Yes, Alt-J was left off our list of the 40 Best New Artists Of 2012, much to the apparent dismay of many commenters, but cry no longer for the British band: They just won the Mercury Prize.

The band’s debut album, An Awesome Wave, was dubbed the best British album of the year by a panel of music industry types and critics. It beat out 11 other pretty strong contenders, including:

Jessie Ware – Devotion

Django Django – Django Django

The Maccabees – Given To The Wild

Roller Trio – Roller Trio

Richard Hawley – Standing At The Sky’s Edge

Field Music – Plumb

Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again

Ben Howard – Every Kingdom

Plan B – Ill Manners

Lianne La Havas – Is Your Love Big Enough

Sam Lee – Ground Of Its Own

Apparently Winterfylleth’s The Threnody Of Triumph was overlooked. Weird. Congrats to Alt-J! And to everyone who is not Alt-J! You’re all winners in my eyes.