For the fourth time, the listen to berlin: Awards reward outstanding achievements for Berlin’s music and cultural scene. Get ready for the shortlist of this year’s edition! Same procedure as every year: A 12-member jury handpicked musicians, bands and initiatives based on their efforts for Berlin’s music and cultural scene. Resulting in a shortlist of 20 nominees in nine categories. For the fourth time this year, the award is a prelude to MOST WANTED: MUSIC. So, winners are announced on 5 November at Kesselhaus Berlin. This year’s ceremony is presented by Cristoph Schrag and Helen Fares. In this way, listen to berlin: Awards 2019 once again set an example for new artistic impulses, sustainable visions, free-thinking, and civil courage within the music world. This led to prizes such as the Rolf Budde Prize, which is awarded to a person or initiative that has set a special example through moral courage and social commitment. This year’s nominees include Frank Zander, who has been organizing Christmas dinners for people in need for 25 years.

These are the nominees

After last year’s award, these are the nominees for the listen to berlin: Awards 2019:

• Prize für Support and Promotion of Berlin’s Music Scene: Gudrun Gut, Mahide Lein, Marcel Weber
• Rolf Budde Prize for Civil Courage in Music Industry: Frank Zander, Handiclapped – Kultur Barrierefrei e.V., #unteilbar
• Prize for Music Journalism: Aida Baghernejad, Jens Balzer, Mona Rübsamen
• Prize for Sustainability: Green Music Initiative, Max-Schmeling-Halle, Clubtopia
• Prize for Most Creative Campagne: BVG – Weil wir Dich lieben, Ezé Wendtoin – SAGE NEIN!, Femme de la Musique
• Innovation Award Music Video: Mine – 90 Grad, Modeselektor feat. Tommy Cash – Who, YURI & NEIL – The Hype
• Honorary Prize: SchwuZ, SOOKEE

Plus, both the music audience and the jury award a prize to an artist of the current listen to berlin compilation. In its 12th edition, the compilation again presents 18 cutting-edge, genre-bending tracks by Berlin musicians. Starting October 21st, you will be able to vote for your top 3 artists! The resulting shortlist will be published on the listen to berlin: Awards’ website on November 1st. Want to know more about the categories of the listen to berlin: Awards? Get more information here.

Making a stand: Prize for Sustainability

As MOST WANTED: MUSIC 2019 focusses on sustainability, the listen to berlin: Awards do their part as well. For the first time, there is a prize for sustainability! With this, the growing attention towards climate change is taken into account with regards to the music industry, too. Nominees in this category are Jacob Bilabel and the Green Music Initiative, the international sustainability initiative in the music and entertainment industry. Also, Max-Schmeling-Halle is one of the nominees: They rigorously switched to sustainable event management and even use 15 sheep on their roof as natural lawnmowers. And last but not least, BUND’s Clubtopia project is among the nominees in this category: it advocates climate-friendly nightlife in Berlin’s clubs. The listen to berlin: Awards are an event organized by the Berlin Music Commission on behalf of the State of Berlin. They are supported by the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Enterprises, carried out as part of the Berlin state initiative “Project Future” and funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Dr Klaus Lederer, Senator for Culture and Mayor of the City of Berlin, holds the patronage of the listen to berlin: Awards.