The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by the late Stig “Stikkan” Anderson, one of the true
greats in the history of popular music. As the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA, he played
a key role in their enormous success. Anderson donated a large sum of money to The Royal
Swedish Academy of Music to establish The Stig Anderson Music Award Foundation in The Royal
Swedish Academy of Music and to create what was to become known as the Polar Music Prize.

Its name stems from Anderson’s legendary record label, Polar Records. It is an international
music prize and awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of exceptional
achievements in the creation and advancement of music. The prize breaks down musical
boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music.

The board of the Stig Anderson Music Award Foundation, consists of representatives from
the Stig Anderson family, SKAP (The Swedish Society of Popular Music Composers) and STIM
(The Swedish Performing Rights Society). The task of scrutinizing nominations submitted and
selecting the ultimate prizewinners is undertaken by an Award Committee comprising of
experienced members of the music industry.

Today, the Polar Music Prize has become one of the most prestigious music prize in the world.
The list of prize winners bears witness to this. Sir Paul McCartney, Dizzy Gillespie, Witold Lutoslawski,
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Quincy Jones, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Sir Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Pierre Boulez,
Bruce Springsteen, Eric Ericson, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Iannis Xenakis, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan,
Isaac Stern, Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sofia Gubaidulina, Miriam Makeba,
Keith Jarrett, B.B. King, György Ligeti, Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Valery Gergiev
and Led Zeppelin have all been bestowed with the Prize since its inception in 1992. In 1992,
the Baltic States were also awarded the Prize to encourage them in their work for protection
of copyright.

Each recipient receives a total amount of one million Swedish Crowns.

The prize is presented at the Stockholm Concert Hall by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf
of Sweden to be followed by a celebratory banquet at Grand Hôtel.