Mercury nominees receive sales boost

The artists nominated for last week's Mercury Music Prize have received a large surge in record sales.

According to HMV nu-rave rockers The Klaxons, who won the award on Tuesday night, have earned a 486% rise in sales of their album Myths of the Near Future.

The record, which had previously been outside the top 40, may now re-enter the charts in the top 20.

A HMV spokesperson told the BBC: "Once again we are seeing how the Mercurys can have an immediate and beneficial impact on sales of all the nominated albums.

"We're already seeing some dramatic lifts, which are likely to become more pronounced over the weekend. The prize also helps to shine a light on new and original talent, such as Fionn Regan and Bat For Lashes, giving it the platform to connect with a much wider audience."

The End Of History by Irish singer Fionn Regan rose in sales by 212%, while Brighton's Bat For Lashes album Fur and Gold nearly matches that with a 185% increase.