LOS ANGELES (The Shortlist Organization/ www.shortlistofmusic.com) - Norah Jones, Chris Carraba (Dashboard Confessional), Robert Smith (The Cure), Jack Black,
Serj Tankian (System of a Down), the Dixie
Chicks and other top musicians will choose the ten finalists for the 2004 Shortlist
Music Prize, Presented by XM Satellite
Radio and MTV2.
Previous winners of the award honoring the year's most creative and adventurous albums are Damien Rice, N*E*R*D and Sigur Ros, and nominees have included Bright Eyes, The Streets, Ryan Adams, Bjork, Solomon Burke, The White Stripes, the Flaming Lips, PJ Harvey and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
The 2004 panel of "Listmakers" also includes John Mayer, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (the Roots), Will-I-Am (Black Eyed Peas), Perry Farrell, Massive Attack's 3D, and the film director Jim Jarmusch, as well as radio personality Nic Harcourt, and journalists Neil Strauss, Josh Tyrangiel, Toure, Thor Christensen, Margeaux Watson, and Tom Moon. The panel's initial "Long List" of nominated albums will be released in late August, and the "Shortlist" of ten finalists will be announced in mid-September.
"As the Shortlist Music Prize becomes more established, the artists who win our award have a wonderful chance to grow their audience," says Shortlist co-founder Greg Spotts, citing last year's winner Damien Rice as an artist whose record sales exploded in the months following last October's Shortlist Concert and companion MTV2 television special.
Music fans can browse through each Listmaker's pics at the official Shortlist website, shortlistofmusic.com, and the nominated albums will be featured in a variety of television and radio programming. "This year we are delighted to have presenting sponsors in both radio and television, giving our nominees the opportunity to build new fans across the country," explains Shortlist co-founder Tom Sarig.
"XM couldn't be more thrilled to be a presenting sponsor of this year's Shortlist Music Prize," commented Lee Abrams, XM's Chief Programming Officer. "The Shortlist and XM share a common passion for artists whose music enlightens, entertains and challenges, and together we will provide these young artists with the exposure and support they deserve."
"This is the third year we have partnered with the Shortlist Music Prize and we are extremely excited to be teaming up once again to honor these exceptional artists and musicians," said David Cohn, GM of MTV2. "MTV2 has always supported new, diverse and compelling talent, and we are happy this year to once more honor these artists and expose them to a larger audience."
The Shortlist Music Prize culminates in a multi-artist concert in Los Angeles in November.
At the end of the concert, the winner of the Shortlist Music Prize will be announced, and presented with a check for $10,000 courtesy of XM Satellite Radio.
Performers at previous Shortlist Concerts include finalists Interpol, N*E*R*D, Talib Kweli, Damien Rice, Sigur Ros, the Black Keys, Cat Power, Bright Eyes, Floetry and Cee-Lo, and a surprise performance by Listmaker Iggy Pop, backed by two members of the Hives on guitar, Pete Yorn on drums, and indie legend Mike Watt on bass.
Associate sponsor CARGO magazine will be hosting a VIP after-party, and also providing hospitality and gift bags for Listmakers and Performers in the CARGO Green Room.
Details of the 2004 Shortlist Awards Concert will be announced soon. The annual Shortlist Music Prize was created in early 2001 by Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig, and is presented by The Shortlist Organization.
