Esa-Pekka
Salonen

Nile
Rodgers

Announcements

Latest news

March 12 – Announcement 2024

The 2024 Polar Music Prize Laureates

Nile Rodgers, award-winning songwriter, composer, producer, arranger, guitarist and co-founder of CHIC, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, esteemed conductor and composer, are announced today as recipients of the 2024 Polar Music Prize.

Laureate 2024

Nile Rodgers

The 2024 Polar Music Prize is awarded to Nile Rodgers from the USA. Dance music has been played for thousands of years. However, there are few in history, if any, who have composed dance music as sophisticated and subtly arranged as Nile Rodgers. It is fitting that his group was named Chic: elegance is part of his musical hallmark. As a composer, producer and guitarist, Nile Rodgers turned disco and funk into an art form. His chop chord style of guitar playing, which he calls chucking, creates a hypnotic swing that has kept millions grooving on the dance floor. The songs created by Nile Rodgers for Chic, Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna, Daft Punk and many others are so well-crafted that they will outlive us all.

Laureate 2024

Esa-Pekka Salonen

The 2024 Polar Music Prize is awarded to Esa-Pekka Salonen from Finland. His breakthrough came in 1983 when he conducted Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. As a composer, Esa-Pekka shares many similarities with Gustav Mahler. They have been equally prominent both as conductors and composers, and characterised by the same artistic curiosity. On stage and in the studio, Esa-Pekka Salonen embraces technological innovations, not simply for the sake of experimentation, but as a way to help people discover great music in the constantly changing world of media. Esa-Pekka Salonen is a master of tone in soul and heart. With his resolute baton, he not only guides symphony orchestras but points the way for all classical music.

Music

Get to know the music of this year’s Laureates.

We’ve chosen some of the defining works of our two new Laureates in the official Polar Music Prize playlist.

Polar Talks

Polar Talks – May 20 2024

The Laureates of 2024, Nile Rodgers and Esa-Pekka Salonen, will join us for live interviews on May 20 for the return of Polar Talks. More info soon.

Announcement – Press

Visit our Press room

Visit our press room for press contacts, press photos and the latest press review.

Previous Laureates