Stockholm - Acclaimed US soprano Renee Fleming and legendary British rock group Pink Floyd were Wednesday named winners of the Polar Music Prize 2008. The jury cited Fleming for her "sublime unparalleled voice and unique stylistic versatility," noting her broad repertoire that ranges "from Handel to principal parts in newly penned operas."
Pink Floyd, formed in the mid-1960s, were hailed for their "monumental contribution over decades to the fusion of art and music in the development of popular culture."
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden was due August 26 to present the awards, each worth 1 million kronor (164,000 dollars), at the Stockholm Concert Hall that is also venue for the annual Nobel Prize award ceremony, said Lennart Wiklund, chairman of the prize board.
The Polar Music Prize was created in 1989 by the late Stig "Stikkan" Andersson, former manager of Swedish super group ABBA.
The 2007 price was shared by Americans Steve Reich and Sonny Rollins.
Sir Paul McCartney was the first winner in 1992 when he shared the honour with the Baltic states, who had recently gained independence from the Soviet Union.
Former winners include blues legend BB King, Dizzy Gillespie, Witold Lutoslawski, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Quincy Jones, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Pierre Boulez, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Ravi Shankar, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Isaac Stern, Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Miriam Makeba and Keith Jarrett.
