Just as the Recording Academy prepares for the annual Grammy Awards in the United States, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has released the nominees for the annual Juno Awards in a 50th year celebration. The Weeknd leads the list of nominees with six; while Jessie Reyez, JP Saxe, and Justin Bieber follow with five nominations. Ali Gaite, Celine Dion, Curtis Waters, and Lennon Stella also garnered multiple nominations.
Among the list of categories is a Fan Choice Award. Fans may cast their votes for their favourite artist via junofanchoice.ca.
This year’s JUNO Awards ceremonies will be on May 16 from a variety of iconic locations across the country with Toronto serving as the host city for the 26th time. This year’s Awards will be an at home only affair with no live audiences as Canadians continue to put safety first in the face of a global pandemic.
The Academy is inducting Jann Arden into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
While the band is no longer performing or recording, The Tragically Hip is being presented with the Humanitarian Award.
For her role in the development and continued success of Canadian music artists, Pegi Ceccone will be presented with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.
The Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation is presenting Gary Slaight with the MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award for his philanthropic work in Music Education.
The nominees for the 2021 JUNO Awards are:
Fan Choice Award:
Ali Gatie
Curtis Waters
JP Saxe
Justin Bieber
Lennon Stella
Les Cowboys Fringants
NAV
Shawn Mendes
Tate McRae
The Weeknd
Single of the Year:
“Drink About Me” by Brett Kissel
“If the World Was Ending” by JP Saxe with Julia Michaels
“Intentions” by Justin Bieber with Quavo
“Kissing Other People” by Lennon Stella
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
International Album of the Year:
“Music to Be Murdered By” by Eminem
“Fine Line” by Harry Styles
“What You See Ain’t Always What You Get” by Luke Combs
“Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon” by Pop Smoke
“folklore” by Taylor Swift
Album of the Year:
“YOU” by Ali Gaite
“Courage” by Celine Dion
“Changes” by Justin Bieber
“Thanks for the Dance” by Leonard Cohen
“After Hours” by The Weeknd
Artist of the Year:
Ali Gatie
Celine Dion
Jessie Reyez
Justin Bieber
The Weeknd
Group of the Year:
Arkells
Half Moon Run
Loud Luxury
The Glorious Sons
The Reklaws
Breakthrough Artist of the Year:
Curtis Waters
JP Saxe
Powfu
Ryland James
Tate McRae
Breakthrough Group of the Year:
2Freres
Crown Lands
MANILA GREY
Peach Pit
Young Bombs
Songwriter of the Year:
Michael Farrell – Alainis Morissete
Bas Van Daalen, Jasper Helderman, Mickey Karbal, Philip Meckseper, and Thomas Pentz – Major Lazer and Ali Gaite, Amy Allen, Blake Slatkin – Alessia Cara
Andre Robertson, Marshall Mathers, Tobia Frelin – Jessie Reyez; Roget Chahayed, Vegyn – Jessie Reyez; Dernst Emile II, Jordan Ullman – Jessie Ryeez
Alex St. Kitts, Benjamin Rice and Ryan Marrone – JP Saxe; Lennon Stella, Ruslan Odnoralov, and Simon Wilcox – Lennon Stella; Julia Michaels – JP Saxe
Carlo “Illangelo” Montagnese and Mario Winans; Max Martin and Oscar Holter – The Weeknd
Country Album of the Year:
“Timeless” by Dallas Smith
“Jade Eagleson” by Jade Eagleson
“heart theory” by Lindsay Ell
“Drinkin’ Songs: The Collection” by MacKenzie Porter
“The Lemonade Stand” by Tenille Townes
Adult Alternative Album of the Year:
“Sad Hunk” by BAHAMAS
“Are You in Love?” by Basia Bulat
“Fear” by Begonia
“Unfollow the Rules” by Rufus Wainwright
“Are You Gone” by Sarah Harmer
Alternative Album of the Year:
“Pity Party” by Curtis Waters
“The Sun and Her Scorch” by Dizzy
“Pray for It” by July Talk
“This Place Sucks Ass” by PUP
