Polaris Music Prize
Encyclopedia
The Polaris Music Prize is a music award annually given to the best full-length Canadian
album
based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The award was established in 2006 with a C$20,000 cash prize; the prize was increased to $30,000 for the 2011 award.
The Polaris Music Prize is modeled after Ireland's Choice Music Prize
and the Australian Music Prize
and inspired in turn the Atlantis Music Prize
for Newfoundland and Labrador
.
The award is sponsored by Sirius Satellite Radio
, Government of Canada
, FACTOR
, Slaight Communications, Radio Starmaker Fund
, MuchMusic
, Steam Whistle Brewing
and The Drake Hotel
.
The Polaris Music Prize gala is broadcast live via Sirius Satellite Radio
, online via CBC Radio 3
, video streamed live on MuchMusic.com and rebroadcast via cable on MuchMusic
.
These ballots are re-tabulated and the top ten titles form the Polaris short list. This list is released in early July and promoted to the public. The ultimate winner is decided by a smaller group of 11 jury members ("The Grand Jury") who convene in Toronto
at the Polaris Music Prize gala in late September, and the decision is finalized during the gala as the nominated bands perform.
Jurors are selected by the Polaris Music Prize board of directors. The jury list includes more than 200 Canadian music journalists, bloggers and broadcasters. To ensure an impartial outcome, no one with direct financial relationships with artists is eligible to become a jury member. The organization itself is a registered, not-for-profit corporation. Another key benefit of enlisting music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers as judges is the increased media coverage and creates the conditions to draw attention to quality music in a cluttered commercial landscape and increasingly fractured music scene.
Notable jurors have included former MuchMusic
VJs Hannah Sung and Hannah Simone
, Toronto Star
music columnists Ben Rayner and John Sakamoto
, Darryl Sterdan (Winnipeg Sun
), Mike Bell (Calgary Herald
), Stuart Derdeyn (Vancouver Province), Stephen Cooke (The Chronicle Herald), T'Cha Dunlevy (Montreal Gazette), Sandra Sperounes (Edmonton Journal
), Brad Wheeler (The Globe and Mail
), Alan Ranta (Exclaim!
), Explore Music broadcaster Alan Cross
, CBC Radio
personalities Jowi Taylor
, Patti Schmidt
, Jian Ghomeshi
, Matt Galloway
, Grant Lawrence
, Lana Gay
and Amanda Putz
, Voir
music journalists Stéphane Martel, Patrick Baillargeon and Olivier Robillard-Laveaux and The Hour host George Stroumboulopoulos
as well as Tim Powis of MuchMusic
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The award was established in 2006 with a C$20,000 cash prize; the prize was increased to $30,000 for the 2011 award.
The Polaris Music Prize is modeled after Ireland's Choice Music Prize
Choice Music Prize
-Establishment:It was established by journalist Jim Carroll and manager Dave Reid in 2005. as an alternative to the industry-dominated Meteor Music Awards. The Choice Music Prize is modelled after the Mercury Prize which is awarded each year to the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
and the Australian Music Prize
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award made by Australian Music Prize Ltd, a sole-purpose entity sponsored by a variety of music industry figures and...
and inspired in turn the Atlantis Music Prize
Atlantis Music Prize
The Atlantis Music Prize is a music award annually given to the best full-length album from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, based only on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The award, established in 2008 by St. John's-based alternative newspaper The Scope, includes a...
for Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
The award is sponsored by Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
, Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, FACTOR
FACTOR
FACTOR is a "private non-profit organization, ... dedicated to providing assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian independent recording industry" ....
, Slaight Communications, Radio Starmaker Fund
Radio Starmaker Fund
The Radio Starmaker Fund is a private fund developed by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters with the approval of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission . It is a private fund that supports new artists with substantial investments in the careers of emerging artists....
, MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
, Steam Whistle Brewing
Steam Whistle Brewing
Steam Whistle Brewing is a brewery in Toronto, Ontario. The company produces a premium pilsner lager packaged in distinctive green glass bottles and a non-twist cap. They only use four natural ingredients: spring water from Caledon, Ontario; hops from Germany; two-row barley; and yeast. In 2004,...
and The Drake Hotel
Drake Hotel (Toronto)
The Drake Hotel on Queen Street West in Toronto, Ontario, Canada near Parkdale, was opened in 1890 as "Small's Hotel". At the time, the area was a major Canadian Pacific Railway hub near what was then one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the city....
