Spellemannprisen

Spellemannprisen is an award presented to Norwegian musicians for their contributions.

The award was established on the initiative of International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) , an organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It was first established and awarded in 1973 for the year 1972, and has continued to be awarded annually to date. The award is arranged by the Spellemanns committee which act as the judge, composed of officials from IFPI Norway and FONO, the association for Norwegian independent record companies.

The prizes are divided into 17 genres, three awards of authors (that year's contemporary composer, popular composer and lyricist) and four additional classes (Fiddler of the Year, newcomer, hit and music video). In addition, the members of the Committee decide whether it should be awarded honorary award and industry price.

There is a jury for each of the 21 classes and the members of each jury are kept secret to both the other juries and outsiders. Normally there can be only three participants nominated for each class. For each of the genre-specific classes it appoints a panel in which the composition is kept secret from each other and outsiders. Juries make determinations using the scoring of the registered artists and recordings to be nominated in the various classes. The jury then votes until a winner receives a bronze statuette and a diploma.

A separate jury nominates up to ten videos to that year's music while the Committee itself nominate artists for the hits this year and this year's newcomer. Winner of that year and that year's hit music chosen by public vote during the committee selections determine the winner of the newcomer. Committee members select the Fiddler of the Year for which case no nomination is announced to the public in advance.

Dating from 2007, the award for that year's newcomer expanded to include a working grant of 200 000 kroner. The scholarship is awarded by Gramo, the compensation bureau for the Norwegian music industry.

To date, fifteen artists have been the winner of five or more awards. Two of those who have won the most awards, the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Leif Ove Andsnes, have never received more than one award that year. Some artists have won numerous awards both as a solo artist and together with bands, like Morten Harket, lead singer of the synthpop band a-ha and singer-songwriter Gustav Lorentzen who has won the award for six discs, two of them with the singing duo, Knutsen & Ludvigsen.

Awards year by year

1972

Class	Artist
Female artist	Kirsti Sparboe
Male artist	Erik Bye
Group	Popol Vuh
Classical music	Philharmonic Company Orchestra
Folk music	Birgitte Grimstad
Open class	Einar Schanke
Music for children	Knutsen & Ludvigsen
Special award: The jury's honorary award	Egil Monn-Iversen/Bør Børson Jr.
Special award	Jens Book-Jenssen
And for arranging Spellemannprisen	Sigurd Jansen

1973

Class	Artist
Jazz	Christiania Jazzband
Female artist	Inger Lise Rypdal
Male artist	Benny Borg
Group	Saft
Classical music	Torkil Bye/Brynjar Hoff - Mozart obo-kvartett/fløytekvartett
Folk music	Lillebjørn Nilsen - Portrett
Open class	Bjørn Sand/Totto Osvold - Stutum Speaking
Music for children	Dizzie Tunes - Den aller siste ra-ta-ta/Hei-hå, hei-hå
Traditional music	Oddvar Nygaards Kvartett
Special award	Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa

External links

• Spellemann official website
• Spellemann search site