The Junos are coming once again to the Hammer and a number of local artists have been given the nod.
The main ceremony will be televised on March 29, 2026 from TD Coliseum in Hamilton.
Below is a video of the official announcement.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
Below is a complete list of nominees. Local acts are bolded.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Later Tonight - Josh Ross (Waterdown)
- The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb
- SWAG II - Justin Bieber
- So Close To What - Tate McRae
- Hurry Up Tomorrow - The Weeknd
BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Ooh Yeah! - Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (formerly of Burlington) released on Stony Plain (Waterdown)
Links: Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, More Kenny "Blues Boss" Stories, Video above courtesy of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne - Topic - Hear My Heart - Steve Marriner (ft Hamilton's Jesse O'Brien on keys)
- Sing Pretty Blues - Crystal Shawanda
- The Medicine - Miss Emily
- Answer the Call - Secondhand Dreamcar
CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Little Leaf - Chris McKhool (Burlington)
- Ari Cui Cui et les jeux d’rôles (Les contes classiques en musique) - Ari Cui Cui
- All the Earth Speaks - Ginalina
- Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 - Hip Kids Music
- Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro “Rhyme Travellers – Back to the Time Machine” - Young Maestro
CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
- Kimiko’s Pearl - Kevin Lau (commissioned by Bravo Niagara)
- Cloud Path - Amy Brandon
- The Laws of Nature - Andrew Staniland
- The Complete Piano Solos (1989-2023) Vol. 1 – The Plains - Linda Catlin Smith
- Music for Body-Without-Organs - Nicole Lizée
COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Later Tonight - Josh Ross (Waterdown )
- Let Your Horses Run - Brett Kissel
- The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb
- One Of Us - James Barker Band
- Golden Child - Meghan Patrick
FAN CHOICE
- Josh Ross (Waterdown)
- bbno$
- Cameron Whitcomb
- James Barker Band
- Justin Bieber
- Karan Aujla
- Shawn Mendes
- Shubh
- Tate McRae
- The Weeknd
METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Antibloom - Silverstein (Burlington)
Links: Silverstein, More Silverstein Stories, Video above courtesy of UNFD - Heaven Let Them Die - Counterparts
- An Insatiable Violence - Cryptopsy
- Shadow Work - DESPISED ICON
- A Pathway to the Moon - Unreqvited
RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
- John ‘Beetle’ Bailey (Waterloo)
- Jason Dufour
- L Stu Young
- Serban Ghenea
- Shawn Everett
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- Hate How You Look - Josh Ross (Waterdown)
Links: Josh Ross, More Josh Ross Stories, Video above courtesy of JOSH ROSS - Options - Cameron Whitcomb
- DAISIES - Justin Bieber
- Sports Car - Tate McRae
- Cry For Me - The Weeknd
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- My Second Last Album - Bahamas
- Fantasy Life - Begonia
- Uh Oh Patrick - Watson
- Let it Hiss - The Barr Brothers
- Humanhood - The Weather Station
ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR
- Pink Elephant – Arcade Fire
Catherine Lepage (Art Director/Directrice artistique), Simon Rivest (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Daniel Lanois (Illustrator/Illustrateur), Norah Chassagne (Illustrator/Illustratrice), Régine Chassagne (Illustrator/Illustratrice, Photographer/Photographe) - Beat Bouquet – Misc Spectacles
Jérôme Beaulieu (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Etienne Bonneville (Designer/Concepteur), Chris de Muri (Illustrator/Illustrateur) Alina Herta (Photographer/Photographe) - Tsunami Sea – Spiritbox
Kevin Moore (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Kyle Joinson (Photographer/Photographe) - The Hard Way – Cameron Whitcomb
Logan Dane Morrison (Art Director/Directeur artistique) - Bambini Symphonique – Alain Trudel and Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal GSI