.
The Polaris Music Prize gala is broadcast live via Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
, online via CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a radio station that consists of two parts devoted to Canadian arts and music: a radio service which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio and streaming audio, and several daily and weekly podcasts from the CBC Radio 3 website...
, video streamed live on MuchMusic.com and rebroadcast via cable on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
.
Jury and selection process
There is no submission process or entry fee for the Polaris Music Prize. Jurors select what they consider to be the five best Canadian albums released in the previous year. The ballots are tabulated with each number one pick awarded five points, a number two pick awarded four points and so on. A long list of 40 titles is tabulated, released in mid June and promoted to the public. The long list is then sent back to the jury. The jurors then re-submit five top picks from this long list.These ballots are re-tabulated and the top ten titles form the Polaris short list. This list is released in early July and promoted to the public. The ultimate winner is decided by a smaller group of 11 jury members ("The Grand Jury") who convene in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
at the Polaris Music Prize gala in late September, and the decision is finalized during the gala as the nominated bands perform.
Jurors are selected by the Polaris Music Prize board of directors. The jury list includes more than 200 Canadian music journalists, bloggers and broadcasters. To ensure an impartial outcome, no one with direct financial relationships with artists is eligible to become a jury member. The organization itself is a registered, not-for-profit corporation. Another key benefit of enlisting music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers as judges is the increased media coverage and creates the conditions to draw attention to quality music in a cluttered commercial landscape and increasingly fractured music scene.
Notable jurors have included former MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
VJs Hannah Sung and Hannah Simone
Hannah Simone
Hannah Simone is a television host, actress, and former fashion model. From May 2006 to November 2008, she worked as a VJ for MuchMusic in Canada, and now currently stars as Cece Meyers on New Girl.-Childhood:...
, Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
music columnists Ben Rayner and John Sakamoto
John Sakamoto
John Sakamoto is a Canadian journalist and music critic. He is best known for the Anti-Hit List column, which has appeared on canoe.ca and in eye, the Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star. He served as executive producer of canoe.ca's entertainment section, Jam!, from 1996 to 2002.In 2005, the...
, Darryl Sterdan (Winnipeg Sun
Winnipeg Sun
The Winnipeg Sun is a daily tabloid-sized newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.It is owned by Sun Media, a subsidiary of Quebecor Media, and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, extensive sports coverage, a Canadian conservatism...
), Mike Bell (Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
), Stuart Derdeyn (Vancouver Province), Stephen Cooke (The Chronicle Herald), T'Cha Dunlevy (Montreal Gazette), Sandra Sperounes (Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
), Brad Wheeler (The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
), Alan Ranta (Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
), Explore Music broadcaster Alan Cross
Alan Cross
' is a Canadian radio broadcaster and a writer on music. Alan’s obsession with music began at age six when his grandmother gave him a transistor radio—an old Lloyds—which spawned an all-consuming fascination with things that came over airwaves...
, CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
personalities Jowi Taylor
Jowi Taylor
Jowi Taylor is a radio broadcaster for CBC Radio, Canada's national public broadcaster.For over 10 years, Taylor was the host of Global Village, which broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC Radio 2 and Radio Canada International...
, Patti Schmidt
Patti Schmidt
Patti Schmidt is a Canadian radio personality on CBC Radio. She currently lives in Montreal.-Origin:Schmidt grew up in Ottawa and attended McGill University as an undergraduate. While at McGill she became involved with CKUT-FM. As a fan of Brave New Waves, in 1991 CBC Radio hired her on a series of...
, Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi is a Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician and producer of Iranian descent who was raised in Thornhill, Ontario. Now based in Toronto, he is the host of the national daily cultural affairs talk program, Q, on CBC Radio One and Bold TV...
, Matt Galloway
Matt Galloway
Matt Galloway is a Canadian radio personality, who is host of Metro Morning at CBLA-FM in Toronto. Galloway succeeded Andy Barrie as host of Metro Morning effective March 1, 2010....
, Grant Lawrence
Grant Lawrence
Grant Lawrence is a veteran Canadian radio personality and writer based in Vancouver. He is a host on CBC Radio 3, a Sirius Satellite Radio channel which emphasizes new independent Canadian music, and is also the vocalist for the indie rock group The Smugglers.In addition to his regular shifts on...
