Shortlist Music Prize

Shortlist Music Prize
Awarded forBest album released in the United States that has sold fewer than 500,000 copies
LocationUnited States
Presented byShort List
First awarded2001
Last awarded2007 (currently on hiatus)

The Shortlist Music Prize, stylized as (shôrt–lĭst), was an annual music award for the best album released in the United States that had sold fewer than 500,000 copies at the time of nomination. First given as a cash prize in 2001 under the name Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music,[1] the award was created by two music industry directors, Greg Spotts and Tom Serig, as an alternative to the commercial Grammy Awards.[2] The recipient is chosen by a panel of entertainment industry members and journalists known as the "Listmakers". Over 50 of the best albums of the previous 12 months are picked before being narrowed down to the eponymous Shortlist, from which a winner is chosen. Since 2003, a gold statuette, nicknamed "The Shorty", has been given out in conjunction with the cash prize.[3] In 2005, the Shortlist Music Prize was renamed the New Pantheon award for a year following a dispute between the prize's founders.[4] No nominees or winners have been announced since the presentation of the 2007 award.[5]

Modeled on the British Mercury Prize,[3] the Shortlist Music Prize was conceived to honor "the most adventurous and creative albums of the year across all genres of music".[6] At the end of 2001, Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós became the first recipients following a ceremony at the Hollywood Knitting Factory. Virgin Megastores sponsored the award during the inaugural year.[1] The Shortlist Music Prize's format continued in similar fashion the following years, but at different venues. Tower Records opened an online store for the award, which included CD samplers of each year's nominated acts.[7] The majority of the seven winners so far have been singer-songwriters: Irishman Damien Rice won in 2003,[3] Americans Sufjan Stevens and Cat Power were successful in 2005 and 2006, respectively,[4][8] and Canadian Feist won in 2007.[9] Three winning albums eligible at the time of nomination—N.E.R.D's In Search of..., Rice's O, and Feist's The Reminder—went on to sell over 500,000 copies in the United States and achieved gold certification.[10] N.E.R.D received the accolade between the time of nomination and the award ceremony.[11]

The Shortlist Music Prize quickly became an anticipated event and a coveted award.[12][13] It provided an artistic and independent music focus in contrast to the Grammys' major label or chart rankings affiliations.[12] The 2003 and 2004 Shortlist Music Prize ceremonies were shown on MTV2 in recorded format.[3][6] In 2005, Sarig started using the New Pantheon name after co-founder Spotts left to focus on politics. The 2005 award ceremony was pushed back from the end of the year to March 2006 to coincide with the Grammys; it was eventually canceled because of "logistical reasons" and winner Stevens was given his prize informally. After threatening legal action for the continuation of the Short List brand under the New Pantheon guise,[4] Spotts returned and purchased both trademarks, uniting the two titles under the Shortlist Music Prize.[14] The award ceremony continued to be held in the early part of years until the last given prize for 2007.[9]

Winners and shortlisted nominees

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All-male group on stage, containing two MCs, two keyboardists, and a guitarist. Some of the crowd with hands in the air present in the foreground
2001 winner, Sigur Rós
All-male group on stage, containing two MCs, two keyboardists, and a guitarist. Some of the crowd with hands in the air present in the foreground
2002 winner, N.E.R.D
A male vocalist (wearing a cream shirt) singing into a microphone on stage while playing guitar
2003 winner, Damien Rice
All-male group on stage containing a guitarist, a drummer, a vocalist, a keyboardist, and three members of a horn section. Some of the crowd present in the foreground
2004 winner, TV on the Radio
A male vocalist with a banjo performing on stage, wearing large, colourful wings
2005 winner, Sufjan Stevens
A female vocalist wearing a white dress performing on stage. Some members of a string section present in the left-hand side and part of a drum kit present on the right
2006 winner, Cat Power
A female vocalist (wearing a strapless black dress) singing into a microphone on stage while playing guitar
2007 winner, Feist
Year Winner Album Shortlisted nominees and albums Refs
2001 Sigur Rós Ágætis byrjun [1]

[5]

2002 N.E.R.D In Search of... [5]
[11]
2003 Damien Rice O [3]
[5]
2004 TV on the Radio Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes [5]
[6]
2005 Sufjan Stevens Illinois [4]
[5]
2006 Cat Power The Greatest [5]

[8]

2007 Feist The Reminder [5]

[9]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Moss, Corey (November 20, 2001). "Sigur Ros Beat Out Talib Kweli, Gorillaz For Shortlist Prize". MTV. Archived from the original on January 8, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  2. ^ Mumbi Moody, Nekesa (October 31, 2002). "Shortlist Music Prize shifts attention to offbeat artists". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. C-4.
  3. ^ a b c d e Moss, Corey (October 6, 2003). "Irish Singer Damien Rice Wins Shortlist Music Prize". MTV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d Montgomery, James (March 31, 2006). "Sufjan Stevens Wins New Pantheon Award". MTV. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Spotts, Greg. "(shôrt–lĭst)". Short List. Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  6. ^ a b c Moss, Corey (November 16, 2004). "TV On The Radio Win Shortlist Prize, Topping Franz, Killers, Wilco". MTV. Archived from the original on April 16, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  7. ^ Applefeld Olson, Catherine (November 2, 2002). "Shortlist Lengthens Promotional Scope". Billboard. p. 65.
  8. ^ a b "Cat Power wins Shortlist Music Prize". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 12, 2007. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  9. ^ a b c "Leslie Feist wins Shortlist Music Prize". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. February 6, 2008. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  10. ^ "RIAA: Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved January 8, 2010. Note: User search required.
  11. ^ a b Moss, Corey (October 30, 2002). "N.E.R.D. Win Shortlist Prize". MTV. Archived from the original on December 28, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  12. ^ a b Austerlitz, Saul (February 5, 2006). "The award for true dedication to indie bands goes to ..." The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  13. ^ "Disagreement puts Shortlist Prize on hold". USA Today. Associated Press. November 14, 2005. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  14. ^ Montgomery, James (January 5, 2007). "Shortlist Music Prize Is Back; Short-Lived New Pantheon Is Out". MTV. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
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