August 21, 2001 – Recording artists Beck, Macy Gray, Mos Def, Dave Grohl, Aimee Mann, Trent Reznor, Lucinda Williams and ?uestlove of the Roots have joined forces with a group of leading record producers and journalists to select the winner of the first annual Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music. Each of the sixteen "Listmakers" will be nominating five albums in August, and then voting for their ten favorite nominees in early September. The top ten vote-getters will become the "Shortlist," which will be announced on September 14, 2001. Six weeks later, the Listmakers will convene over dinner on October 30th to select one of the ten Shortlist albums as the winner of the first annual Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music.

The award, to be presented at a Halloween party and concert in Los Angeles, was created by founders Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig to honor cutting-edge creative talent across the spectrum of popular music.

"Adventurous music is happening all around us," said Spotts, "but today's music industry is oriented towards blockbuster hits. So we've asked a group of music activists to share their discoveries with the rest of us, focusing on under-the-radar albums instead of established hits."

Sarig adds, "I'm amazed by how resonant this Shortlist concept has been with the creative community. This simple idea of recognizing artistic merit rather than commercial success has been embraced by some pretty incredible names."

"I feel proud to be associated with an award that crosses all genres and celebrates just damn fine music," said Listmaker Steve Lillywhite, who has produced artists including U2, Dave Matthews and the Rolling Stones. Nic Harcourt, who hosts the influential radio show "Morning Becomes Eclectic" for KCRW in Los Angeles, observed, "There's so much great music that's overlooked in this world of cookie-cutter fads. I'm delighted to be a Listmaker, and believe the award will shine a light on artists that deserve to be heard."

Listmakers are currently selecting their five favorite records of the past year, and nominating them to the Long List, which is the first stage in the selection process. Early nominations include albums by Air, Joe Henry, Si Se, Spearhead, Julieta Venegas, Nortec Collective and the Dandy Warhols. Any album that was released in the USA after July 1, 2000 is eligible, provided that the album has not yet been certified for sales of 500,000 copies at the time of its nomination.

Music lovers will be able to access the full Long List of eighty albums via a website, shortlistofmusic.com, which provides a link for more information on each nominated recording artist and general information on the Shortlist prize. Immediately after Labor Day, each Listmaker will vote for ten albums from the Long List. The top ten vote-getters will be elevated to the Shortlist, which will be announced on September 14 in New York at a panel discussion moderated by rock critic and Listmaker Neil Strauss. The panel will be part of the New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend Lecture Series.

The founders are currently planning a Halloween concert and party to take place in Los Angeles. The concert will feature collaborative performances by Listmakers, Shortlist artists, and special guests. Further information on the October 31st event will be released shortly. The complete roster of Listmakers follows below:

Recording Artists: Beck, Mos Def, Macy Grey, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, Aimee Mann, Trent Reznor of nine inch nails, Lucinda Williams and ?uestlove of the Roots.

Record Producers: Dan the Automator (Gorillaz), Steve Lillywhite, Ross Robinson (At the Drive-In, Slipknot)

Journalists: Steve Hochman (Los Angeles Times), Ray Roker (URB Magazine), Neil Strauss (New York Times), Toure (Freelance)

Radio Personalities: Nic Harcourt (KCRW, Public Radio International)