An NRJ Music Award (commonly abbreviated as an NMA) is an award presented by the French radio station NRJ to honor the best in the French and worldwide music industry. The awards ceremony, created in 2000 by NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1, traditionally took place every year in mid-January at Cannes (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France) as the opening of MIDEM (Marché international de l'édition musicale). It is now held in the month of November. They give out awards to popular musicians in different categories.
The name "NRJ" means "Nouvelle Radio des Jeunes" (new radio of the young). It is a play on words between the pronunciation of the French letters and the French word "énergie" (energy). Val Kahl hosted and presented "Les Coulisses des NRJ Music Awards" Season 2011, 2012 and 2013 on NRJ12.
Award categories
Awards in the following categories are awarded to the musicians each year:
Francophone Breakthrough of the Year (Révélation francophone de l'année) International Breakthrough of the Year (Révélation internationale de l'année) Francophone Male Artist of the Year (Artiste masculin francophone de l'année) International Male Artist of the Year (Artiste masculin international de l'année) Francophone Female Artist of the Year (Artiste féminine francophone de l'année) International Female Artist of the Year (Artiste féminine internationale de l'année) Francophone Song of the Year (Chanson francophone de l'année) International Song of the Year (Chanson internationale de l'année) Francophone Album of the Year (Album francophone de l'année) International Album of the Year (Album international de l'année) Francophone Duo/Group of the Year (Groupe/duo francophone de l'année) International Duo/Group of the Year (Groupe/duo international de l'année) Video of the Year (Clip de l'année)
NRJ chooses 5 nominees in each category, and subjects them to online voting on their website. Subsequently, the winners are determined by a system where the public weighs in at 75% of the decision, and a jury established by NRJ and TF1 at 25%.
Award winners
2000 Award Winners – 1st NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Hélène Ségara International Breakthrough of the Year: Tina Arena Francophone Male Artist of the Year: David Hallyday International Male Artist of the Year: Will Smith Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer International Female Artist of the Year: Mariah Carey Francophone Song of the Year: Zebda – "Tomber la chemise" International Song of the Year: Lou Bega – "Mambo No. 5" Francophone Album of the Year: Mylène Farmer – Innamoramento International Album of the Year: Whitney Houston – My Love Is Your Love Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Zebda International Duo/Group of the Year: Texas Music Website of the Year: Indochine Best concert of the Year: Mylène Farmer
2001 Award Winners – 2nd NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Alizée International Breakthrough of the Year: Anastacia Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Pascal Obispo International Male Artist of the Year: Moby Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer International Female Artist of the Year: Madonna Francophone Song of the Year: Damien Sargue & Grégori Baquet & Philippe D'Avilla – "Les Rois du monde" (Extrait De spectacle musical de gérard presgurvic "Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour") International Song of the Year: Anastacia – "I'm Outta Love" Francophone Album of the Year: Hélène Ségara – Au nom d'une femme International Album of the Year: Madonna – Music Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Les Dix Commandements International Duo/Group of the Year: The Corrs Music Website of the Year: Alizée
2002 Award Winners – 3rd NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Ève Angeli International Breakthrough of the Year: Dido Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Garou International Male Artist of the Year: Michael Jackson Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer International Female Artist of the Year: Jennifer Lopez Francophone Song of the Year: Axel Bauer & Zazie – "À ma place" International Song of the Year: Geri Halliwell – "It's Raining Men" Francophone Album of the Year: Gérald De Palmas – Marcher dans le sable International Album of the Year: Dido – No Angel Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Garou & Céline Dion International Duo/Group of the Year: Destiny's Child Music Website of the Year: Garou
2003 Award Winners – 4th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Jenifer International Breakthrough of the Year: Las Ketchup Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Gérald De Palmas International Male Artist of the Year: Billy Crawford Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer International Female Artist of the Year: Shakira Francophone Song of the Year: Renaud & Axelle Red – "Manhattan-Kaboul" International Song of the Year: Shakira – "Whenever, Wherever" Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Lorie Francophone Album of the Year: Indochine – Paradize International Album of the Year: Shakira – Laundry Service Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Renaud & Axelle Red International Duo/Group of the Year: The Calling Music Website of the Year: Jennifer Lopez NRJ Award of Honor for the Career: Phil Collins
2004 Award Winners – 5th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Nolwenn Leroy International Breakthrough of the Year: Evanescence Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Calogero International Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer International Female Artist of the Year: Dido Francophone Song of the Year: Kyo feat. Sita – "Le Chemin" International Song of the Year: Blue featuring Elton John – "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" Francophone Album of the Year: Kyo – Le Chemin International Album of the Year: Dido – Life for Rent Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Kyo International Duo/Group of the Year: Good Charlotte Music website of the Year: Kyo NRJ Award of Honor for the Career: Madonna
