The Audience Award One of the main awards has now been decided by you the audience. The winner will be announced at the Poll Winners concert in March. A huge thanks to all those who contributed. It was wonderful to see such a wide-ranging list of nominations (left) and the way so many of the musicians have touched your lives.
Here are the bands who were voted onto the final shortlist. Click on each name to read more about them and click on the 'listen' icon to hear a selected track from each band. A large selection of your comments can be found by clicking on the list to the left.
Graham Ashby, Canada:
'I discovered them this year, and find I can listen to them constantly. There are so many layers on their recordings, and a wonderful mix of influences.'
Juli Kelen, USA:
'Baka Beyond have done a tremendous amount to call the music world's attention to the precarious situation of the Baka Pygmy people of the African forest... all this while creating an entirely original musical synthesis that is at once haunting and energizing. A portion of the band's profits go directly to the Baka people. Now, I call that Conscious!'
David Blagden, Rotherham:
'Their music is full of joy and spirit.'
