Arcade Fire, MIA, Justice and LCD Soundsystem are among the 10 finalists named for the Shortlist Music Prize.
Also making the top 10 are Feist, Wilco, Spoon, Stars, Working For A Nuclear Free City, and Burial.
The Shortlist Prize is widely considered the American version of the Mercury Prize and recognises acts that have sold fewer than 500,000 albums overseas.
Klaxons had been nominated for this year’s prize, but did not make it into the final round.
This year’s panel of judges includes Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol and Ronnie Vannucci of The Killers.
The winner will be announced in February. Previous winners include TV On The Radio, Cat Power and Sigur Ros.
–By our Los Angeles staff.
The Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 are coming soon — and it’s time to have your say. Vote now by heading to NME.COM/awardsvote and you could win VIP tickets to the ceremony, which takes place in London on February 28.