Pitchfork

The U.S. music industry is unveiling a new music award called the Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music. It was reportedly modeled after England's Mercury Prize as a means to "honour the most adventurous and creative albums in contemporary music." Among the 15 judges on the panel are Beck, Dave Grohl, Mos Def, Trent Reznor, Aimee Mann, the Roots' ?uestlove, Dan the Automator, Lucinda Williams, and Macy Gray. Various other industry types weighing in include producers Steve Lillywhite and Ross Robinson, journalist Neil Strauss, Nic Harcourt of KCRW, and Urb editor Raymond Roker. (C'mon, dude, Pitchfork could kick Ray Roker's ass in this goddamn thing!)

n The 49 albums chosen as nominees are surprisingly indie- and hip-hop-centric, with such Pitchfork favorites as Sigur Rós, the White Stripes, Cannibal Ox, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Tortoise, the Shins and the Beta Band in the running. Of these 49, ten will be chosen as finalists, with one standing apart as the supposed epitome of perfect music. Albums were only eligible if they were released after July 1st, 2000, and if they haven't sold more than 500,000 copies (certified gold) at the time of their nominations.

n The winners are scheduled to be announced on October 31st at a Halloween party and concert in Los Angeles. And the nominees are:

n Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker (Bloodshot)
Afro-Celt Sound System: Vol. 3: Further in Time (Realworld)
Afroman: The Good Times (Universal)
Air: 10,000 Hz Legend (Astralwerks)
Angel: New Gravity (New Line)
At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command (Grand Royal)
Basement Jaxx: Rooty (Astralwerks)
Beta Band: Hotshots II (Astralwerks)
Bilal: 1st Born Second (Interscope)
Blind Boys of Alabama: Spirit of the Century (Realworld)
BMRC: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Virgin)
Cake: Comfort Eagle (Columbia)
Cannibal Ox: The Cold Vein (Def Jux)
Nikka Costa: Everybody Got Their Something (Virgin)
Cousteau: Cousteau (Palm)
Daft Punk: Discovery (Virgin)
Dandy Warhols: Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia (Capitol)
Jay Dee: Welcome to Detroit (!K7)
Fantômas: The Director's Cut (Ipecac)
Foxy Brown: Broken Silence (Uptown/Universal)
Michael Franti & Spearhead: Stay Human (Six Degrees)
Godspeed You Black Emperor!: Lift Your Skinny Fists... (Kranky)
Gorillaz: Gorillaz (Virgin)
PJ Harvey: Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (Island)
Joe Henry: Scar (Mammoth)
In Flames: Clayman (Nuclear Blast)
Kool Keith: Matthew (Funky Ass)
Kool Keith: Spankmaster (TVT)
Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek: Reflection Eternal (Rawkus)
Kirsty MacColl: Tropical Brainstorm (Instinct)
M.O.P.: Warriors (Relativity)
Mystic: Cuts for Luck and Scars for Life (Jcor)
Nortec Collective: Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 1 (Palm)
Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches (Kitty-Yo)
Grant Lee Phillips: Mobilize (Zöe/Rounder)
Rachid: Made in Medina (Ark 21)
Res: How I Do (MCA)
Ron Sexsmith: Blue Boy (Cooking Vinyl/spinART)
Shins: Oh, Inverted World (Sub Pop)
Si Se: Si Se (Luaka Bop)
Sigur Rós: \xC1gætis Byrjun (Pias America)
Roni Size & Reprazent: In the Mode (Island)
Jimi Tenor: Out of Nowhere (Warp/Matador)
Tortoise: Standards (Thrill Jockey)
Julieta Venegas: Bueninvento (BMG Latin)
Gillian Welch: Time: The Revelator (Acony)
White Stripes: White Blood Cells (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Saul Williams: Amethyst Rock Star (Columbia)
Pete Yorn: Musicforthemorningafter (Columbia)