, Lana Gay
Lana Gay
Lana Gay is a Canadian radio personality and music journalist. Currently heard on CBC Radio 3, she was also formerly a host on CFNY-FM in Toronto. On CFNY, she was known on-air only as "Lana", and did not use her surname....
and Amanda Putz
Amanda Putz
Amanda C. Putz is a Canadian radio personality. Formerly the host of Fuse and Bandwidth on CBC Radio One, she moved to Hong Kong in 2006, and briefly hosted a program on Radio Television Hong Kong's English network before becoming a news announcer for the station.In April 2007, Putz had a guest...
, Voir
Voir
Voir is a chain of francophone alternative weekly newspapers in the Canadian province of Quebec published by Communications Voir.The magazine was founded by Pierre Paquet in November 1986.-Editions:The newspaper publishes separate local editions in:...
music journalists Stéphane Martel, Patrick Baillargeon and Olivier Robillard-Laveaux and The Hour host George Stroumboulopoulos
George Stroumboulopoulos
George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos is a Canadian television and radio personality, best known as the host of CBC Television's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and being a VJ for Canadian music television channel MuchMusic...
as well as Tim Powis of MuchMusic
Past winners and short list nominees
| Year | Winner | Album | Shortlisted Nominees & Albums |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 Polaris Music Prize The inaugural edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize presented on September 18, 2006, at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre. The winning album was Final Fantasy's He Poos Clouds.-Nominees:... |
Final Fantasy Owen Pallett Michael James Owen Pallett is a Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist from Toronto, Ontario. He won the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the album He Poos Clouds.... |
He Poos Clouds He Poos Clouds He Poos Clouds is the second album by Canadian indie rock artist Final Fantasy, released June 13, 2006 on Blocks Recording Club in Canada and Tomlab internationally.... |
|
| 2007 2007 Polaris Music Prize The 2007 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 24, 2007 in Toronto.The winning album was Patrick Watson's Close to Paradise.... |
Patrick Watson Patrick Watson (musician) Patrick Watson is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and the name of the band which he fronts, whose blend of cabaret pop and classical music influences with indie rock has been compared to Rufus Wainwright, Andrew Bird, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Pink Floyd for their experimental musicianship.-... |
Close to Paradise Close to Paradise Close to Paradise is the second album by Patrick Watson, released on September 26, 2006. On September 24, 2007, the album won the Polaris Music Prize, after reaching the finals alongside such other albums as Neon Bible , Ashtray Rock , Woke Myself Up , and The Reminder .- Track listing :# "Close to... |
Neon Bible Neon Bible is the second album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released in March 2007 on Merge Records. Originally announced on December 16, 2006 through the band's website, the majority of the album was recorded in a church that the band bought and renovated.Neon Bible became Arcade... The Besnard Lakes The Besnard Lakes are a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Formed in 2003 by the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, two of their three albums have been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize.-History:... , The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse is the second studio album by the Canadian rock band The Besnard Lakes, released in 2007 . The album was The Besnard Lakes' first release on indie label Jagjaguwar and was self-produced by bandleaders Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas... The Dears -History:The band formed in 1995 and released their first album, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, in 2000. Their orchestral, dark pop sound and dramatic live shows cemented The Dears at the foundation of the then-emerging Canadian indie renaissance... , Gang of Losers Gang of Losers Gang of Losers is the third full length album from Montreal band The Dears. It was released on August 29, 2006 in Canada under the Maple Music Recordings label and on October 3, 2006 in the USA under the Arts & Crafts label.... Julie Doiron Julie Doiron is an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter of Acadian heritage.