Shortlist Music Prize

Shortlist Music Prize
Awarded for Best album released in the United States that has sold fewer than 500,000 copies
Location United States
Presented by Short List
First awarded 2001
Last awarded 2007 (currently on hiatus)
Official website http://www.shortlistofmusic.com/

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 America 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

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
N.E.R.D, winners in 2002
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
TV on the Radio, winners in 2004
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
Cat Power, winner in 2006
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

References

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

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