Some of Europe’s most promising bands get the recognition they deserve at the European Border Breaker Awards. These European awards, which reward European artists who have gained public favour outside their home country, were awarded in a ceremony which served as opening for one of the most important musical events on the European stage.

With the European Border Breakers Award, the European Commission and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) highlight the success of ten beginner European artists in selling albums and touring outside their home territory. The prize, which is funded by the EU Culture Programme, aims to stimulate the cross-border circulation of artists' works and to highlight Europe's great musical diversity.

In this year edition the awrads went to pop, rock and dance artists from Germany, Denmark, France, Norway, Romania, Austria, Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium. Winners of the special public choice award, based on a poll of fans across Europe, were the Germany-based Baseballs, for their retro cover of the Snow Patrol anthem, ‘Chasing Cars’.

The awarding ceremony, which took place on 12 January, also kicked off one of the biggest live music industry event of the year, the Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival in Holland, hosted by popular musician and TV personality, Jools Holland.

Winners are selected on the basis of their sales and airplay figures at home and abroad, the strength of their live performances and their popularity at music festivals across Europe. Several of the winning artists performed live at the awarding ceremony, and were joined by Katie Melua, a former winner who is now an established artist. Some names in the European stage, such as the Fratellis, Damien Rice and The Thrills, also received Border Breaker awards in the past.