Led Zeppelin and Russian conductor Valery Gergiev have been awarded with the Polar Music Prize 2006. Both winners were unveiled on Monday the 7th of November at The Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm.\"The 2006 Polar Music Prize is awarded to the British group Led Zeppelin, one of the great pioneers of rock. Their playful and experimental music combined with highly eclectic elements has two essential themes: mysticism and primal energy. These are features that have come to define the genre \"hard rock\".\"
Led Zeppelin featured legendary skinbasher John Bonham (photo). \"Bonzo\" was born as John Henry Bonham on May 31, 1948 in Redditch, Worcestershire. He died September 24, 1980 due to an overdose of alcohol.
Polar Music Prize
Founded in 1989 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and Stig Anderson, manager of Swedish pop group ABBA, the annual prize honors one pop and one classical artist for their contributions to music. Each winner receives about $125,000.
Sweden\'s King Carl XVI Gustaf will present the prizes at a ceremony on May 22, 2006.
Previous Polar Music Prize-winners include Paul McCartney (in 1992), Dizzy Gillespie (in 1993), Ray Charles (in 1998), Stevie Wonder (in 1999), Bob Dylan (in 2000), Keith Jarrett (in 2003) and B.B. King (in 2004).