-Background:Doiron started playing guitar in Eric's Trip at the age of eighteen, having joined the band at the insistence of her then-boyfriend, Rick White, also of Eric's Trip... , Woke Myself Up Woke Myself Up Woke Myself Up is an album by Julie Doiron, released in 2007.Doiron's former Eric's Trip bandmate Rick White produced and played on the album. Three songs on the album — "I Woke Myself Up", "No More" and "The Wrong Guy" — also include contributions by Mark Gaudet and Chris Thompson, the other two... Leslie Feist Leslie Feist , known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene.... , The Reminder The Reminder The Reminder is the third full-length album by indie artist Feist. It was released on April 23, 2007 in countries outside of North America, and May 1, 2007 in the United States and Canada.... Junior Boys -History:Junior Boys formed in 1999 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada as a duo of Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark. Years of collaboration followed and a demo was produced, but after many rejections and near-misses, they were resigned to being bedroom beat constructors. Soon after, Johnny Dark left the... , So This Is Goodbye So This Is Goodbye -Track listing:All songs writtem by Junior Boys except where noted#"Double Shadow" – 4:22#"The Equalizer" – 4:57#"First Time" – 5:26#"Count Souvenirs" – 4:45... Miracle Fortress Miracle Fortress is a Canadian indie rock band based in Montreal. The band is primarily a project of songwriter Graham Van Pelt. Van Pelt also a member of Think About Life.-Band history:... , Five Roses Five Roses Five Roses is the first album by Miracle Fortress, released on May 22, 2007. On July 10, 2007, the shortlist for the Polaris Music Prize was revealed. Five Roses was announced as a finalist, alongside such other acts as Arcade Fire, Julie Doiron, and Chad VanGaalen... Ashtray Rock Ashtray Rock is an album by Canadian indie rock band Joel Plaskett Emergency, released on April 17, 2007.In interviews, band frontman Joel Plaskett has noted that Ashtray Rock is not a genre of music, but an actual location—in the forest west of Clayton Park, Nova Scotia—where teenagers go to get... Chad VanGaalen Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian musician and artist from Calgary, Alberta.-Infiniheart:Following a few scattered independent releases, done mostly on homemade CDs with hand-drawn art, VanGaalen released Infiniheart on Canadian independent label Flemish Eye... , Skelliconnection Skelliconnection Skelliconnection is the second album by Canadian musician Chad VanGaalen. It was released on August 22, 2006 on Flemish Eye and Sub Pop . In addition to writing and recording the album, VanGaalen performed almost all of the instruments and drew the album artwork... |
| 2008 2008 Polaris Music Prize The 2008 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 30, 2008. The prize was won by Caribou for his album Andorra.... |
Caribou Caribou (musician) Daniel Victor Snaith is a composer, musician and recording artist under stage names Caribou, Manitoba and Daphni. Under the supervision of Kevin Buzzard, he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London.- Career:... |
Andorra Andorra (album) Andorra is a 2007 album by Caribou. The gatefold vinyl record release also features an MP3 download coupon for the album.On September 29, 2008, the album was named the winner of the 2008 Polaris Music Prize.-Track listing:# "Melody Day" – 4:11... |
Black Mountain (band) Black Mountain is a Canadian rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia. The band is composed of Stephen McBean, Amber Webber, Matt Camirand, Jeremy Schmidt and Joshua Wells.-Overview:... , In the Future In the Future In the Future is the second album by Black Mountain, which was released January 21, 2008. It follows their eponymous debut album which was released in 2005. A "limited edition" of the album was released on the same day with 3 bonus tracks on a second disc... Basia Bulat - External links :*... , Oh, My Darling Oh, My Darling Oh, My Darling is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Basia Bulat. It was recorded in Montreal and produced by Howard Bilerman, whom Bulat met in 2006 and asked to work with. It was originally released April 30, 2007 on Rough Trade Records in the United Kingdom... Kathleen Edwards Kathleen Edwards is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. Her 2003 debut album, Failer, contained the singles "Six O'Clock News" and "Hockey Skates".- Personal life :... , Asking for Flowers Asking for Flowers Asking for Flowers is the third studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards. The album was released March 4, 2008, and was well-received by critics, similarly to her first two albums released under Zoë Records, Failer and Back to Me... LP (Holy Fuck album) LP is the second album from lo-fi improvisational electronica band Holy Fuck. The album was nominated for Alternative Album of the Year at the 2008 Juno Awards and was nominated for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize. Owen Pallett contributed to the album, playing the violin part on 'Lovely Allen'... Plants and Animals Plants and Animals are a Canadian indie-rock band from Montreal which comprises guitarist-vocalists Warren Spicer and Nic Basque and drummer-vocalist Matthew Woody Woodley. They often describe their music as post-classic rock. They are signed to Secret City Records... , Parc Avenue Parc Avenue (album) Parc Avenue is the first full-length album by Canadian indie rock band Plants and Animals, released February 26, 2008 on Secret City Records.The album was a nominee for the 2008 Polaris Music Prize.