NRJ Music Award


An NRJ Music Award is an award presented by the French radio station NRJ to honor the best in the French and worldwide music industry. The awards ceremony, created in 2000 by NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1, traditionally took place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM. It is now held in the month of November. They give out awards to popular musicians in different categories.
The name "NRJ" means "Nouvelle Radio des Jeunes". It is a play on words between the pronunciation of the French letters and the French word "énergie". Val Kahl hosted and presented "Les Coulisses des NRJ Music Awards" Season 2011, 2012 and 2013 on NRJ12.

Award categories

Awards in the following categories are awarded to the musicians each year:
NRJ chooses 5 nominees in each category, and subjects them to online voting on their website. Subsequently, the winners are determined by a system where the public weighs in at 75% of the decision, and a jury established by NRJ and TF1 at 25%.

Award winners

2000 Award Winners – 1st NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Hélène Ségara
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Tina Arena
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: David Hallyday
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Will Smith
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Mariah Carey
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Zebda – "Tomber la chemise"
  • International Song of the Year: Lou Bega – "Mambo No. 5"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Mylène Farmer – Innamoramento
  • International Album of the Year: Whitney Houston – My Love Is Your Love
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Zebda
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Texas
  • Music Website of the Year: Indochine
  • Best concert of the Year: Mylène Farmer

    2001 Award Winners – 2nd NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Alizée
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Anastacia
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Pascal Obispo
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Moby
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Madonna
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Damien Sargue & Grégori Baquet & Philippe D'Avilla – "Les Rois du monde"
  • International Song of the Year: Anastacia – "I'm Outta Love"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Hélène Ségara – Au nom d'une femme
  • International Album of the Year: Madonna – Music
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Les Dix Commandements
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: The Corrs
  • Music Website of the Year: Alizée

    2002 Award Winners – 3rd NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Ève Angeli
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Dido
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Garou
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Michael Jackson
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Jennifer Lopez
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Axel Bauer & Zazie – "À ma place"
  • International Song of the Year: Geri Halliwell – "It's Raining Men"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Gérald De Palmas – Marcher dans le sable
  • International Album of the Year: Dido – No Angel
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Garou & Céline Dion
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Destiny's Child
  • Music Website of the Year: Garou

    2003 Award Winners – 4th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Jenifer
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Las Ketchup
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Gérald De Palmas
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Billy Crawford
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Mylène Farmer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Shakira
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Renaud & Axelle Red – "Manhattan-Kaboul"
  • International Song of the Year: Shakira – "Whenever, Wherever"
  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Lorie
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Indochine – Paradize
  • International Album of the Year: Shakira – Laundry Service
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Renaud & Axelle Red
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: The Calling
  • Music Website of the Year: Jennifer Lopez
  • NRJ Award of Honor for the Career: Phil Collins

    2004 Award Winners – 5th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Nolwenn Leroy
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Evanescence
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Calogero
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Dido
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Kyo feat. Sita – "Le Chemin"
  • International Song of the Year: Blue featuring Elton John – "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Kyo – Le Chemin
  • International Album of the Year: Dido – Life for Rent
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Kyo
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Good Charlotte
  • Music website of the Year: Kyo
  • NRJ Award of Honor for the Career: Madonna

    2005 Award Winners – 6th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Emma Daumas
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Maroon 5
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Roch Voisine
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Usher
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Avril Lavigne
  • Francophone Song of the Year: K-Maro featuring Nancy Martinez – "Femme Like U "
  • International Song of the Year: Maroon 5 – "This Love"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Jenifer – Le Passage
  • International Album of the Year: Black Eyed Peas – Elephunk
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Calogero & Passi
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Placebo
  • Video of the Year: Corneille – "Parce qu'on vient de loin"
  • NRJ Award of Honor for the Career: U2

    2006 Award Winners – 7th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Grégory Lemarchal
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: James Blunt
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Raphaël
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Robbie Williams
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Madonna
  • Francophone Song of the Year: M. Pokora feat. Sweety – "Elle me contrôle"
  • International Song of the Year: Anastacia – "Left Outside Alone"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Mylène Farmer – Avant que l'ombre...
  • International Album of the Year: Black Eyed Peas – Monkey Business
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Le Roi Soleil
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Black Eyed Peas
  • Video of the Year: M. Pokora feat. Sweety – "Elle me contrôle"
  • NRJ Award of Honor: Bob Geldof

    2007 Award Winners – 8th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Christophe Maé
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Nelly Furtado
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Diam's
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Christina Aguilera
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: M. Pokora
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Le Roi Soleil
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Evanescence
  • International Song of the Year: Rihanna – "Unfaithful"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Diam's – Dans ma bulle
  • International Album of the Year: Christina Aguilera – Back to Basics
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Diam's – "La Boulette "
  • Video of the Year: M. Pokora – "De retour"
  • DJ of the Year: Bob Sinclar

    2008 Awards Winners – 9th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Christophe Willem
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Mika
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Avril Lavigne
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Christophe Maé
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Justin Timberlake
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Superbus
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: Tokio Hotel
  • International Song of the Year: Rihanna – "Don't Stop the Music"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Christophe Willem – Inventaire
  • International Album of the Year: Britney Spears – Blackout
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Christophe Maé – "On s'attache"
  • Video of the Year: Fatal Bazooka – "Parle à ma main"
  • NRJ Award of Honor: Céline Dion, Michael Jackson and Kylie Minogue

    2009 Awards Winners – 10th NRJ Music Awards

  • Francophone Breakthrough of the Year: Zaho
  • International Breakthrough of the Year: Jonas Brothers
  • Francophone Female Artist of the Year: Jenifer
  • International Female Artist of the Year: Britney Spears
  • Francophone Male Artist of the Year: Christophe Maé
  • International Male Artist of the Year: Enrique Iglesias
  • Francophone Duo/Group of the Year: Cléopâtre
  • International Duo/Group of the Year: The Pussycat Dolls
  • International Song of the Year: Rihanna – "Disturbia"
  • Francophone Album of the Year: Mylène Farmer - Point de suture
  • International Album of the Year: Katy Perry – One of the Boys
  • Francophone Song of the Year: Christophe Maé – "Belle Demoiselle"
  • Video of the Year: Britney Spears – "Womanizer"
  • NRJ Award of Honor: Coldplay