The Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC Music, has unveiled the 40 albums on the 2018 Long List.
The 2018 Polaris Music Prize Long List is:
a l l i e – Nightshade
Alvvays – Antisocialites
Arcade Fire – Everything Now
Bahamas – Earthtones
The Barr Brothers – Queens of the Breakers
Bernice – Puff LP: In the air without a shape
Jean-Michel Blais – Dans ma main
Bonjay – Lush Life
Booji Boys – Weekend Rocker
Philippe Brach – Le silence des troupeaux
Cadence Weapon – Cadence Weapon
Daniel Caesar – Freudian
Jennifer Castle – Angels of Death
Clairmont The Second – Lil Mont from The Ave
Gord Downie – Introduce Yerself
Jeremy Dutcher – Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa
Faith Healer – Try 😉
FRIGS – Basic Behaviour
Zaki Ibrahim – The Secret Life of Planets
Iskw̩ РThe Fight Within
Kacy & Clayton – The Siren’s Song
Lydia K̩pinski РPremier Juin
Pierre Kwenders – MAKANDA at the End of Space, the Beginning of Time
Pierre Lapointe – La science du coeur
Melissa Laveaux РRadyo Siw̬l
Hubert Lenoir РDarl̬ne
Terra Lightfoot – New Mistakes
Loud РUne ann̩e record
Milk & Bone – Deception Bay
Partner – In Search Of Lost Time
Propagandhi – Victory Lap
Vivek Shraya & Queer Songbook Orchestra – Part-Time Woman
Sloan – 12
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – The Average Savage
U.S. Girls – In A Poem Unlimited
The Weather Station – The Weather Station
Weaves – Wide Open
Charlotte Day Wilson – Stone Woman
Donovan Woods – Both Ways
YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN – Dirt
In total, 225 albums were considered by the 203 member jury for Long List selection.
2015 Polaris Music Prize winner Buffy Sainte-Marie; 2016 Long List nominee Safia Nolin; Alanna Stuart of 2018 Long-Listers, Bonjay; and Toronto City Councillor, Josh Colle, were all on hand to help present the Long List nominees. In addition, Clairmont The Second, gave a surprise performance of music from his 2018 Long-Listed album, Lil Mont from The Ave.
The 10 album Short List will be announced on July 17, and the 2018 Polaris Music Prize winner will be revealed at the Polaris Gala on Monday, September 17 at the Carlu in Toronto, which will be live streamed via cbcmusic.ca/polaris.
The Polaris Music Prize awards $50,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales. Additionally, the nine other nominated acts whose albums make the 2018 Short List will receive $3,000 each courtesy of Slaight Music.
Albums eligible for 2018 Polaris Music Prize consideration must be released between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018. An independent jury of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada determine the Long List and Short List. Eleven people from the larger jury pool are then chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. This Grand Jury convene on the night of the Gala to select the Polaris Music Prize winner.
Past winners have included Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Buffy Sainte-Marie (2015), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).
The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity. Our Polaris Podcast explores the rich and intriguing stories behind these albums and is available via iTunes and other distributors.
