The Australian Music Prize (The Amp) is gearing up for the announcement of its 2008 Shortlist. And this year, it’s letting the cat out of the bag early about one of The Amp’s Shortlisted nominees.

The Amp is pleased to announce that Cut Copy is one of this year’s Shortlisted artists.

Watch Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire video:

The Melbourne outfit’s album ‘In Ghost Colours’ was one of the most critically acclaimed Australian releases of 2008, as well as achieving commercial success and going to Number One on the ARIA Album Chart.

Prize Director of The Amp, Tracey Grimson, says Cut Copy’s nomination is being announced early because Cut Copy DJs have agreed to perform at next weekend’s St Kilda Festival in Melbourne to herald the announcement of the Shortlist.

“The Amp has announced Cut Copy’s nomination ahead of time so that fans of Cut Copy DJs don’t miss out on what is bound to be one of their legendary DJ sets,” she said.

“This is a great coup for The Amp - to have an artist that’s so high profile and with so much creative credibility helping us announce the Shortlist.”

The Amp Shortlist for 2008 comprises nine Australian artists. Each released an album last year which was judged by a panel of musicians, journalists and music retailers to be one of the finest, most creative of the year.

The announcement of the entire Shortlist will be made on the main stage at the St. Kilda Festival at 4.45pm on Sunday 8th February, 2009 preceding the Cut Copy DJs set, which starts at 5pm.

Making the Shortlist announcement will be Channel [V]’s Jane Gazzo. Channel [V] is one of the principal sponsors of this year’s Australian Music Prize and will be creating a half-hour Amp Shortlist special at the St Kilda Festival, to be aired in February.

All nine Shortlisted artists are in the running for a cash prize of $30,000, courtesy of Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA), which will go to the overall winner of The Amp 2008. (Previous winners of The Amp, now in its fourth year, are the Drones, Augie March and the Mess Hall.) In addition, $15,000 goes to the recipient of The Red Bull Award In Recognition of Outstanding Potential.

The winner of The Amp will be announced at an event in Sydney on Friday 13th March, 2009. To see the full Shortlist from Sunday 8th February and for more information, go to:

The Australian Music Prize Official Website