The Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC Music, has revealed its 40 album Long List:
AHI – Prospect
Arcade Fire – WE
Backxwash – I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES
BADBADNOTGOOD – Talk Memory
Jean-Michel Blais – aubades
Basia Bulat – The Garden
Tanika Charles – Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly
Chiiild – Hope For Sale
Destroyer – LABYRINTHITIS
Julie Doiron – I Thought Of You
The Garrys – Get Thee To A Nunnery
The Halluci Nation – One More Saturday Night
Joyful Joyful – Joyful Joyful
Adria Kain – When Flowers Bloom
Lydia Képinski – Depuis
Pierre Kwenders – José Louis And The Paradox Of Love
Ada Lea – one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
Lisa Leblanc – Chiac Disco
Hubert Lenoir – PICTURA DE IPSE : Musique directe
Luna Li – Duality
Les Louanges – Crash
LOONY – soft thing
Kelly McMichael – Waves
Men I Trust – Untourable Album
Haviah Mighty – Stock Exchange
myst milano. – Shapeshyfter
Cedric Noel – Hang Time
Ombiigizi – Sewn Back Together
Orville Peck – Bronco
Ouri – Frame of a Fauna
P’tit Belliveau – Un homme et son piano
PUP – THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND
SATE – The Fool
Shad – TAO
Sister Ray – Communion
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Life After
Stars – From Capelton Hill
Tanya Tagaq – Tongues
The Weeknd – Dawn FM
Charlotte Day Wilson – Alpha
In total, 223 albums were considered for the Long List by the 197 member jury this season.
This year’s Long List was revealed at the Numbers event space in Toronto’s downtown west end with a video directed by Daniel Tal and produced by Vox Future. This was the first public Polaris-related gathering in 33 months. The Long List reveal video also premiered simultaneously on the Polaris Facebook page and YouTube channels.
The 10 album Short List will be unveiled live on July 14 as part of a two-hour special during Drive on CBC Music. An encore broadcast of the special will be available on CBC Music, Sunday, July 17. The 2022 Polaris Music Prize-winning album will be revealed in the fall via CBC Music. More details on this will be announced in the coming weeks.
The winning album will be revealed during the Polaris Gala, taking place Monday, September 19 at The Carlu in Toronto. To celebrate our return to the venue that has hosted the likes of Glenn Gould, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and multiple Polaris events, Polaris has just opened up 100 early-bird general admission Polaris Gala tickets for sale to the public. These specially priced tickets ($40 plus tax) are available now via Ticketmaster while quantities last.
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. The nine other nominated acts whose albums make the 2022 Short List will receive $3,000 each courtesy of Slaight Music. Additionally, Polaris Music Prize has partnered with Play MPE to award the winning artist with a global music promotion distribution package for one release (single or album) worth up to $3,025 CAD. Play MPE will also gift all nine remaining Short List artists with distribution packages worth up to $1,000 CAD each.
Albums eligible for 2022 Polaris Music Prize consideration must be released between May 1, 2021 and May 31, 2022. An independent jury of music media from across Canada determines 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 convenes at the Polaris Gala to select the Polaris Music Prize winner.
The past winners are Cadence Weapon (2021), Backxwash (2020), Haviah Mighty (2019), Jeremy Dutcher (2018), 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).
