In the two years since we started our How I wrote… live music sessions, we've looked at the Mercury prize shortlist and thought: "Hey, quite a few of these people have come in and played songs for us." A combination of foresight, careful planning and good luck meant that this year eight of the nominees had visited the Guardian studios to perform live. We're quite proud of that.
So you don't have to delve into the archive (though it would be great if you want to – everyone from Ray Davies to Hercules & Love Affair are there) we've pulled them together in one place. Enjoy, and let us know what you think.
Watch exclusive performances from Mercury prize contenders
Matt Hall
Eight of the 12 nominees for Tuesday night's Mercury prize have visited the Guardian studios to play – watch them here
Contributor
Matt Hall
Matt Hall is a former Guardian multimedia editor for culture and sport
Matt Hall
The GuardianTramp