-Track listing:# "Bye Bye Bye"# "Good Friend"... Shad (rapper) Shadrach Kabango , credited as Shad or Shad K., is a Canadian hip hop artist.-Early life:Born in Kenya, of Rwandan parents, Shad was raised in London, Ontario. His mother worked in London as a hospital lab technician; his father, as a machinist... , The Old Prince The Old Prince The Old Prince is the second album by Canadian rapper Shad, released October 23, 2007 on Black Box Recordings. On June 30, 2009, it was re-released on iTunes on the same label.-Singles:... In Our Bedroom After the War In Our Bedroom After the War is the fourth studio album by Stars, released on September 25, 2007 on the Arts & Crafts record label. It was released to digital retailers on July 10, 2007, in an attempt to battle the album's leak... Two Hours Traffic Two Hours Traffic is a Canadian indie rock band, based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They are named after a line in the prologue to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Although often described as the band that Halifax guitarist Joel Plaskett took "under his wing", they have increasingly... , Little Jabs Little Jabs Little Jabs is the second full-length studio album by Canadian indie rock band Two Hours Traffic, released on Bumstead Records on July 24, 2007... The Weakerthans The Weakerthans are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band.-History:The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company. Samson joined forces with bassist John P... , Reunion Tour Reunion Tour Reunion Tour is the fourth studio album by The Weakerthans, released on September 25, 2007 in Canada and the U.S. The album was released on both compact disc and vinyl record.... |
| 2009 2009 Polaris Music Prize The 2009 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 21, 2009 in Toronto at the Masonic Temple and broadcast live online for the first time in its short history... |
Fucked Up Fucked Up Fucked Up is a hardcore punk band from Toronto, Canada. The band won the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for the album The Chemistry of Common Life.-History:The band formed and played their first shows in early 2001... |
The Chemistry of Common Life The Chemistry of Common Life The Chemistry of Common Life is the second full-length studio album by Canadian hardcore punk band Fucked Up. It was released on October 7, 2008 on Matador Records in CD and double LP formats and on Welfare Records in Reel-to-reel Audio Tapes... |
Elliott Brood Elliott BROOD is a three-piece, alt-country band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of Mark Sasso on lead vocals, guitar, banjo, ukulele, and harmonica, Casey Laforet on guitar, backing vocals, bass pedals, keys and ukulele and Stephen Pitkin on percussion, sampler and backing vocals... , Mountain Meadows Mountain Meadows (album) Mountain Meadows is the title of the second full length album released by the Canadian alternative country band Elliott Brood, released June 24, 2008 on Six Shooter Records... Great Lake Swimmers Great Lake Swimmers is a Canadian band built around the melodic folk rock songs of singer-songwriter Tony Dekker. Originally from Wainfleet, Ontario, the band is currently based in Toronto.... , Lost Channels Lost Channels Lost Channels is the fourth studio album by Canadian folk rock band Great Lake Swimmers, released on March 31, 2009. It was recorded in the Thousand Islands area near the New York–Ontario border and features several guest appearances by other artists, including Serena Ryder, Bob Egan , Erin Aurich ... Hey Rosetta! Hey Rosetta! is a six-piece Canadian indie rock band from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Known for its energized live shows, the band creates a massive, layered sound by incorporating piano, violin and cello into the traditional four-piece garage rock sound.-History:Their influences include... , Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) Into Your Lungs, also referred to as Into Your Lungs is the second studio album by Hey Rosetta!, released on June 3, 2008. It was produced by Hawksley Workman.... K'naan K'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most... , Troubadour Troubadour (K'naan album) -Bonus tracks:-Chart positions:In the U.S., the album sold over 15,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at #32 on the Billboard 200. The album has sold approximately 44,000 copies in the US as of July 2009... Malajube Malajube is a francophone indie rock band based in Montreal. The band has three albums out on Dare to Care Records.-History:Formed by a group of friends in Montreal, the band made itself known in 2004 with the release of its first album, Le Compte complet. Critics welcomed the disc with positive... , Labyrinthes Metric (band) Metric is a Canadian indie rock and New Wave band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band has also at various times been based in Montreal, London, New York City and Los Angeles... , Fantasies Fantasies (album) - Singles :* "Help, I'm Alive" * "Front Row" * "Gimme Sympathy" * "Sick Muse" * "Gold Guns Girls"... Joel Plaskett Joel Plaskett is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia... , Three Three (Joel Plaskett album) -Disc two:-Disc three:-Three More:-Three to One:... Chad VanGaalen Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian musician and artist from Calgary, Alberta.