Polaris Music Prize

Not to be confused with Polar Music Prize.

Polaris Music Prize
Current: 2024 Polaris Music Prize
Awarded forBest full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label.
CountryCanada
First awarded2006
Websitepolarismusicprize.ca

The Polaris Music Prize is a music award annually given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label.[1] The award was established in 2006 with a $20,000 cash prize;[2] the prize was increased to $30,000 for the 2011 award.[3] In May 2015, the Polaris Music Prize was increased to $50,000, an additional $20,000, sponsored by Slaight Music. Additionally, second place prizes for the nine other acts on the Short List increased from $2,000 to $3,000. Polaris officials also announced The Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, an award that "will annually honour five albums from the five decades before Polaris launched in 2006." Details about the selection process for this prize are still to be revealed.[4]

The Polaris Music Prize is modeled after the United Kingdom/Ireland's Mercury Prize[5] and in turn, inspired the Atlantis Music Prize/Borealis Music Prize for Newfoundland and Labrador.[6]

  1. ^ Frere-Jones, Shasha (September 22, 2009). "The Prize That Dare Not Speak Its Name". The New Yorker. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  2. ^ Molotkow, Alexandra (October 1, 2010). "The Indie Rock Swindle". The Walrus. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
  3. ^ "2011 Polaris Music Prize Long List announced" Archived October 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. aux.tv, June 16, 2011.
  4. ^ "Polaris Music Prize Increased To $50,000 In 2015 – Polaris Music Prize". May 9, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  5. ^ "Polaris Music Prize: An Oral History as told by its founders, jurors, and winners". AUX.TV. Archived from the original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  6. ^ McLean, Steve (June 2, 2006). "The Polaris Music Prize Will Go To Canada's Best Album". Chart. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2009.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)