Canadian music gets a $20,000 boost

Canada has a new music prize, and this one comes with not only honour- but some cool cash! The big prize winner of the first 'Polaris Music Prize' will take home $20,000!

Steve Jordan (a former A&R Executive with Warner Music Canada and True North Records)is the founder and Executive Director.

There is no submission process or entry fee, jurors selected what they decided were the five best Canadian albums released between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006.

The jury is comprised of 100 local and national music journalists and broadcasters. To ensure an impartial outcome, no one with direct financial relationships with artists is eligible to become a jury member. The organization itself is a registered as a not-for-profit corp.

Their website boasts that the "idea is to recognize CND albums of the highest artistic integrity, without regard to musical genre, professional affiliation, or sales history and promote homegrown music with a 10-track compilation album featuring the finalists hitting stores Aug. 22."

A gala concert on Sept. 18 at the Phoenix in Toronto will be the scene for the first ever Polaris Music Prize .

For a complete list of Polaris jury members,nominees and CD info Click Here

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