Rock band Wolf Alice wins Britain's Mercury Prize

Members of the band Wolf Alice pose with an award after being announced winners of the Mercury Prize 2018 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - Rock band Wolf Alice won Britain's Mercury Prize on Thursday for album "Visions of a Life", beating off competition from the likes of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and the Arctic Monkeys.

The four-member band from north London, which first began as a duo in 2010, took the 25,000 pound ($33,165) prize and "album of the year" trophy, which has been awarded to a wide range of music artists since it began in 1992.

"Visions of a Life", the group's second studio album, won praise from critics when it was released last year and reached no. 2 in the UK album charts.

Members of the band Wolf Alice speak onstage after being announced winners of the Mercury Prize 2018 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

"This has never really happened to us ... we've been nominated before but we've never won," band member Joel Amey told Reuters. "It's hard to gage how these things really go in your favor but so far the Mercury (nomination) has done wonders for us getting to new people."

The Mercury Prize, which is less mainstream than Britain's annual BRIT Awards, honors music by British and Irish acts and organizers said this year's shortlist celebrated musicians "at all stages of their careers".

It also included albums by bands Florence + The Machine and Everything Everything, singers Lily Allen, Nadine Shah, Jorga Smith and King Krule, MC Novelist, jazz group Sons of Kemet and the collaborative "Everything is Recorded", spearheaded by XL Recordings founder Richard Russell.

Members of the band Wolf Alice celebrate onstage after being announced winners of the Mercury Prize 2018 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Past winners of the prize include grime artist Skepta and musicians PJ Harvey and Benjamin Clementine.

($1 = 0.7538 pounds)

Lily Allen, whose album ‘No Shame’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

(Reporting By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Edward Baran; Editing by Chris Reese)

Nadine Shah, whose album ‘Holiday Destination’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Musicians from Everything Everything, whose album ‘A Fever Dream’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, pose for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Musicians from Sons of Kemet, whose album ‘Your Queen is a Reptile’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, pose for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Noel Gallagher from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, whose album ‘Who Built the Moon?’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine, whose album ‘High as Hope’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Jorja Smith, whose album ‘Lost & Found’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

King Krule, whose album ‘The Ooz’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Novelist, whose album ‘Novelist Guy’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, poses for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Richard Russell (4th from left) and other musicians from Everything is Recorded, whose album ‘Everything is Recorded’ has been nominated for the Mercury Prize 2018, pose for a photograph ahead of the ceremony at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, Britain, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls