The Glenn Gould Prize is Awarded to Sir Elton John

Elton has won the $100,000 prize recognizing significant contributions to the arts and humanity 

Presented by The Glenn Gould Foundation and after public nominations, its biennial Glenn Gould Prize — often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of the Arts” — is awarded to an individual whose work has enriched the human condition through the arts. 

The annual and 15th Glenn Gould Prize has been awarded to the five-time GRAMMY Award-winning British singer-songwriter and pianist Sir Elton John. As the winner, he will also be selecting an exceptional young artist to receive the CDN$25,000 Glenn Gould Protégé Prize.

Sir Elton now joins a group of Glenn Gould Prize Laureates including Yehudi Menuhin, Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Boulez, André Previn, Philip Glass, Gustavo Dudamel, and many more.

With a career spanning more than five decades, Sir Elton is one of the most iconic and influential musicians in the world, having redefined modern music and reached multitudes of people around the globe.

He has sold 300 million albums, created more than 50 Top 40 hits, and is one of few to have five GRAMMYs, two Academy Awards, an Emmy, and a Tony Award — showing the versatility of his music. His song “Candle in the Wind,” written with lyricist Bernie Taupin remains the best-selling physical single of all time. 

Through his work, he has also been an advocate for social causes, with a particular focus on the fight against HIV/AIDS. In 1992, he created the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which has raised over $600 million to support the prevention, treatment, and care for those affected by HIV/AIDS worldwide. 

As a champion for LGBTQ+ rights, he has been fighting discrimination, removing stigma, and advocating for equality. Other areas his philanthropy has supported include new and emerging artists and mental health.

“After spending decades admiring the virtuosity of Glenn Gould’s work, I am awestruck and honoured to receive this award,” Sir Elton said.

Chaired by the Prime Minister of Canada, Kim Campbell, the 2025 award jury comprised Jeremy Irons, Bernhard Schlink, Martin Katz, Alexander Neef, Lee Hall, Chris Levine, Sam Jackson, and Nyla Innuksuk. 

“In selecting our Laureate, Elton John, we chose to honour someone who has great artistic accomplishments but whose life and whose art has been translated into something much greater than just performance or the consumption of music and things they’ve created,” Campbell expressed. “Elton John has used his enormous talent and his great success to change lives. He’s been courageous in taking on causes, whether AIDS, LGBTQ+ rights, addiction and all sorts of issues that were not popular when he engaged with them and he was prepared to take the wonderful success that his musical talent had given him to make a difference in the world. And from our perspective that represents the highest level of achievement for an artist and celebrates the memory of Glenn Gould in the best way.”

“Elton John embodies the spirit of artistic excellence, innovation, and profound humanity that The Glenn Gould Prize was created to celebrate,” added Glenn Gould Foundation’s CEO, Brian Levine. “Glenn Gould’s vision was one of boundless creativity, fearless originality, and an unshakable commitment to using music as a force for good in the world. Sir Elton has exemplified these ideals throughout his extraordinary career, not only with his incredible musical catalogue and immense talent but also championing emerging artists across genres and using his global platform to inspire transformational humanistic change. His enduring impact on music and culture makes him a truly perfect recipient of this honour.”