up for the $32,000 (GBP20,000) prize in 1995, when she provided vocals to TRICKY's MAXINQUAYE.

Other artists shortlisted for their debut releases are THE THRILLS, SOWETO KINCH, THE DARKNESS, ATHLETE and TERRI WALKER. The winner will be announced on 9 September (03).

The band-heavy list follows two years of female solo success - PJ HARVEY triumphed in 2001, while Brit rapper MS DYNAMITE was last year's (02) winner.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

RADIOHEAD - HAIL TO THE THIEF

DIZZEE RASCAL - BOY IN DA CORNER

THE THRILLS - SO MUCH FOR THE CITY

SOWETO KINCH - CONVERSATIONS WITH THE UNSEEN

FLOETRY - FLOETIC

THE DARKNESS - PERMISSION TO LAND

COLDPLAY - A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD

MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD - QUIXOTIC

ELIZA CARTHY - ANGLICANA

ATHLETE - VEHICLES AND ANIMALS

TERRI WALKER - UNTITLED

LEMON JELLY - LOST HORIZONS.