London--April 7, 2003: Amazon.co.uk today unveils the shortlist for its inaugural Music Journalism Awards. More than 150 entries have been submitted over the last year, from national-newspaper music critics right through to student journalists.
The Amazon.co.uk Music Journalist Awards were set up with the aim of showcasing music writing and are judged by a panel of some of the UK's most prominent journalists. These include Miranda Sawyer (The Observer, GQ, M Magazine), Ajax Scott (Music Week), Phil Sutcliffe (NUJ), David Quantick (Channel 4, Lloyd Cole Knew My Father), John Aizlewood (The Guardian, Q, The Sunday Times), Emma Jones (Smash Hits, The Sun) and Rob Burrow, Editor of Amazon.co.uk's Music shop. The awards come with the support of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).
From the full list of entries, 25 names have been chosen, spanning nine different categories: Classical, Dance & Electronic, Hard Rock & Metal, Hip-Hop & Rap, Jazz, Pop, R&B and Soul, Rock & Indie and Student. The full shortlist is:
Classical
Stephen Johnson--BBC Music
Sue Stewart--BBC Music
Rob Cowan--Gramophone
Dance & Electronic
Tom Horan--Daily Telegraph
Chris Blue--Jockey Slut
Tom Magic Feet--Jockey Slut
Dorian Lynskey--Q Magazine
Hard Rock and Metal
Ian Winwood--Kerrang! *Three articles shortlisted
Hip-Hop & Rap
Dorian Lynskey--Q Magazine
William Shaw--The Guardian
Hattie Collins--The Guardian Guide
Jazz
Keith Shandwick--Jazzwise
Kevin Le Gendre--Jazzwise
Clive Davis--The Independent
Pop
Neil McCormack--Daily Telegraph
Dorian Lynskey--Q Magazine
Andy Gill--The Independent
David Sinclair--The Times
R&B and Soul
Tom Horan--Daily Telegraph
Peter Robinson--The Guardian Guide
Rock & Indie
Nick Doherty--Jockey Slut
Neil Beaumont--NME
Cole Moreton--The Independent on Sunday
Chris Salmon--Time Out
Student
Krissi Morrison--Bristol University/NME
Ria Hopkinson--Oxford Student
David Walker--Strathclyde Telegraph
Isobel Todd--York Vision
Amazon.co.uk's Robert Burrow commented:
- Music writing is an integral part of the Amazon.co.uk Music shop and there is a huge amount of writing talent in the British music press. We are pleased to be able to officially recognise this talent through these inaugural awards. The standard has been terrific and it's great to see so many entries were submitted.
Awards will be presented for each category and the overall winner--Amazon.co.uk's Music Journalist of the Year--will be announced at the end of April after a final judges' meeting. Each category winner will receive £450 and the overall winner will receive a laptop computer.
For further information please contact the Amazon.co.uk press office on 020 8636 9280.
About Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998, and strives to be the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online. Amazon.co.uk and sellers list millions of new and used items in categories such as Books, Music, Video, DVD, Software, PC & Video Games, Electronics & Photo, Home & Garden, and Toys & Games!. Through Amazon Marketplace, zShops and Auctions any business or individual can sell virtually anything to Amazon.co.uk's millions of customers. Amazon.co.uk customers enjoy the benefits of industry-leading online-shopping technology, such as secure credit-card payment, personalised recommendations, streamlined, 1-Click® ordering and hassle-free Bid-Click® auction bidding. Through Amazon Anywhere, Amazon.co.uk is also available on mobile phones with WAP technology--see www.amazon.co.uk/anywhere for details.
Amazon.com and its affiliates operate seven websites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.ca, and www.joyo.com.
As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
Forward-looking Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to potential future losses, significant amount of indebtedness, competition, management of growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions, and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, international expansion, consumer trends, inventory, limited operating history, government regulation and taxation, fraud, and new business areas. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, and all subsequent filings.