Choice Music Prize

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the similar British prize, see Mercury Prize.
For the similar American prize, see Shortlist Music Prize.
For the similar Canadian prize, see Polaris Music Prize.

The Choice Music Prize is a music award given annually to the best full-length Irish album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The award was established in 2006, [1] the same year that the similar Polaris Music Prize was established in Canada. The Choice Music Prize is modelled after the Mercury Prize, which is handed to the best British or Irish album over the past year[2]. It is co-ordinated by Dave Reid and Jim Carroll. The winning album is selected by a panel of media professionals drawn from print, radio, TV and online sectors from all over Ireland. This panel of judges changes every year.

Contents

[edit] Winners by year

Year Band Album Label
2005 Julie Feeney 13 Songs Self-released
2006 The Divine Comedy Victory for the Comic Muse Parlophone
2007 Super Extra Bonus Party Super Extra Bonus Party Alphabet Set

[edit] Irish Album of the Year 2005

The prize is presented every February to the best album from the previous year, thus the 2006 prize went to the best album of 2005. In its inaugural year, the prize was won by composer-singer Julie Feeney, for her debut album 13 Songs. [1] She received a prize of €10,000, provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), and a specially-commissioned award, courtesy of the Recorded Artists And Performers Ltd (RAAP).

The event itself was held on Tuesday February 28, 2006 in Vicar Street, Dublin. It was hosted by Cormac Battle from RTÉ 2fm and Alison Curtis from Today FM and featured live performances from nine of the ten shortlisted artists along with a demonstration of new animation from Eyebrowy. The only absentee act was The Chalets, who at the time were on tour in Europe with Kaiser Chiefs.[2] The acts who did perform were Bell X1, Cane 141, Joe Chester, Duke Special, Julie Feeney, Hal, Nick Kelly, Emmett Tinley and Turn.

Julie Feeney's album also benefited from a full advertising campaign from Today FM. The Choice Music Prize event was covered live on Tom Dunne’s Pet Sounds show on Today FM on the night. She has since signed a worldwide recording contract with Sony BMG and seen sales for her album increase massively. [3]

[edit] Shortlist

The winner is in bold. [4]
  • Cane 141 - "Moonpool" (Exceptional)
  • Joe Chester - "A Murder of Crows" (Barp)

[edit] Irish Album of the Year 2006

The Album of the Year 2006 was selected by a judging panel at the Choice Music Prize event at Vicar Street, Dublin on Wednesday February 28 2007. The prize was won by The Divine Comedy for their album Victory for the Comic Muse[5] and singer-songwriter Neil Hannon expressed his surprise at receiving the accolade (repeatedly saying he was speechless during his acceptance speech).

The event was hosted by the BBC’s David "Rigsy" O’Reilly & Channel 6’s Michelle Doherty[6] and was broadcast live on Tom Dunne's Pet Sounds show on Today FM. Eight of the 10 acts nominated - Director, The Divine Comedy, Duke Special, The Immediate, David Kitt, Messiah J & The Expert, Republic of Loose and Si Schroeder performed live at the ceremony. The other two shortlisted acts, Fionn Regan and Snow Patrol, were unable to attend the event as they were both on tour, in Australia and the US respectively.

The Divine Comedy received €10,000, provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), and a specially-commissioned award, courtesy of the Recorded Artists And Performers Ltd (RAAP).

[edit] Shortlist

The winner is in bold. [7]
  • Si Schroeder - “Coping Mechanisms” (Trust Me I’m A Thief)

[edit] Irish Album of the Year 2007

See here for an interview with the nominees and here for photos of the event.

The nominations for Irish Album of the Year 2007 were announced on Wednesday January 9, 2008. The awards ceremony took place in Vicar Street on Wednesday February 27, 2008. The event was broadcast live on Today FM as part of a “Tom Dunne Presents the Choice Music Prize” special broadcast. The winning act will receive €10,000, a prize fund which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). The act would also receive a specially commissioned award, courtesy of the Recorded Artists And Performers Ltd (RAAP). Tickets for the Choice Music Prize live event went on sale from all Ticketmaster outlets on Monday January 14, priced €27 including booking fee. Full information on the acts that performed at the live event were announced later in January 2008. [3] Delorentos were favourites to win [4] [5] but there was a surprise in store as Super Extra Bonus Party claimed the prize for the album Super Extra Bonus Party LP. [6] [7] [8]


[edit] Shortlist

The winner is in bold. [9]

[edit] Judges

[edit] Eligibility

In order to be considered for the Choice Music Prize a release must meet all of the following conditions:

  1. All albums must have been released for the very first time in Ireland in the previous calendar year. This means that the album must have been made available for purchase by the general public (in shops, at gigs or on websites) for the very first time in Ireland (i.e. Republic of Ireland and/or Northern Ireland) between January 1 and December 31 of that year.
  2. Re-issues, multi-artist compilations, live albums and Best Of collections are not eligible
  3. The albums can be from any genre imaginable
  4. The artist(s) in question must have been born in Ireland (i.e. Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland) and/or hold an Irish passport. Bands are eligible to be nominated if the majority of the band members were born in Ireland (i.e. Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland) and/or hold an Irish passport.
  5. For the purposes of the Choice Music Prize, an album must contain six or more tracks and/or be over 33 1/3 minutes in length (33 minutes and 20 seconds).

There is no formal application process for the Choice Music Prize. Once an album meets the above criteria, it is eligible to be considered by the judges for selection.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "New Irish music award launched". RTÉ (2005-11-29). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
  2. ^ The Polaris Music Prize Will Go To Canada's Best Album. Retrieved on July 4, 2006.
  3. ^ "The shortlist has been announced for the third Choice Music Prize in Ireland". The Irish World (2007-01-10). Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  4. ^ "Delorentos favourites to win Choice Music Prize". Irish Examiner (2007-01-10). Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  5. ^ "Choice Music Prize Nominations". entertainment.ie (2007-01-10). Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  6. ^ "Shock result in Choice Music Prize". RTÉ (2008-02-28). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  7. ^ "Super Extra Bonus Party win Choice Music Prize". The Belfast Telegraph (2008-02-28). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  8. ^ "Super Extra Bonus Party win Choice Music Prize". Irish Independent (2008-02-28). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  9. ^ "Choice Music Prize shortlist announced". RTÉ (2007-01-10). Retrieved on 2008-01-10.

[edit] External links