Mykael Nelson (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Nicolas Lemieux (Designer/Concepteur), Liliane Jodoin (Illustrator/Illustrateur) & Felipe Arriagada (Illustrator/Illustrateur)
ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee
- Who Will Look After The Dogs? - PUP
- SAYA - Saya Gray
- SORRY, IT’S OVER - The OBGMs
- All Cylinders - Yves Jarvis
ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- NU2U - Nuela Charles
- Conditions of Love Vol. 1 - Rose Cousins
- Better Broken - Sarah McLachlan
- Rebuild - Shawn Hook
- Believer - Sister Ray
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- bbno$
- Daniel Caesar
- Justin Bieber
- Tate McRae
- The Weeknd
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Cameron Whitcomb
- Goldie Boutilier
- Jade LeMac
- Jutes
- MICO
- Noeline Hofmann
- Sacha
- Saya Gray
- Sofia Camara
- yung kai
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE)
- Benedict Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem
- Where Waters Meet Canadian Chamber Choir featuring Sherryl Sewepagaham
- Ichmouratov: The Ninth Wave, Viola Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1
- Haydn: Symphony No. 43 in E-Flat Major, Hob. I:43 “Mercury” & Symphony No. 49 in F Minor, Hob. I:49 “La passione”
- Stravinsky: Pulcinella, Le Baiser de la fée (Divertimento)
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE)
- Current: MISSING ATOM (Artists of the Opera MISSING), Timothy Long & The Continuum Ensemble - Bright Shiny Things
- Re/String - CC Duo & collectif9
- Vivaldi Les Quatres Nations (reconstruites) - Ensemble Caprice
- Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl - Mariko Anraku, Conrad Chow, Ron Korb & Rachel Mercer
- in an archipelago - Standing Wave
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST)
- Tchaikovsky: The Seasons - Bruce Liu
- Zaytoun - Haitham Haidar
- Preludes by Chopin, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, Górecki - Jan Lisiecki
- Awake and Dreaming - Katherine Dowling
- Obsession - Marie Nadeau-Tremblay
COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Dragonflies - Adam Christie
- Fish From the Jar - Charlie Demers
- Dawud - Dave Merheje
- homesick. - Faris Hytiaa
- I’m Nervous - Robby Hoffman
CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- VULNERABLE TOO - Bridge Music
- Outlaw Gospel - collect.assembly
- the light that leads to YOU - Elenee
- WHERE THE HEART IS - Kofi Dartey
- Jubilate - Ryan Ofei
CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee
- LOVECHILD - Sebastian Gaskin
- Chapter 1 - Shawnee Kish
- Siibii - Siibii
- Sage My Soul - Tia Wood
CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Set Me Free - Adria Kain
- Mirage - Avenoir
- Son Of Spergy - Daniel Caesar
- PAID IN MEMORIES - Jessie Reyez
- Life 2 - Majid Jordan
- THERAPIST - SadBoi
CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Strange Trip Ahead - Mariel Buckley
- The Hammer & The Rose - Matt Andersen
- Purple Gas - Noeline Hofmann
- These Dark Canyons - The Young Novelists
- Further From the Country - William Prince
DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Loving You - Kideko & A-Trak
- Do What I Want - Anna Sofia
- Dominate - CHYL
- Bet On Me - Debby Friday Royal
- i, sabotage - Felix Cartal
ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Channel 303 - Cloverdale
- The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life - Debby Friday Royal
- Bab El Mdina - Didon
- Shades of Meridian - ÈBONY
- Glow Up - Korea Town Acid
FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Dogue - Ariane Roy La
- On s’enverra des fleurs - Fredz
- Les amours de seconde main - JF Pauzé
- Journal d’un Loup-Garou - Lou-Adriane Cassidy
- Dix chansons démodées pour ceux qui ont le cœur abîmé - Pierre Lapointe
GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Bab El Mdina - Didon
- Ghoyoum - Kazdoura
- Future Village - Kizaba
- Legends - PIQSIQ
- Rammana - Salin
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Arcade Fire
- Mother Mother
- Peach Pit
- The Beaches
- Three Days Grace
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- LOTUSLAND - Aaron Paris
- The love it took to leave you - Colin Stetson
- Ritual II - Crown Lands
- désert (deluxe) - Jean-Michel Blais & Lara Somogyi
- Le piano et le torrent - Viviane Audet
JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
- Cirkut
- Greg Wells
- Gus van Go
- Joel Stouffer
- Karen Kosowski
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP)
- Afrokando - Alexis Baro Y la Big Band
- CODE Red - CODE Quartet
- Are You Really Real - Shuffle Demons
- Impact - The Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet
- East Meets West: Connections - Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra
LATIN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Índole - Alex Cuba
- BAILA Y CONFÍA - Andy Rubal
- Vanity- Isabella Lovestory
- La Belleza - Lido Pimienta
- He Sanado Varias Cosas - Mario Puglia
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO)
- City Lights - Anthony D’Alessandro
- Kinda Out West - Aretha Tillotson
- Immersed - Justin Gray
- Deeper Down - Nancy Walker
- Crossing Paths - Renee Rosnes
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Bellatores - Adrian Villagomez Apashe & Vladimir Cauchemar
- DRIVING - Adrian Villagomez Eddie Benjamin
- luther - Karena Evans Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- OK! - Shiraz Haviah Mighty
- Listen2me - Winston Hacking Foxwarren
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- bbno$ - bbno$
- SWAG II - Justin Bieber
- 7 - Nelly Furtado
- So Close To What - Tate McRae
- Hurry Up Tomorrow - The Weeknd
RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR
- KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE SPARROW - ARDN
- About Time - Connor Price
- Misery Loves Company - NorthSideBenji
- DRY CRY - SadBoi
- ELEMENTS Vol. 2 - TOBi
RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- Mula feat. Big Sean - Connor Price
- PURSUIT - Freddie Dredd
- UNLIMITED feat. Playboi Carti - NAV
- DUMB - SonReal & Snotty Nose Rez Kids
- Who’s Driving You? - TOBi, Saukrates & Jully Black
REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Ready For You - Exco Levi & Kheilstone
- Dagga Riddim Cypher Jojo - You Made That, Yung 2nuff, Erin B, Topman Meeko, One Don & Enzooo
- Deh Yah - Kirk Diamond
- Welcome To Paradise - Naomi Cowan
- More Reggae (Funk It Up) - Samora & Ammoye
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Roll With The Punches - Bryan Adams
- INERTIA - grandson
- No Hard Feelings - The Beaches
- Metro - The Blue Stones
- The Damn Truth - The Damn Truth
- Alienation - Three Days Grace
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Ashton Simmonds (Daniel Caesar)
- Jessie Reyez
- Justin Bieber
- Tate McRae
- The Beaches
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (NON-PERFORMER)
- Elizabeth Lowell Boland
- Hayley Gene Penner
- Mustafa
- Nathan Ferraro
- Tobias Jesso Jr.
SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Afsos - AP Dhillon & Anuv Jain
- P-POP CULTURE - Karan Aujla
- Renaissance - Ikky & Raf Saperra
- Supreme - Shubh
- By Any Means - Sukha
TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Battle At The Beach - Bad Eagle
- On The Move - Bear Creek
- Me & You - Manitou Mkwa Singers
- Anirniliit Suli - Piunguałaq
- Nakota Tayhunyabi - YB Nakota
TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Have A Baby (With Me) - Daniel Caesar
- **GOLIATH** - Jessie Reyez
- Say Yes - Melanie Fiona
- Formed - Savannah Ré
- Reasons To Stay - Tanika Charles
TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- I Lost My Heart On Friday - Aerialists
- Gold and Coal - Cassie and Maggie
- The Moon’s Daughter - Heather MacIsaac
- Heal The Divide - Morgan Toney
- Folk Signals - The Southern Residents
UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- Cosmic Affliction (toi toi toi) - AADJA BPitch
- Main de Fer - Annie-Claude Deschênes
- Icarus F7 - Acting
- Phantom Vibrations feat. Teddy Bryant - Gene Tellem Love
- Yeah! - Pacific Coliseum
VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Under the Lemon Tree - Ale Nuñez
- Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland - Alex Samaras
- Seascape feat. Norma Winstone & Joe LaBarbera - Atlantic Jazz Collective
- Caity Gyorgy with Strings - Caity Gyorgy & Mark Limacher
- Get Out of Town - Laura Anglade
Links: Juno Awards, More Juno Stories
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