“Heavy Light” by U.S. Girls
Pop Album of the Year:
“It’s Never Really Over” by Johnny Orlando
“Hold it Together” by JP Saxe
“Changes” by Justin Bieber
“Three. Two. One” by Lennon Stella
“Ryland James” by Ryland James
Rock Album of the Year:
“Crown Lands” by Crown Lands
“Ruthless” by JJ Wilde
“Clorado” by Neil Young & Crazy Horse”
“All of Us” by the Sam Roberts Band
“A Beautiful Place to Drown” by Silverstein
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year:
“This Dream of You” by Diana Krall
“Out of Dust” by Caila Biali
“Sinatra” by Matt Dusk
“With You” by Sammy Jackson
“Clemence” by Sophie Day
Solo Jazz Album of the Year:
“Gang of Three” by Andres Vial
“Basico, No Basico y Dirigido” by Elmer Ferrer
“Elegant Traveler” by Jocelyn Gould
“Compambiche” by Junior Santos
“VENA” by Rachel Therrien
Group Jazz Album of the Year:
“The reMission” by Andy Milne and Unison
“Surfboard” by the Brandi Disterhelft Trio with George Coleman
“Rythme de passage” by the Emie R Roussel Trio
“First Spring” by the Florian Hoefner Trio
“Trane of Thought, Live at the Rex” by the Pat LaBarbera/Kirk MacDonald Quintet
Instrumental Album of the Year:
“Movements III” by Blitz/Berlin
“Crowning Ignites” by Bruck Cockburn
“Volume 1” by Flore Laurentienne
“Prior Street” by Gordon Grdina
“Eleven Words” by David Foster
ALBUM FRANCOPHONE DE L’ANNÉE: (French Language Album of the Year)
“A tous les vents” by 2Freres
“Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs” by Klo Pelgag
“Les antipodes” by Les Cowboys Fringants
“Quand la nuit tombe” by Louis-JeanCormier
“Pour dejouer l’ennui” by Pierre Papointe
Children’s Album of the Year:
“Letters and Numbers “ by ABC Singsong
“Goodnight to You All: Traditional Lullabies from Ireland & the UK” by Charlie Hope
“Small But Mighty” by Ginalina
“J’aime mon ecole” by Njacko Backo and Kalimbas at Work
“Heart Parade” by Splash’N’Boots
Solo or Chamber Classical Album of the Year:
“MOSAIQUE” by the Ensemble Made in Canada
“Back & Brahms Reimagined” by James Ehnes, Jon Kimura Parker, and Jens Lindemann
“Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 4, 5 & 8” by James Ehnes with Andrew Armstrong
“La Peste” by Les Barocudas
“Ana Sokolvic: Short Stories” by Quatuor Bozzine
Large Ensemble Classical Album of the Year: “Mozart: Concertos pour piano / Piano Concertos Nos. 22 & 24” by Les Violons du Roy with Charles Richard-Hamelin, conducted by Jonathan Cohen
“Saint-Saens: Piano Concertos Nos. 3,5, & Other Works” by Louis Lortie with the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Edward Gardner
“Jacques Hetu: Concertos” by Orchestre symphonique de laval with Jean-Philippe Sylvestre, conducted by Alain Trudel
“Ginastera – Bernstein – Moussa: Oeuvres pour violon et orchestre” by the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal with Andrew Wan, conducted by Kent Nagano
“Penderecki: St. Luke Passion” by the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal with the Philharmonic Choir & Warsaw Boys’ Choir, conducted by Kent Nagano
Vocal or Choral Classical Album of the Year:
“La passione” by Barbara Hannigan with the Ludwig Orchestra
“Massenet” Thais” by Erin Wall, Joshua Hopkins, Andrew Staples and the Toronto Mendelssohn Chor and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis
“Nuits blances: Airs d’opera ‘ la cour de Russie au Xvlle siecle” by Karina Gauvin with the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Weimann
“Sea Dreams” by Luminous Voices, conducted by Timothy Shantz
“Sarah Slean and Symphony Nova Scotia” by Sara Slean with the Symphony Nova Scoita, conducted by Bernhard Gueller
Classical Composition of the Year:
“Take the Dog Sled” by Alexina Louie
“Commedia dell’arte” by Ana Sokolovic
“Harbur” by Anna Hostman
“Violin Concerto ‘Adrano’” by Samy Moussa
“Tachitipo” by Zosha Di Castri
