Polaris Music Prize Shortlist: Drake, Feist, Japandroids in Running
Drake, Grimes, Japandroids, Feist, Handsome Furs and Kathleen Edwards were among the ten artists short-listed for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize, which recognizes “the best” Canadian album of the year as determined by more 200 members of the Canadian music media.
The announcement was made at a media conference this afternoon at The Drake Hotel in Toronto, Ont. by Polaris founder Steve Jordan and host Craig Norris of CBC Radio 3, and broadcast live on Sirius 152 and CBC Radio 3.
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Jordan had gone shopping this morning for each of the 10 albums on vinyl at three local record shops – Sonic Boom, Soundscapes and Rotate This – and pulled out each copy from the bag as the names and titles were announced.
“This bag of 10 short-listed records retails for over $200,” he said.
The Polaris Music Prize awards $30,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year. It is judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or record sales.
The list is determined by a nationwide jury comprised of more than 200 members of the Canadian music media, including journalists, bloggers, and broadcasters. All submitted their top 5 full-length albums released from June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012. The first round determined the 40 albums on the long list; the second round the short list, as chosen from the 40.
The winner will be revealed September 24 at the Polaris gala held at the Concert Hall at Bell Media’s Masonic Temple studios. That night, an 11-person grand jury, chosen from the larger jury pool, will be sequestered at the venue – while each short-list nominee is feted and often performs – debating and eventually casting their vote for the winner.
The gala will stream live on Muchmusic.com and will be broadcast exclusively on SiriusXM (Sirius channels 151 and 152; XM channel 151) and CBC Radio 3. Highlights from the gala will air in a one-hour special, exclusively on MuchMusic, on September 29 at 10pm ET.
Now in its seventh year, past recipients of the Prize are Arcade Fire, Karkwa, Fucked Up, Patrick Watson, Caribou and Final Fantasy.
The 2012 Polaris Music Prize Short List is (in alphabetical order):
Cadence Weapon – “Hope In Dirt City”
Cold Specks – “I Predict A Graceful Expulsion”
Drake – “Take Care”
Kathleen Edwards – “Voyageur”
Feist – “Metals”
Fucked Up – “David Comes To Life”
Grimes – “Visions”
Handsome Furs – “Sound Kapital”
Japandroids – “Celebration Rock”
YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN – YT//ST
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