Congratulations to the 2026 JUNOS Nominees!
Nominations for the 2026 JUNOS Awards have been announced, and independent Canadian artists and their companies make up a whopping 70% of this year’s nominees!
MusicOntario would like to extend a huge congratulations to Ontario’s independent artists and companies nominated for the 2026 JUNOs. We’re proud to see the hard work and impact of independent music continue to be recognized on the national stage.
We’ll see you this March in Hamilton to celebrate with you!
2026 JUNO Award Independent Nominees:
TD JUNO FAN CHOICE
bbno$ - Independent*Broke/CMG
Shubh – Independent
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY FACTOR, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADIO BROADCASTERS
Goldie Boutilier - Independent
Jutes - Position Music
Noeline Hofmann - La Honda*The Orchard
Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin
Sofia Camara - 21 Entertainment*Universal
ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA
bbno$ - Independent*Broke/CMG
GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA
The Beaches
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST)
Zaytoun - Haitham Haidar - Athene*Naxos
Awake and Dreaming - Katherine Dowling - Independent*Leaf/Naxos
Obsession - Marie Nadeau-Tremblay - ATMA*Universal
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 & colletif9 - Leaf*Naxos
Vivaldi Les Quatres Nations (reconstruites) - Ensemble Caprice - ATMA*Naxos/Believe
Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl - Mariko Anraku, Conrad Chow, Ron Korb & Rachel Mercer - Independent
in an archipelago - Standing Wave – Independent
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE) | ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (GRAND ENSEMBLE)
Benedict Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem - Axios Men’s Ensemble, The Tenors and Basses of Pro Coro Canada - Cappella*Naxos
Where Waters Meet - Canadian Chamber Choir featuring Sherryl Sewepagaham - Independent
Ichmouratov: The Ninth Wave, Viola Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1 - Les Violons du Roy - ATMA*Universal
Haydn: Symphony No. 43 “Mercury” & Symphony No. 49 “La passione” - Tafelmusik - Independent
Stravinsky: Pulcinella, Le Baiser de la fée (Divertimento) - Toronto Symphony Orchestra - Harmonia Mundi
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO)
City Lights - Anthony D’Alessandro - Independent
Kinda Out West - Aretha Tillotson - Bent River*Independent
Immersed - Justin Gray - IAN Records*Virgin
Deeper Down - Nancy Walker - Independent
Crossing Paths - Renee Rosnes - Smoke Sessions*The Orchard
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP)
Afrokando - Alexis Baro Y la Big Band - G-THREE*Kycker
CODE Red - CODE Quartet - Justin Time*Nettwerk/F.A.B
Are You Really Real - Shuffle Demons - Alma*Universal
Impact - The Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet - Independent
East Meets West: Connections - Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra – Chronograph
VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Under the Lemon Tree - Ale Nuñez - Independent
Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland - Alex Samaras - Independent
Seascape feat. Norma Winstone & Joe LaBarbera - Atlantic Jazz Collective - Alma*Universal
Caity Gyorgy with Strings - Caity Gyorgy & Mark Limacher - La Reserve*The Orchard
Get Out of Town - Laura Anglade - Justin Time*Nettwerk/F.A.B
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
LOTUSLAND - Aaron Paris - Independent*Too Lost
The love it took to leave you - Colin Stetson - Envision*Believe
Le piano et le torrent - Viviane Audet - LABE*The Orchard/Sony
BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Sing Pretty Blues - Crystal Shawanda - New Sun*Independent
Ooh Yeah! - Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne - Stony Plain*IDLA
The Medicine - Miss Emily - Gypsy Soul*FUGA
Answer the Call - Secondhand Dreamcar - Independent
Hear My Heart - Steven Marriner - Cordova Bay*Fontana North/Symphonic
TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
I Lost My Heart On Friday - Aerialists - Independent
Gold and Coal - Cassie and Maggie - Independent
The Moon’s Daughter - Heather MacIsaac - Independent
Heal The Divide - Morgan Toney - Ishkōdé*Universal
Folk Signals - The Southern Residents – Independent
CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Strange Trip Ahead - Mariel Buckley - Birthday Cake*Secretly Distribution
The Hammer & The Rose - Matt Andersen - Sonic*Warner
Purple Gas - Noeline Hofmann - La Honda*The Orchard
These Dark Canyons - The Young Novelists - Independent
Further From the Country - William Prince - Six Shooter*The Orchard
COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Let Your Horses Run - Brett Kissel - Big Star*Universal
Later Tonight - Josh Ross - Core Entertainment*Universal
Golden Child - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
My Second Last Album - Bahamas - Barchords*Universal
Fantasy Life - Begonia - Birthday Cake*Secretly Distribution
Uh Oh - Patrick Watson - Secret City*F.A.B.
