The Prodigy criticise Mercury Prize

Liam Howlett and Keith Flint have criticised the Mercury Prize for ignoring the opinions of music fans.

The band were nominated for the award in 1994 for their second album Music For The Jilted Generation, but this year's Invaders Must Die was not shortlisted by the panel.

Speaking about the annual prize at the Kerrang! Awards, Howlett told BBC 6 Music: "It's got nothing to do with the public. It's to do with a panel of people that always opt for the most obscure thing. I think we should have been nominated this year."

Flint said: "An award thing can, nine times out of ten, be voted for by people that want to feel that they are important within music art or literature, but the Kerrang! Awards right here, is voted for by readers.

"That's why we're here, to show the respect for the people that have taken time to vote for us, because they are the people that stand in front of us and buy tickets."

The Prodigy won the best single prize at the Kerrang! Awards for their comeback single 'Omen'.