Every Polar Music Prize laureate, 2005–2025
The top 3 according to 112 votes from people: Gilberto Gil (2005) · Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (2005) · Led Zeppelin (2006). (Updated Sep 19, 2025.)
Founded by ABBA manager Stig Anderson and often called the Nobel Prize of music, the Polar Music Prize usually honours one popular-music artist and one from art music each year. Here are all the laureates from 2005 to 2025, from Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to Queen, Herbie Hancock and Barbara Hannigan. No prize was awarded in 2021 because of the pandemic.
Automatically translated (original in Svenska). See the original
Top 43
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1
Gilberto Gil (2005)
Brazil.
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2
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (2005)
Germany.
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3
Led Zeppelin (2006)
United Kingdom.
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4
Valery Gergiev (2006)
Russia.
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5
Pink Floyd (2008)
United Kingdom.
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6
Ennio Morricone (2010)
Italy.
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7
Kronos Quartet (2011)
United States.
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8
Peter Sellars (2014)
United States.
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9
Chuck Berry (2014)
United States.
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10
Evelyn Glennie (2015)
United Kingdom.
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11
Emmylou Harris (2015)
United States.
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12
Sonny Rollins (2007)
United States.
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13
Steve Reich (2007)
United States.
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14
Peter Gabriel (2009)
United Kingdom.
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15
José Antonio Abreu and El Sistema (2009)
Venezuela.
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16
Björk (2010)
Iceland.
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17
Paul Simon (2012)
United States.
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18
Sting (2017)
United Kingdom.
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19
Anne-Sophie Mutter (2019)
Germany.
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20
Esa-Pekka Salonen (2024)
Finland.
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21
Barbara Hannigan (2025)
Canada.
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22
Afghanistan National Institute of Music and Ahmad Sarmast (2018)
Afghanistan.
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23
Kaija Saariaho (2013)
Finland.
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24
Playing for Change (2019)
United States.
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25
Diane Warren (2020)
United States.
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26
Patti Smith (2011)
United States.
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27
Max Martin (2016)
Sweden. The Swedish songwriter behind hits for Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.
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28
Wayne Shorter (2017)
United States.
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29
Anna Netrebko (2020)
Russia/Austria.
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30
Iggy Pop (2022)
United States.
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31
Ensemble intercontemporain (2022)
France.
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32
Chris Blackwell (2023)
United Kingdom.
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33
Arvo Pärt (2023)
Estonia.
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34
Nile Rodgers (2024)
United States.
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35
Queen (2025)
United Kingdom.
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36
Renée Fleming (2008)
United States.
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37
Yo-Yo Ma (2012)
United States.
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38
Cecilia Bartoli (2016)
Italy.
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39
Angélique Kidjo (2023)
Benin.
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40
Youssou N'Dour (2013)
Senegal.
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41
Grandmaster Flash (2019)
United States.
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42
Herbie Hancock (2025)
United States.
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43
Metallica (2018)
United States.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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