This year’s winners are some of the hottest names on the European music scene - Adele (UK), Alphabeat (Denmark), AaRON (France), Cinema Bizarre (Germany), The Dø (France), Kraak & Smaak (Netherlands), Ida Corr (Denmark), Lykke Li (Sweden), The Script (Ireland) and The Ting Tings (UK).

The awards will be presented at a televised ceremony in the Dutch city of Groningen on the opening night of the EuroSonic Noorderslag music festival. British TV personality Jools Holland will host the event, which will feature performances by current and previous winners.

Now in its sixth year, the awards showcase international success and support the European music industry, which employs about 600 000.

Former winners include now established artists such as Carla Bruni, Tokio Hotel, Damien Rice, The Fratellis and Gabriel Rios, a Puerto Rican-born singer who lives in Belgium. He will perform at this year’s ceremony, which will be recorded live and broadcast via the EBU network of TV and radio stations on Saturday 17 January, starting at 20:15 (CET).

One of last year’s winners was the Finnish rock band Sunrise Avenue, which won for its “On The Way to Wonderland” album. Mikko Saukkonen, promotion manager for the band’s Bonnier Amigo label, said the award has already drawn attention to the group, currently recording a second album. “We’re very sure it will help the band in the future.”