Polaris Music Prize

Polaris Music Prize

Pierre Kwenders at the Polaris Gala  Photo: Dustin Rabin
September 20, 2022
by FYI Staff

At a Gala in Toronto, the Congolese-Canadian musician received $50K for winning the prestigious Prize. Nine other Short List nominees each earned $3K courtesy of Slaight Music. 

Walk Off The Earth show poster
March 2, 2022
by Kerry Doole

Sled Island makes an impressive lineup announcement, a big week for Walk Off The Earth (pictured), and the Polaris Music Prize season begins on June 14. Others in the news include Hell or High Water, Country Music Week 2022, Nova Scotia Music Week, LASSO fest, Canzona Chamber Players, With Ukraine benefit, Rick White, Dallas Good, Jay Ferguson, Kendra Kay, APA, Plants and Animals, HOROJO Trio, CMAOntario Awards, and farewell Skibadee.

July 16, 2021
by FYI Staff

On Thursday (July 15), organizers of the Polaris Music Prize announced the 10 albums short-listed for the $50K prize, with the ultimate winner to be announced on Sept. 27.

June 17, 2021
by Kerry Doole

The Long List for the Polaris Music Prize (pictured) is announced, and the passing of Tim Thorney elicits eloquent tributes. Also in the news are Top of the Country, CoHo Creative Hub, The Summer House Party, POP Montreal, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Barenaked Ladies, Leif Vollebekk, The Trews, Tom Wilson, MMF, Marc LaFrance, Melanie Doane, BIGLAKE Festival, and Zula. 

June 14, 2021
by Kerry Doole

The 2021 Forest City London Music Awards (pictured) are handed out, Drake teases his new album, and Hugh Dillon films his star-studded new series. Also making news are The Polaris Music Prize Long List, Tami Neilson, Ontario Creates, Indie Weekly,  Mike 'Parkside' Renaud, the Halifax Folklore Centre, Wesli, David Bowie’s painting, and farewell Al Stanwyck and Juan Nelson.

Photo: Yung Yemi
December 12, 2020
by Kerry Doole

The Polaris Prize winner serves up fluent rhymes full of self-confident bravado.

album cover Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s Keyboard Fantasies
November 16, 2020
by FYI Staff

Groundbreaking Canadian albums by Beverly Glenn-Copeland (pictured), Main Source, and Buffy Sainte-Marie have been named as this year’s recipients of a Prize that can be viewed as a Hall of Fame equivalent for releases in the pre-Polaris era.

Backxwash after her big Polaris Music Prize win. Shreenshot pic
October 20, 2020
by Karen Bliss

Eclectic metal-infused hip-hop artist Backxwash won the 2020 Polaris Music Prize Monday evening for her album, God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It.

October 18, 2020
by Kerry Doole

The winner of the  Polaris Music Prize (pictured) is named today, the Kensington Market Jazz Festival announces its lineup, and Alanis Obomsawin is the 13th Glenn Gould Prize Laureate. Others in the news include Teenage Head, Music NL, FACTOR, Gord Downie, the Canadian Online Jazz Festival, CARAS, Plants and Animals, Music PEI Awards, METZ, Elephants and Stars, Tenille Townes, Veda Hille, Greg Wells, and farewell Bob Biggs and Johnny Bush.

CARAS CEO Allan Reid with Kim Cooke holding his Juno trophy.
October 8, 2020
by FYI Staff

Popular music industry veteran Kim Cooke receives a special Juno from Allan Reid (pictured), a Finger Eleven hit reaches a milestone, and rumours of a Justin and Shawn collaboration. Also in the news are TBS, Juno judges, Monowhales, Indie Week, MusicNL, William Prince, Karl Wolf, Polaris Music Prize, David Vertesi, Play MPE, Jazz Bistro, Interactive Ontario , Audrey Ochoa, Henriette Sennenvaldt, and farewell to Eddie Van Halen, Johnny Nash, Bunny Lee, and John Valentyn.

Polaris website image
July 15, 2020
by Karen Bliss

Previous Polaris Music Prize winners Lido Pimienta, Caribou and Kaytranada get another shot at winning the prestigious $50,000 award for Canadian album of the year when the winner is declared virtually on Oct. 19. The shortlist announcement also includes albums from Jessie Reyez, U.S. Girls, Witch Prophet, Backxwash, Junia-T, nêhiyawak, and Pantayo.

Claire Dagenais - Executive Director, Polaris Music Prize
June 15, 2020
by Karen Bliss

In the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, the Polaris Music Prize, honouring Canada’s album of the year and one that comes with $50,000 for the winner,