The Shortlist Music Prize, stylized as (shôrt–lĭst), was an annual music award for the best album released in the United States that had sold fewer than 500,000 copies at the time of nomination. First given as a cash prize in 2001 under the name Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music, The recipient is chosen by a panel of entertainment industry members and journalists known as the "Listmakers". Over 50 of the best albums of the previous 12 months are picked before being narrowed down to the eponymous Shortlist, from which a winner is chosen. Since 2003, a gold statuette, nicknamed "The Shorty", has been given out in conjunction with the cash prize.
Modeled on the British Mercury Prize, The majority of the seven winners so far have been singer-songwriters: Irishman Damien Rice won in 2003, N.E.R.D received the accolade between the time of nomination and the award ceremony. It provided an artistic and independent music focus in contrast to the Grammys' major label or chart rankings affiliations. The award ceremony continued to be held in the early part of years until the last given prize for 2007.<br />
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| align="center"|2003
| Damien Rice
|O
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- The Black Keys – Thickfreakness
- Bright Eyes – Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
- Cat Power – You Are Free
- Cody ChesnuTT – The Headphone Masterpiece
- Floetry – Floetic
- Interpol – Turn On the Bright Lights
- Sigur Rós – ( )
- The Streets – Original Pirate Material
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell
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|-
| align="center"|2005
| Sufjan Stevens
|Illinois<!-- DO NOT CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ALBUM: the album is "Illinois", one track is "Come on Feel the Illinoise": see the Talk:Sufjan_Stevens page-->
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- Animal Collective – Feels
- Antony and the Johnsons – I Am a Bird Now
- Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine
- Arcade Fire – Funeral
- Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
- Death Cab for Cutie – Plans
- The Decemberists – Picaresque
- Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak
- M.I.A. – Arular
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|-
| align="center"|2007
| Feist
|The Reminder
|
- Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
- Burial – Untrue
- Justice – †
- LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
- M.I.A. – Kala
- Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
- Robert Pollard – Standard Gargoyle Decisions
- Stars – In Our Bedroom After the War
- Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
- Working for a Nuclear Free City – Businessmen & Ghosts
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See also
- Mercury Prize (UK)
- Australian Music Prize (Australia)
- Choice Music Prize (Ireland)
- Polaris Music Prize (Canada)
- Prix Constantin (France)
- Nordic Music Prize (Nordic countries)