The Music Moves Europe Awards, also known as the MME Awards, is an annual prize recognizing the success of ten emerging artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year. The prize was known as the European Border Breakers Awards (EBBA) until 2019, and the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards (MMETA) until 2022.
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Organization
The EBBA Awards were launched by the European Commission and are a European Union award. Since 2009, the awards are organised by Eurosonic Noorderslag and the award is presented at the Eurosonic Noorderslag festival.
Partners
European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
The European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP), which creates a network between European popular music festivals, facilitating the booking of European bands from outside their home country. It also gives information to the media about emerging European artists.
Selection of the winners
The artists or groups nominated for the European Border Breakers Awards are selected on the basis of the following criteria:
The success of the first international release in European countries other than the home territory of the artist in the past year.
Radio airplay given to an artist by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) radio channels.
The artist's success at European festivals (ETEP) outside of his/her home country.
Public Choice Award
Since 2010, an online vote takes place to choose which EBBA Award winner will receive the Public Choice Award, on top of the "regular" award. The first winner was Belgian singer-songwriter Milow. The German rock & roll band The Baseballs won in 2011. Selah Sue from Belgium won the prize in 2012.
The show
Since 2009 the award ceremony takes place every year in January, during the Eurosonic Noorderslag festival, in the Dutch city of Groningen, presented by BBC host and musician Jools Holland. EBBA Award winners perform live during the show, as well as during the festival itself. Winners from previous years are invited to perform as special guests. The ceremony is recorded by the public broadcaster NOS/NTR and broadcast through NPO 3. The show is annually broadcast on several European television channels.
Background
The EBBA Awards were initiated by the European Commission in 2004. With the awards, the European Commission aims to stimulate the cross-border circulation of popular music repertoire and to highlight Europe's great musical diversity. The European Border Breakers Awards are supported through the Culture Programme of the European Union, which seeks to promote cross-border mobility of artists and culture professionals; to encourage the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic output; and to foster intercultural dialogue.
List of winners
2010
Public Choice Award: Milow
2011
Public Choice Award: The Baseballs
2012
Public Choice Award: Selah Sue
2015
Winner Public Choice Award: The Common Linnets
Best festival act award (awarded for the first time at this edition): Jungle
2016
Public Choice Award: Carnival Youth
2017
Public Choice Award: Dua Lipa
2018
Public Choice Award: Kristian Kostov
2020
Meduza (Italy)
Girl in Red (Norway)
Naaz (Netherlands)
Anna Leone (Sweden)
Pongo (Portugal)
Harmed (Hungary)
5K HD (Austria)
Flohio (United Kingdom)
Public Choice Award: Naaz (Netherlands)
2021
Alyona Alyona (Ukraine)
Inhaler (Ireland)
Julia Bardo (Italy)
Lous and the Yakuza (Belgium)
Melenas (Spain)
Rimon (Netherlands)
Sassy 009 (Norway)
Vildá (Finland)
Public Choice Award: Alyona Alyona (Ukraine)
2022
The list of 2022 winners:
Grand Jury MME Award: Meskerem Mees (Belgium)
MME Awards:
Mezerg (France)
Alina Pash (Ukraine)
Denise Chaila (Ireland)
Дeva (Hungary)
Blanks (Netherlands)
Public Choice Award: Ladaniva (Armenia)
2023
The list of 2023 winners:
Grand Jury MME Award: Sans Soucis (Italy)
MME Awards:
July Jones (Slovenia)
Kids Return (France)
OSKA (Austria)
Queralt Lahoz (Spain)
Schmyt (Germany)
Public Choice Award: Jerry Heil (Ukraine)
2024
The list of 2024 winners:
Grand Jury MME Award: Zaho de Sagazan (France)
MME Awards:
Yunè Pinku (Ireland)
Bulgarian Cartrader (Bulgaria)
Giift (Denmark)
freekind. (Slovenia)
Ralphie Choo (Spain)
Public Choice Award: Zaho de Sagazan (France)
2025
The list of 2025 winners:
Grand Jury MME Award: Yamê (France)
MME Awards:
Judeline (Spain)
Kingfishr (Ireland)
Naomi Sharon (Netherlands)
Night Tapes (Estonia)
Uche Yara (Austria)
Public Choice Award: Judeline (Spain)
2026
The list of 2026 winners:
Grand Jury MME Award: Lia Kali (Spain)
MME Awards:
Sofie Royer (Austria)
Camille Yembe (Belgium)
Sarah Julia (Netherlands)
Della (Cyprus)
Carpetman (Ukraine)
Public Choice Award: Lia Kali (Spain)