-Infiniheart:Following a few scattered independent releases, done mostly on homemade CDs with hand-drawn art, VanGaalen released Infiniheart on Canadian independent label Flemish Eye... , Soft Airplane Soft Airplane Soft Airplane is the third album by Chad VanGaalen, released in 2008 on Flemish Eye and Sub Pop. It was VanGaalen's first album to consist entirely of songs newly recorded for the album; his prior releases compiled tracks from a library of home recordings he had made over a number of years.The... Wooden Arms Wooden Arms is the third album by Patrick Watson, released April 28, 2009 on Secret City Records. The album's first single, "Tracy's Waters", was released on March 5 and the group performed a new song, "Beijing", on CBC Radio's Q radio show on April 6... |
| 2010 2010 Polaris Music Prize The 2010 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 20, 2010. The gala presentation was held at Toronto's Masonic Temple, and was hosted by Grant Lawrence of CBC Radio 3 and Sarah Taylor of MuchMusic.... |
Karkwa Karkwa -History:Formed in 1998, the group consists of vocalist and guitarist Louis-Jean Cormier, keyboardist François Lafontaine, bass guitarist Martin Lamontagne, percussionist Julien Sagot, and drummer Stéphane Bergeron... |
Les Chemins de verre Les chemins de verre - References :... |
The Besnard Lakes The Besnard Lakes are a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Formed in 2003 by the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, two of their three albums have been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize.-History:... , The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night is the third studio album by the Canadian rock band The Besnard Lakes, released in North America on March 9, 2010. The lead single, "Albatross", was released as a 12-inch single on February 9, 2010.... Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto... , Forgiveness Rock Record Forgiveness Rock Record Forgiveness Rock Record is the fourth studio album by Canadian indie rock musical collective Broken Social Scene, released by the Arts & Crafts record label on May 4, 2010... Caribou (musician) Daniel Victor Snaith is a composer, musician and recording artist under stage names Caribou, Manitoba and Daphni. Under the supervision of Kevin Buzzard, he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London.- Career:... , Swim Swim (Caribou album) Swim is an album by Caribou, released in April 2010. It is his first album featuring new material since the 2008 Polaris Music Prize-winning Andorra... Dan Mangan Daniel Mangan is a Canadian indie folk-rock singer-songwriter.-Early life:Mangan was born in Smithers, British Columbia. His family moved a fair amount, residing in both the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia - and primarily in his current home town of Vancouver... , Nice, Nice, Very Nice Nice, Nice, Very Nice Nice, Nice, Very Nice is the second album by Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, released on August 11, 2009.The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize.-Track listing:... Owen Pallett Michael James Owen Pallett is a Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist from Toronto, Ontario. He won the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the album He Poos Clouds.... , Heartland Radio Radio (band) Radio Radio is a Canadian electro hip-hop band formed in 2007 from Clare, Nova Scotia, Canada. The trio rap in Acadian French.-History:Radio Radio released their first EP entitled Télé-Télé in 2007... , Belmundo Regal Belmundo Regal Belmundo Regal is the second studio album by Canadian hip hop group Radio Radio.- Reception :In its review of the album, The Gazette wrote, "Radio Radio is, quite simply, the best hip-hop act to come out of Canada in a while."... The Sadies The Sadies are a Canadian indie rock and alternative country band from Toronto, Ontario.-Background:The band consists of Dallas Good , Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky... , Darker Circles Darker Circles Darker Circles is a 2010 album by Canadian alt-country group The Sadies. It was released on April 27, 2010, on Yep Roc Records.The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize.... Shad (rapper) Shadrach Kabango , credited as Shad or Shad K., is a Canadian hip hop artist.-Early life:Born in Kenya, of Rwandan parents, Shad was raised in London, Ontario. His mother worked in London as a hospital lab technician; his father, as a machinist... , TSOL TSOL (album) TSOL is the third album by Canadian rapper Shad, released in Canada on May 25, 2010 and in the United States on October 5, 2010. It is his second album released on Black Box Recordings, and his first album of new material since 2007's Polaris Music Prize-nominated The Old Prince.The album was... Tegan and Sara Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin . Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs.-History:... , Sainthood Sainthood (album) Sainthood is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock duo Tegan and Sara, released on October 27, 2009 by Sire Records.The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize.- Track listing :-Bonus tracks:-Background:... |
