Artist News Awards

Metallica to be presented with Polar Music Prize

By | Published on Wednesday 14 February 2018

Metallica

Metallica have been announced as one of the two winners of this year’s Polar Music Prize. They will receive the award in June, alongside the Afghanistan National Institute Of Music.

“Receiving the Polar Music Prize is an incredible thing”, says Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. “It puts us in very distinguished company. It’s a great validation of everything that Metallica has done over the last 35 years. At the same time, we feel like we’re in our prime with a lot of good years ahead of us”.

ANIM founder Ahmad Sarmast adds: “I’m very excited, honoured and privileged to be a recipient of the 2018 Polar Music Prize alongside The Afghanistan National Institute of Music”.

The Afghanistan National Institute Of Music was founded in 2010, in response to the loss of traditional music in Afghanistan due to the political situation in the country. Between 1996 and 2001, music had been completely banned there.

Presented by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, each Polar Music Prize winner receives one million Swedish kronor (approximately £90,000).

Commenting on this year’s recipients, Marie Ledin, MD of the Polar Music Prize, says: “We believe that our two recipients, although from very contrasting worlds, exemplify the mission of the Polar Music Prize, and that is to honour musicians and music organisations whose work has made a difference to people’s lives”.

She goes on: “Metallica are loved and admired by millions of hard rock fans across the globe. They have led where other bands have followed and their 2017 world tour broke all records. Dr Ahmad Sarmast founded the Afghanistan National Institute Of Music to restore the joy and power of music to children’s lives. ANIM’s work with young people and disadvantaged children is truly inspirational”.

The ceremony will take place at Stockholm’s Grand Hôtel on 14 Jun. Previous winners include Paul McCartney, Elton John, Björk, and Evelyn Glennie.



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