Rap Recording of the Year:
“New Mania” by 88GLAM
“Baby Gravy 2” by bbno$ & Yung Gravy
“Cold World” by Eric Reprid
“Good Intentions” (Brown Boy 2 Deluxe Version) by NAV
“ELEMENTS Vol. 1” by TOBi
Dance Recording of the Year:
“MINE” by Felix Cartal and Sophie Simmons
“Dancing in the Dark” by Frank Walker
“BUBBA” by KAYTRANADA
“Someone Else” by REZZ x Grabbitz
“Voices” by So Sus
Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year:
“Before Love Came to Kill Us” by Jessie Reyez
“Where You Are” by Savannah Re
“Solaris” by Shay Lia
“After Hours” by The Weeknd
“Holiday” by TOBi
Reggae Recording of the Year:
“Give it All” by Ammoye
“Black Man” by Blessed
“Roots Rock” by Dubmatix with Micah Shemaiah, Lasai, and Big Sugar
“Let it Be Done” by Kirk Diamond
“I Pray” by TOME x Sean Kingston
Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year:
“Kiyanaw” by Burnstick
“Church House Blues” by Crystal Shawanda
“The Ridge” by Julian Taylor
“North Star Calling” by Leela Gilday
“Nunarjua Isulinginniani” by Terry Uyarak
Contemporary Roots Album of the Year:
“The Ridge” by Julian Taylor
“North Star Calling” by Leela Gilday
“Bravado” by Rose Cousins
“CHICKABOOM” by Tami Nielson
“Reliever” by William Prince
Traditional Roots Album of the Year:
“All Hands” by Beolach
“Debout!” by Le Diable a Cinq
“13 or So” by Nick Hornbuckle
“Bet on Love” by Pharis & Jason Romero
“The Thing About Fish” by Rum Ragged
Blues Album of the Year:
“Hell Bent with Grace” by Angel Forrest
“Church House Blues” by Crystal Shawanda
“Spirits in the Water” by Dione Taylor
“Solar Powered Too” by Rick Fines
“The Reckless One” by Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar
Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year:
“All Things New” by Allen Froese
“The Cure” by K-Anthony
“Alive & Breathing” by Matt Maher
“The Way” by Shawna Cain
“WOuldn’t You Love to Know?” by Steve Bell
World Music Album of the Year:
“VelkomBak” by the Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra
“The Gold Diggers” by Lengai’a Salsa Brava
“Patria” by Mazacote
“Espiral” by OKAN
“Kora Flamenca” by Zal Sissokho
Producer of the Year:
Akeel Henry
Jordon Manswell
KAYTRANADA
Murda Beatz
WOndaGurl
Recording Engineer of the Year:
George Seara
Jason Dufour
Johann Deterville
John “Beetle” Bailey
Serban Ghenea
Album Artwork of the Year:
“Just Words” by Lynne Hanson
“NOTRE-DAME-DES-SEPT-DOULEURS” by Klo Pelgag
“Miss Colombia” by Lido Pimienta
“Palmpsest” by Protest The Hero
“Pray for It” by July Talk
Music Video of the Year:
“Wait No More” by Scott Helman
“Wrap Me Up” by Sheenah Ko
“No One’s in the Room” by Jessie Reyez
“Intruders” by Jessie Reyez
“Promegranate” by deadmau5 & The Neptunes
Electronic Album of the Year:
“Lavender God” by ATLAS
“Desire” by Bob Moses
“Suddenly” by Carbou
“Jevenile” by Cri
“All the Time” by Jessy Lanza
Metal/Hard Rock Music Album of the Year:
“Ballistic, Sadistic” by Annihilator
“Unconquered” by Kataklysm
“Palimpsest” by Protest The Hero
“Abyss” by Unleash The Archers
“Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!” by Vile Creature
Adult Contemporary Album of the Year:
“Such Pretty Forks in the Road” by Alains Morissette
“Courage” by Celine Dion
“Starlit Afternoon” by Craig Stickland
“Pour dejouer l’ennui” by Pierre Lapointe
“CH III: The Come Up” by STORRY
Comedy Album of the Year:
“PanDerek (Ist Wave!)” by Derek Seguin
“Horse Power” by Jacob Samuel
“Existing is Exhausting” by Matt Wright
“The Pursuit of Comedy Has Ruined My Life” by Nick Nemeroff
“Decoxification” by Shirley Gnome
Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year:
“Take Care of You” by Charlotte Day Wilson with Syd
“Proverb” by Dylan Sinclair
“Alt Therapy Session 1: Disillusion” by Emanuel
“In This Thing Called Life” by IAMTHELIVING
“Solid” by Savannah Re