Let it Hiss - The Barr Brothers - Secret City*F.A.B.
Humanhood - The Weather Station - Next Door*Outside
ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee - Ishkōdé*Universal
SAYA - Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin
SORRY, IT’S OVER - The OBGMs - BURN INDUSTRY*The Orchard
All Cylinders - Yves Jarvis - Next Door*Outside
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Roll With The Punches - Bryan Adams - Bad Records*Platoon/Y.E.S
INERTIA - grandson - XX*Create Music
Metro - The Blue Stones - New Weapon*The Orchard
The Damn Truth - The Damn Truth - Spectra*The Orchard
METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Heaven Let Them Die - Counterparts - Pure Noise*The Orchard
An Insatiable Violence - Cryptopsy - Season of Mist*The Orchard
Shadow Work - DESPISED ICON - Nuclear Blast*Believe/ADA
Antibloom - Silverstein - UNFD*FUGA
A Pathway to the Moon - Unreqvited - Independent*Believe/SPKR
ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
NU2U - Nuela Charles - Independent*AWAL
Conditions of Love Vol. 1 - Rose Cousins - Nettwerk*F.A.B.
Better Broken - Sarah McLachlan - Concord*Universal
Rebuild - Shawn Hook - Infinity*Vydia/Independent
Believer - Sister Ray - Royal Mountain*Universal
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 0.0
bbno$ - bbno$ - Independent*Broke/CMG
7 - Nelly Furtado - Nelstar/21 Entertainment*Universal
DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Bet On Me - Debby Friday - Royal Mountain*Universal
i, sabotage - Felix Cartal - Physical Presents*Fontana North
UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Cosmic Affliction (toi toi toi) - AADJA - BPitch Control*Believe/The Orchard
Main de Fer - Annie-Claude Deschênes - Bonsound*Redeye
Icarus - F7 Acting - Press*Independent
Phantom Vibrations feat. Teddy Bryant - Gene Tellem - Love Injection*!K7
Yeah! - Pacific Coliseum - Rhythm Section*!K7
ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY NISSAN
Channel 303 - Cloverdale - VIBRANCY*LabelWorx
The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life - Debby Friday - Royal Mountain*Universal
Bab El Mdina - Didon - Electrofone*Independent
Shades of Meridian - ÈBONY - Turbo*!K7
Glow Up - Korea Town Acid - Groovy Lab*Independent
RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Mula feat. Big Sean - Connor Price - Independent
PURSUIT - Freddie Dredd - Doomshop/RCA*Sony
DUMB - SonReal & Snotty Nose Rez Kids - 1851*Independent/GroupSpeed
RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE SPARROW - ARDN - Amuseio
About Time - Connor Price - Independent
Misery Loves Company - NorthSideBenji - NRTHRN RECORDS*Virgin
DRY CRY - SadBoi - LVRN*The Orchard
TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Say Yes - Melanie Fiona - PUBLIC/COLTURE*Stem
Formed - Savannah Ré - Matrimony*ADA
Reasons To Stay - Tanika Charles - Unique Applause/Record Kicks*Secretly Distribution/Symphonic
CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR
THERAPIST - SadBoi - LVRN*The Orchard
Set Me Free - Adria Kain - ArtHaus/Circle of 5ths*APG
REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Ready For You - Exco Levi & Kheilstone - Kheilstone*ONErpm
Dagga Riddim Cypher - Jojo You Made That, Yung 2nuff, Erin B, Topman Meeko, One Don & Enzooo - Independent
Deh Yah - Kirk Diamond - Independent
Welcome To Paradise - Naomi Cowan - Dreamspace/7th C*ADA
More Reggae (Funk It Up) - Samora & Ammoye - Staudenmann*Hapilos
CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ari Cui Cui et les jeux d’rôles - Ari Cui Cui - Independent
Little Leaf - Chris McKhool - Independent*Fontana North
All the Earth Speaks - Ginalina - Independent
Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 - Hip Kids Music - Independent
Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro - Young Maestro – Independent
COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA
Dragonflies - Adam Christie - Independent
Fish From the Jar - Charlie Demers - Comedy Here Often?*Warner
