Polaris Music Prize And CBC Music’s Signature Short List Summer Returns Once Again

The summer is going to be filled with the sounds of the Short List once again.

For the third straight season, CBC Music, the presenting partner of the Polaris Music Prize, will launch its signature Short List Summer programming to showcase the 10 nominated albums on the 2023 Polaris Short List, which will be revealed July 13 on CBC Music.

This programming includes 10 separate Polaris radio specials which will take an in-depth look at each of this year’s Short List nominees, all leading up to the 2023 Polaris Music Prize winner announcement, which will take place on Tuesday, September 19 at the Polaris Gala, being held at the historic Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario. Tickets to the Polaris Gala are available now.

Listeners will be the first to find out which 10 albums make the Polaris Short List live on Thursday, July 13 as part of a two-hour event hosted by Rich Terfry starting at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. AT, 4:30 NT) and available across Canada on CBC Music and CBC Listen. The special will reveal one nominee every 12 minutes along with music from the nominated albums and insight from Polaris jurors. The Short List comes a month after the reveal of the 40-album 2023 Polaris Long List, which was revealed June 13 in Toronto and was determined by the 205 members of the Polaris jury.

Following the unveiling of the 10 nominees, Short List Summer will be anchored by CBC Music’s THE TEN, a series of one-hour weekly radio specials hosted by Damhnait Doyle, broadcasting each Sunday on CBC Music and CBC Listen at 6 p.m. (6:30 NT) starting Sunday, July 16, until Sunday, September 17. Each week, THE TEN will take a deep dive into one of the 10 nominated albums in the lead up to the 2023 Polaris Prize winner announcement, complete with interviews, insights and a full album listening session. A more detailed radio schedule will be announced along with the reveal of the 10 nominated Short List albums on July 13.

CBC Music will also kick into high gear with Polaris Short List coverage on cbcmusic.ca, diving into one nominated album each week, beginning Monday, July 17. Follow CBC Music on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for Polaris Music Prize content that will explore the Short List albums and the artists behind them.

The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity. The Polaris Music Prize awards an annual prize of $50,000 to the selected winner thanks to Slaight Music.

Albums eligible for 2023 Polaris Music Prize consideration must be released between May 1, 2022 and May 1, 2023. An independent jury of music media from across Canada determines the Long List and Short List. Eleven people from the larger jury pool are then chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. This Grand Jury convenes at the Polaris Gala to select the Polaris Music Prize winner.

The past winners are Pierre Kwenders (2022), Cadence Weapon (2021), Backxwash (2020), Haviah Mighty (2019), Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Buffy Sainte-Marie (2015), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).

Polaris Music Prize 2023 Event Season:

June 13 – Long List Announcement: The Long List is where Polaris reveals the 40 nominated albums that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.

July 13 – Short List Announcement: Selected from the 40 album Long List, the Short List is where Polaris reveals the 10 finalist albums that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.

September 19 – Polaris Gala: Our prestige winner reveal event, the Polaris Gala features live musical performances from the nominated acts on the Polaris Short List. The Polaris Prize winner is determined day-of at the Gala by an 11-member Polaris Grand Jury selected from the greater Polaris juror pool.

October 19 – Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize: The Heritage Prize is a hall of fame-minded critics prize/public polling campaign meant to celebrate classic Canadian albums created before Polaris began in 2006. Like the Polaris Music Prize, winners and nominees of the Heritage Prize are albums of the highest artistic distinction, without regard to sales or affiliations.

We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters.

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