Tower Records opened an online store for the award, which included CD samplers of each year's nominated acts.
[9] Three winning albums eligible at the time of nomination—N.E.R.D's In Search of..., Rice's O, and Feist's The Reminder—went on to sell over 500,000 copies in the United States and achieved gold certification.
[12][13] It provided an artistic and independent music focus in contrast to the Grammys' major label or chart rankings affiliations.
The 2005 award ceremony was pushed back from the end of the year to March 2006 to coincide with the Grammys; it was eventually canceled because of "logistical reasons" and winner Stevens was given his prize informally.
After threatening legal action for the continuation of the Short List brand under the New Pantheon guise,[4] Spotts returned and purchased both trademarks, uniting the two titles under the Shortlist Music Prize.