| 2011 2011 Polaris Music Prize The 2011 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 19, 2011. The winner was Arcade Fire, for the album The Suburbs.For the 2011 award, the prize was increased to $30,000 for the winning musician.-Shortlist:... |
Arcade Fire | The Suburbs The Suburbs (Arcade Fire album) The Suburbs is the third studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released in August 2010. Coinciding with the announcement the band released a limited edition 12-inch single containing two tracks from the album, “The Suburbs” and “Month of May”. The album debuted at #1 on the Irish... |
Austra (band) Austra is a Canadian New Wave band, fronted by singer-songwriter Katie Stelmanis.The band, also featuring Stelmanis' former Galaxy bandmate Maya Postepski and former Spiral Beach bassist Dorian Wolf, played a number of early shows under the name Private Life before learning that another band was... , Feel it Break Braids (band) Braids is an art rock band from Calgary, Alberta and presently based in Montreal, Quebec. Braids consists of Raphaelle Standell-Preston, Katie Lee, Austin Tufts and Taylor Smith. The band members met at a young age and began collaborating in high school... , Native Speaker Kaputt (album) -Vinyl version:-External links:*... Hey Rosetta! Hey Rosetta! is a six-piece Canadian indie rock band from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Known for its energized live shows, the band creates a massive, layered sound by incorporating piano, violin and cello into the traditional four-piece garage rock sound.-History:Their influences include... , Seeds Seeds (Hey Rosetta! album) -Track listing:... Ron Sexsmith Ronald Eldon "Ron" Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario, currently based in Toronto. He started his own band when he was fourteen years old, and released the first recordings of his own material seven years later, in 1985... , Long Player Late Bloomer Long Player Late Bloomer Long Player Late Bloomer is the 12th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, released in 2011.On June 16, the album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize... Colin Stetson Colin Stetson, born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and currently based in Montreal, Quebec, is a bass saxophone player and touring member of Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre and Bon Iver... , New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges is a jazz album by musician/multi-reedist Colin Stetson. The album was released by Constellation Records in 2011.... Timber Timbre Timber Timbre is a Canadian folk music project, featuring Mika Posen, Simon Trottier and Taylor Kirk. The moniker refers to an early series of recordings made in a timber-framed cabin set in the wooded outskirts of Bobcaygeon, Ontario.... , Creep On Creepin' On Creep On Creepin' On Creep On Creepin' On is the fourth studio album by Timber Timbre, released on April 5, 2011 on Arts & Crafts. The album was recorded in a variety of locations, including a converted church.... The Weeknd Abel Tesfaye , better known by his stage name The Weeknd is an Ethiopian Canadian singer. Songs recorded under The Weeknd name first leaked in late 2010, though the identity of the individual behind the project was initially unknown.The Weeknd released a nine-song mixtape, House of Balloons, on... , House of Balloons House of Balloons House of Balloons is the debut mixtape of Canadian artist, The Weeknd, released online for free in March 2011. Production was headed up by Canadian producers Doc McKinney, Zodiac, Illangelo. House of Balloons blends a range of electronic and urban genres including R&B and Soul. The title track is... |
See also
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- Choice Music PrizeChoice Music Prize-Establishment:It was established by journalist Jim Carroll and manager Dave Reid in 2005. as an alternative to the industry-dominated Meteor Music Awards. The Choice Music Prize is modelled after the Mercury Prize which is awarded each year to the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
(Ireland) - Mercury Music Prize (United Kingdom and Ireland)
- Australian Music PrizeAustralian Music PrizeThe Australian Music Prize is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award made by Australian Music Prize Ltd, a sole-purpose entity sponsored by a variety of music industry figures and...
(Australia) - Prix ConstantinPrix ConstantinThe Prix Constantin is an annual French music prize awarded to the best album of an artist who has come to prominence during the course of the past year. It was inaugurated in 2002, following the example of the Mercury Music Prize, as an attempt to bring to light artists who have not had major...
(France) - Shortlist Prize (United States)