2005 Award Winners – 6th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Emma Daumas International Breakthrough of the Year: Maroon 5 Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Roch Voisine International Male Artist of the Year: Usher Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer International Female Artist of the Year: Avril Lavigne Francophone Song of the Year: K-Maro featuring Nancy Martinez – "Femme Like U (Donne-moi ton corps)" International Song of the Year: Maroon 5 – "This Love" Francophone Album of the Year: Jenifer – Le Passage International Album of the Year: Black Eyed Peas – Elephunk Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Calogero & Passi International Duo/Group of the Year: Placebo Video of the Year: Corneille – "Parce qu'on vient de loin" NRJ Award of Honor for the Career: U2
2006 Award Winners – 7th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Grégory Lemarchal International Breakthrough of the Year: James Blunt Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Raphaël International Male Artist of the Year: Robbie Williams Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer International Female Artist of the Year: Madonna Francophone Song of the Year: M. Pokora feat. Sweety – "Elle me contrôle" International Song of the Year: Anastacia – "Left Outside Alone" Francophone Album of the Year: Mylène Farmer – Avant que l'ombre... International Album of the Year: Black Eyed Peas – Monkey Business Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Le Roi Soleil International Duo/Group of the Year: Black Eyed Peas Video of the Year: M. Pokora feat. Sweety – "Elle me contrôle" NRJ Award of Honor: Bob Geldof (for organizing the Live 8)
2007 Award Winners – 8th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Christophe Maé International Breakthrough of the Year: Nelly Furtado Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Diam's International Female Artist of the Year: Christina Aguilera Francophone Male Artist of the Year: M. Pokora International Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Le Roi Soleil International Duo/Group of the Year: Evanescence International Song of the Year: Rihanna – "Unfaithful" Francophone Album of the Year: Diam's – Dans ma bulle International Album of the Year: Christina Aguilera – Back to Basics Francophone Song of the Year: Diam's – "La Boulette (Génération Nan Nan)" Video of the Year: M. Pokora – "De retour" DJ of the Year: Bob Sinclar
2008 Awards Winners – 9th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Christophe Willem International Breakthrough of the Year: Mika Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer International Female Artist of the Year: Avril Lavigne Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Christophe Maé International Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Superbus International Duo/Group of the Year: Tokio Hotel International Song of the Year: Rihanna – "Don't Stop the Music" Francophone Album of the Year: Christophe Willem – Inventaire International Album of the Year: Britney Spears – Blackout Francophone Song of the Year: Christophe Maé – "On s'attache" Video of the Year: Fatal Bazooka – "Parle à ma main" NRJ Award of Honor: Céline Dion, Michael Jackson and Kylie Minogue
2009 Awards Winners – 10th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Zaho International Breakthrough of the Year: Jonas Brothers Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer International Female Artist of the Year: Britney Spears Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Christophe Maé International Male Artist of the Year: Enrique Iglesias Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Cléopâtre International Duo/Group of the Year: The Pussycat Dolls International Song of the Year: Rihanna – "Disturbia" Francophone Album of the Year: Mylène Farmer - Point de suture International Album of the Year: Katy Perry – One of the Boys Francophone Song of the Year: Christophe Maé – "Belle Demoiselle" Video of the Year: Britney Spears – "Womanizer" NRJ Award of Honor: Coldplay
2010 Awards Winners – 11th NRJ Music Awards Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Florent Mothe International Breakthrough of the Year: Lady Gaga Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Sofia Essaïdi International Female Artist of the Year: Rihanna Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Christophe Willem International Male Artist of the Year: Robbie Williams Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Mozart, l'opéra rock International Duo/Group of the Year: Tokio Hotel Francophone Song of the Year: Florent Mothe - "L'Assasymphonie" (Mozart l'Opéra Rock) International Song of the Year: Black Eyed Peas - "I Gotta Feeling" Francophone Album of the Year: Christophe Willem - Caféine International Album of the Year: David Guetta - One Love Song Most Downloaded of the Year in France: Helmut Fritz - "Ça m'énerve" NRJ Award of Honor: Robbie Williams and Beyoncé
2011 Awards Winners – 12th NRJ Music Awards Source: Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Joyce Jonathan International Breakthrough of the Year: Justin Bieber Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer International Female Artist of the Year: Shakira Francophone Male Artist of the Year: M. Pokora International Male Artist of the Year: Usher Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Justin Nozuka feat. Zaho International Duo/Group of the Year: Black Eyed Peas Francophone Song of the Year: M. Pokora – "Juste une photo de toi" International Song of the Year: Shakira – "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" Concert of the Year: The Black Eyed Peas Video of the Year: Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé – "Telephone" Hit of the Year: Flo Rida and David Guetta - "Club Can't Handle Me" NRJ Award of Honor: David Guetta
2012 Awards Winners – 13th NRJ Music Awards Source: NRJ Award of Diamond: Mylène Farmer