SHORTLIST GOES LONG

Andrew W.K., Bjork, DJ Quik, Doves, Drive-By Truckers, Flaming Lips, Le Tigre, Meshell NdegeOcello, N.E.R.D., Patty Griffin, Remy Shand, Ryan Adams, Sonic Youth, the Eels, The Faint, The Hives, The Vines, Tom Waits, Wilco, X-ecutioners, Zero 7.

They are among the 75 finalists for this year’s Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music selected by a panel of "Listmakers" including Iggy Pop, Beck, Mos Def, India.Arie, Paul Oakenfold, the Neptunes, Jill Scott, Baz Luhrmann, Spike Jonze, Alanis Morissette, U2’s Larry Mullen Jr., Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Gorillaz’ Damon Albarn, the Strokes’ Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., the Roots’ ?uestlover and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon.

The nominations are the first of three steps in awarding this year’s second annual Prize, which was given last year to Icelandic band Sigur Ros. The award, which will be presented Oct. 29 at L.A.’s Knitting Factory, was created by Greg Spotts and MCA A&R executive Tom Sarig to "expose and illuminate" the most creative works by emerging artists.

Eligible nominees had albums relesed between July 1, 2001 and Aug. 19, 2002, and must not have been certified gold by the RIAA at the time of its nomination. The Top 10 vote-getters will be announced on Sept. 16 and will compose the finalists. The complete Long List, including the nominating Listmaker for each, can be found at www.shortlistofmusic.com.

Commented Sarig: "The Shortlist is the only organization in the U.S. that recognizes artistic excellence across all genres of music, rather than dividing creativity into arbitrary categories. This year’s Long List reflects a wide spectrum of creativity from both major and independent labels."

The Shortlist Organization was founded in 2001 to create opportunities for left-of-center culture to cross over to the mainstream and to drive the Grammy people a little nuts.