Winners of the 2026 Juno Gala Including Album ft Jesse O'Brien

The 2026 Juno Gala took place in Hamilton on Saturday, March 28. Hear My Heart - Steve Marriner (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys) was the area winner.

You can see the whole event below

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music

CONGRATS EVERYONE!

Below is a complete list of winners. Click here for the winners of the televised event.

• BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Hear My Heart - Steve Marriner (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys) 
  
  
  
  Links: Steve Marriner, More Steve Marriner Stories, Jesse O'Brien, More Jesse O'Brien Stories, Video above courtesof Steve Marriner
  
  
• ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: My Second Last Album - Bahamas / Fantasy Life - Begonia - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Better Broken - Sarah McLachlan 
  
  
• ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR: Tsunami Sea – Spiritbox:  Kevin Moore (Art Director), Kyle Joinson (Photographer)
  
  
• ALBUM OF THE YEAR: So Close To What - Tate McRae 
  
  
• ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee
  
  
• ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Tate McRae
  
  
• CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro “Rhyme Travellers – Back to the Time Machine”  - Young Maestro
  
  
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE): Benedict Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem
  
  
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE): Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl
  
  
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST): Preludes by Chopin, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, Górecki - Jan Lisiecki
  
  
• CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR: Cloud Path - Amy Brandon 
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• COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Dragonflies - Adam Christie 
  
  
• CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Jubilate - Ryan Ofei
  
  
• CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Aysanabee - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Strange Trip Ahead - Mariel Buckley
  
  
• COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb
  
  
• DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Bet On Me - Debby Friday
  
  
• ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Shades of Meridian - ÈBONY
  
  
• FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Journal d’un Loup-Garou - Lou-Adriane Cassidy 
  
  
• GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Ghoyoum - Kazdoura
  
  
• HUMANITARIAN AWARD: Billy Talent
  
  
• INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: LOTUSLAND - Aaron Paris
  
  
• JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Cirkut
  
  
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP): East Meets West: Connections - Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra 
  
  
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO): Crossing Paths - Renee Rosnes
  
  
• LATIN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Índole - Alex Cuba
  
  
• METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Shadow Work - DESPISED ICON 
  
  
• MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR: luther - Karena Evans (Director), Kendrick Lamar & SZA 
  
  
• POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: So Close To What - Tate McRae 
  
  
• RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR: DRY CRY - SadBoi - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Who’s Driving You? - TOBi, Saukrates & Jully Black - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Shawn Everett
  
  
• REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Welcome To Paradise - Naomi Cowan 
  
  
• ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: No Hard Feelings - The Beaches - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR : Sports Car - Tate McRae
  
  
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Daniel Caesar
  
  
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (NON-PERFORMER): Tobias Jesso Jr. (Daniel Caesar)
  
  
• SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR: P-POP CULTURE - Karan Aujla 
  
  
• TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Bear Creek - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Say Yes - Melanie Fiona - Acceptance Speech
  
  
• TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Heal The Divide - Morgan Toney 
  
  
• UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Phantom Vibrations feat. Teddy Bryant - Gene Tellem Love
  
  
• WALT GREALIS SPECIAL AWARD ACHIEVEMENTS: Al Mair, Sandy Pandya, Vinny Cinquemani
  
  
• VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Get Out of Town - Laura Anglade 

Performances

• Isabella Lovestory
• Ryan Ofei
• Fredz
• Saya Gray
• Manitou Mkwa Singers

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2024 Opening Night Juno Winners

A number of Junos were handed out at a streamed gala on March 23, 2024. Unfortunately, no local artists won but there were lots of talented winners. The televised gala on Sunday, March 24, 2024 (on CBC at 8pm) will feature more incredible artists receiving Junos.

Local musicians Georgie Fab of the Rockets, Greg "Fritz" Heinz of Helix & Robbie Robertson of the Band were honoured at the "In Memoriam" section while Begonia sang Butterfly. Click their names at the beginning of this paragraph to go directly to their section.

Below is a video of the amazing event.

Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories, Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Click here for the televised winners.

Below is a complete of winner from the gala:

• ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Multitudes by Feist 
• ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR: RIOPELLE SYMPHONIQUE – Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal 
  - Nicolas Lemieux (Art Director)
  - Mykaël Nelson (Designer & Illustrator)
  - Albert Zablit (Photographer)
• ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Here and Now by Aysanabee 
• ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Tate McRae
• BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Scream, Holler & Howl by Blue Moon Marquee 
• BREAKTHROUGH GROUP OF THE YEAR: New West 
• CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Welcome to the Flea Circus by The Swinging Belles
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE): Maxime Goulet: Symphonie de la tempête de verglas Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by Jacques Lacombe 
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE): Il Ponte di Leonardo By Constantinople 
• CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST): Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4 by James Ehnes
• CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR: Don’t Throw Your Head in Your Hands by Nicole Lizée
• COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: A Lylebility by Kyle Brownrigg 
• CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN | GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Arrow by K-Anthony
• CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Elisapie 
• CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Never Enough by Daniel Caesar
• CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Stand in the Joy by William Prince
• COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Ahead Of Our Time by James Barker Band 
• DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Need Your Love by Felix Cartal & Karen Harding 
• ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: INFINITY CLUB by Bambii 
• FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: En concert avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal by Les Cowboys Fringants
• GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Okantomi by OKAN
• INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: When we were that what wept for the sea by Colin Stetson
• INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SOS by SZA 
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP): Cry Me A River by Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band 
• JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO): Day Moon by Christine Jensen 
• METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR: As Gomorrah Burns by Cryptopsy 
• MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Demons by  Allison Russell (Ethan Tobman - Director)
  
  
  
  Links: Allison Russel, More Allison Russel Stories, Video above courtesy of Allison Russell
  
  
• POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: 99 Nights by Charlotte Cardin 
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Shawn Everett
• RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR: PANIC by TOBi
• RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Someone I Knew  by TOBi 
• RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Shawn Everett
• REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Dread by Kirk Diamond & Finn
• ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Blame My Ex by The Beaches 
• SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Aysanabee
• SPECIAL ACIEVEMENT AWARD: Chip Sutherland
• TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR: Joel Wood
• TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR: Hello by Aqyila
• TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR: The Breath Between by David Francey
• UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Call My Name by BLOND:ISH 
• VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Our Roots Run Deep by Dominique Fils-Aimé 

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Debby Friday Wins Polaris Prize + Shortlist

The winner for the prestigious Polaris Prize was announced on September 9, 2023 and Toronto artist Debby Friday took the top honour (which includes $50,000) for her album Good Luck. 

Here is her acceptance speech from the Gala

Video above courtesy of CBC Music

Links: Debby Friday, Video above courtesy of Debby Friday - Topic

We didn't report of the Short List, which was revealed on July 13 so here's is a complete list below. Links with an asterisk (*) will take you to the band's performance at the Gala.

• Alvvays – Blue Rev
• Aysanabee – Watin *
• Begonia – Powder Blue *
• Dan Mangan – Being Somewhere *
• Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
• Debby Friday – Good Luck *
• Feist – Multitudes
• Gayance – Mascarade *
• Snotty Nose Rez Kids – I’m Good, HBU? *
• The Sadies – Colder Streams *

You can view the Short List announcement below.

Links: Polaris Music Prize, More Polaris Stories, Video above courtesy of polarismusicprize

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