The Polar Music Prize 2016 is awarded to songwriter Martin Sandberg from Stockholm, Sweden, who writes under the name Max Martin. Melodies are like time capsules. Melodies define their time and are spread from person to person, across borders and across generations. In the last 20 years, no composer in the world has written melodies as sustainable or as widespread as those of Max Martin. Right now, at this very moment, someone, somewhere in the world will be singing a hit song written and produced by Max Martin. With his ear for song melodies, his musical precision and craftsmanship, he has refined and developed the world’s popular music.
Cecilia Bartoli
The Polar Music Prize 2016 is awarded to the mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli from Rome, Italy. With a vocal range of three octaves and a unique ability to live a role with fullness of expression, Cecilia Bartoli has developed song as an art form. Cecilia Bartoli has spellbound audiences in the world’s great opera houses, but is not content with the well-known repertoire. She has also dug deeply into the history of music and presented long-lost music from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries that is completely new to today’s audiences. Cecilia Bartoli adds new chapters to the history of music, builds bridges between centuries and deepens our understanding of Europe’s cultural heritage. Cecilia Bartoli shows us that raised voices can change the world.
Max Announcement video featuring Britney, Katy, P!nk, Adam Levine, Justin Timberlake and more
Cecilia announcement video
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For those who don't know, the Polar Music Prize is considered one of the hugest musical honour, sometimes called the Nobel Prize equivalent for music. Past winners hall of fame is incredible, being bestowed upon names like Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Burt Bacharach, Keith Jarrett, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Ennio Morricone, Patti Smith, Paul Simon and Björk.