2013 Polaris Music Prize

The 2013 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 23, 2013^[1] at The Carlu event theatre in Toronto, Ontario.^[2]

The award was won by Godspeed You! Black Emperor for their album 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!.^[3] The band subsequently released a statement criticizing the prize's gala trappings in a time of austerity, asserting that "organizing a gala just so musicians can compete against each other for a novelty-sized cheque doesn't serve the cause of righteous music at all. Maybe the next celebration should happen in a cruddier hall, without the corporate banners and culture overlords."^[2] Despite their criticism the band accepted the award, but donated the prize money to a Quebec-based program of music education in prisons.^[2]