'Champions' Queen win 2025 Polar Music Prize

Herbie Hancock performs on the Pyramid stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 26, 2022. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo
Herbie Hancock performs on the Pyramid stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 26, 2022. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo
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'Champions' Queen win 2025 Polar Music Prize

Herbie Hancock performs on the Pyramid stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 26, 2022. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo
Herbie Hancock performs on the Pyramid stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 26, 2022. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo

British rock band Queen, American jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan were awarded the 2025 Polar Music Prize on Tuesday.

The Polar Prize hailed Queen for their "distinctive and instantly recognizable sound that no one else can emulate".

"Queen were not exaggerating when they sang 'We are the Champions'," it said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Queen have sold more than 300 million albums featuring songs such as "We Will Rock You", "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Founded in 1970, the band featured flamboyant frontman Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bass player John Deacon. They played stadiums across the world - including a memorable performance at the Live Aid concert in 1985 - before Mercury's death in 1991.

They relaunched in 2004 with a succession of new singers.

Queen share the prize with American jazz pianist Herbie Hanckock, a collaborator of Miles Davies among others as well as a solo star in his own right, and Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan.

Founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, publisher and manager of the Swedish band ABBA, previous winners include Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Sting, Elton John and Metallica.



Cyndi Lauper, Chubby Checker Chosen for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 

Cyndi Lauper performs on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 29, 2024. (Reuters)
Cyndi Lauper performs on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 29, 2024. (Reuters)
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Cyndi Lauper, Chubby Checker Chosen for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 

Cyndi Lauper performs on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 29, 2024. (Reuters)
Cyndi Lauper performs on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 29, 2024. (Reuters)

"The Twist" singer Chubby Checker, pop star Cyndi Lauper and grunge rock band Soundgarden were among the acts chosen for induction this year into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest announced the 2025 inductees during the ABC singing competition show on Sunday.

Others selected for the Rock Hall in Cleveland included English rock group Bad Company, hip-hop act Outkast, rock and blues singer Joe Cocker and garage rock duo The White Stripes.

The artists will be inducted during a ceremony that will stream live on Disney+ from Los Angeles on Nov. 8.

Inductees were chosen by fans and industry experts. Artists must have released their first recording at least 25 years ago to be eligible.

A singer and dancer, the now 83-year-old Checker was known for popularizing various dance styles including the twist and the limbo in the 1960s.

Bad Company came together in 1973 and recorded hits such as the self-titled "Bad Company".

British singer Cocker made the music charts with songs such as "You are So Beautiful" and "Up Where We Belong" with Jennifer Warnes, and was known for his legendary cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" performed at Woodstock.

Lauper, 71, stood out in the 1980s during the heyday of music videos with her colorful hair and outfits and upbeat songs such as "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."

Soundgarden, part of the 1990s grunge rock scene in Seattle, was led by Chris Cornell, who died by suicide in 2017.

"Hey Ya!" band Outkast was formed in Atlanta by Big Boi and Andre 3000 in 1992. The White Stripes, from Detroit, led a resurgence of garage rock in the 2000s.