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 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[2] which is handed to the best British or Irish album over the past year.[3] It is co-ordinated by the music manager Dave Reid and music critic Jim Carroll.[4][5] Reid has said the prize's aim is to encourage more airplay for Irish acts both domestically and overseas.[5] The winning album is selected by a panel of media professionals drawn from print, radio, TV and online sectors from across Ireland. This panel of judges changes each year. The prize is not intended to reflect "the best debut album or the best out-there album or the best pop album or the best album by an old-timer" – it is the album that the judges believe best sums up the previous year in Irish music made by the act the judges believe best represents Irish music and the Choice Music Prize at that time.[6] The ceremony to announce the winner takes place at Vicar Street, Dublin around the end of February or beginning of March each year. The nominated acts are all invited to the perform at the ceremony. The judging panel is locked in a secluded room during the performances, debating over which act ought to win.[4] The prize has become renowned for its unpredictability, with the winner usually not anticipated by many.[4] Thus far there have been one solo female and two band winners. Julie Feeney won the inaugural prize in 2006. She was followed by The Divine Comedy, Super Extra Bonus Party and Jape, with wins in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively.
[edit] Winners by year
[edit] Irish Album of the Year 2005The prize is presented 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. [3] [7] 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 award ceremony was held on Tuesday 28 February 2006 at Vicar Street. It was co-hosted by Cormac Battle of RTÉ 2fm and Alison Curtis of Today FM and featured live performances from nine of the ten shortlisted artists alongside 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.[4] 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. [5] Julie Feeney called her Choice Music Prize win “probably the biggest achievement of my life”, saying “it meant a phenomenal amount to me. It was an enormous validation.”[5] [edit] Shortlist
[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 on Wednesday 28 February 2007. The prize was won by The Divine Comedy for their album Victory for the Comic Muse[6] and singer-songwriter Neil Hannon expressed his surprise at receiving the accolade (repeatedly saying he was speechless during his acceptance speech). Duke Special, nominated for a second time, said the previous nomination had helped raise his profile.[9] The event was hosted by the BBC’s David "Rigsy" O’Reilly and Channel 6’s Michelle Doherty[7] 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
[edit] Irish Album of the Year 2007 The nominations for Irish Album of the Year 2007 were announced on Wednesday 9 January 2008. The awards ceremony took place at Vicar Street on Wednesday 27 February 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.[11] Cathy Davey and Delorentos were favourites to win[12][13] but there was a surprise in store as Super Extra Bonus Party claimed the prize for the album Super Extra Bonus Party LP.[14][15][16] All ten nominated acts were present on the night, a first for the ceremony.[17] Super Extra Bonus Party member Cormac Brady said: “It’s not something we ever expected to happen to us. Winning awards certainly wasn’t what we got into music for, but it brought us a hell of a lot more recognition overnight and opened a lot of doors.”[5] [edit] Shortlist
[edit] Judges
[edit] Irish Album of the Year 2008 The nominations for the Irish Album of the Year 2008 were announced on 14 January 2009. The awards ceremony took place in front of a full house at Vicar Street on 4 March.[19][20][21] The event was presented by Alison Curtis and broadcast live on Paul McLoone's radio show on Today FM.[22] The winner, Jape's album, Ritual, was announced shortly after 22:30 following a secret ballot due to the closeness of the judges vote.[23][24][25][26][27][28] Six of the nominees performed live on the night, with Jape and Messiah J and The Expert beginning with three-song sets, followed by sets from Mick Flannery, Halfset, R.S.A.G. and Fight Like Apes, who closed the show with "Battlestations". David Holmes and Danny from The Script were also present but did not perform, whilst Lisa Hannigan and Oppenheimer had prior touring commitments.[29] [edit] Shortlist
[edit] Judges
[edit] EligibilityIn order to be considered for the Choice Music Prize a release must meet all of the following conditions:
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] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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