Dawud - Dave Merheje - Independent
homesick. - Faris Hytiaa - Independent
I’m Nervous - Robby Hoffman - Counterfeit Sounds
TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Battle At The Beach - Bad Eagle - Hidden Lake*Independent
On The Move - Bear Creek - Hidden Lake*Independent
Me & You - Manitou Mkwa Singers - Silverheels*Independent
Anirniliit Suli Piunguałaq - Qamaniq*Independent
Nakota Tayhunyabi - YB Nakota – Independent
CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY DESTINATION INDIGENOUS
Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee - Ishkōdé*Universal
LOVECHILD - Sebastian Gaskin - Ishkōdé*Universal
Chapter 1 - Shawnee Kish - Independent*Symphonic
Siibii - Siibii - Ishkōdé*Universal
FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
On s’enverra des fleurs - Fredz - Les Disques Nova*Believe
Les amours de seconde main - JF Pauzé - La Tribu*Believe/Propagande
Journal d’un Loup-Garou - Lou-Adriane Cassidy - Bravo*Believe/F.A.B
Dix chansons démodées pour ceux qui ont le cœur abîmé - Pierre Lapointe - Audiogram*The Orchard/Sony
CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Outlaw Gospel - collect.assembly - Independent
the light that leads to YOU - Elenee - Independent*Wings Music
Jubilate - Ryan Ofei - Independent*Believe
GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Bab El Mdina - Didon - Electrofone*Independent
Ghoyoum - Kazdoura - Independent
Future Village - Kizaba - Nuits D’Afrique*Independent/Believe
Legends - PIQSIQ - Independent
Rammana - Salin - Independent*AWAL
SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY TD
Renaissance Ikky & Raf Saperra - Fatboy/Universal
Supreme Shubh - Independent
By Any Means Sukha - Sukha*Universal
ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR
Bambini Symphonique - Mykael Nelson, Nicolas Lemieux, Liliane Jodoin & Felipe Arriagada – GSI
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
OK! - Haviah Mighty - Independent*Foundation Media
Listen2me - Foxwarren - Arts & Crafts*Universal
JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY AUDIO-TECHNICA
Joel Stouffer
“BODY”
BODY - Shawn Desman & Jamie Fine - Wax*Universal
“How to Sing for Money” - co-producer/co-producteur Corey LeRue
HOW TO SING FOR MONEY - Maggie Andrew - Independent*Warner
“Lie” - co-producer/co-producteur Shawn Hook
Rebuild - Shawn Hook - Infinity*Universal
“Revelation” - co-producer/co-producteur The Knocks
Revelation - The Knocks & Dragonette - Neon Gold*Virgin
“Talk About Me”
Talk About Me - Tedy - Sony
“Anyways How You Been?”
Was I(t) Worth It? - Sofia Camara - 21 Entertainment*Universal
Karen Kosowski
“Feels Like Christmas”
Feels Like Christmas - Mickey Guyton - MCA Nashville*Universal
“Sugar Cookie”
Feels Like Christmas - Mickey Guyton - MCA Nashville*Universal
“Blood From a Stone”
Golden Child - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard
“Stoned Alone feat. Caitlyn Smith”
Golden Child - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard
“Jessica, Jezebel”
Jessica, Jezebel - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard
“You Don’t Know Me At All”
You Don’t Know Me At All - Mickey Guyton - Capitol Nashville*Universal
RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Jason Dufour
“Home (Phillip’s Version)”
Home (Phillip’s Version) - Phillip Phillips - Independent
“Blue Sky Mystery feat. Filter”
Last Night on Earth - Finger Eleven - Better Noise
John ‘Beetle’ Bailey
“All I See feat. CUBE”
All I See - Molly Johnson - Universal
“Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em”
Crashbox - Monkey House - Alma*Universal
L Stu Young
“..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING FOR LOVE )”
SAYA - Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin/Universal
“LIE DOWN..”
SAYA - Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin/Universal
CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
Cloud Path - Amy Brandon - Leaf*Naxos
The Laws of Nature - Andrew Staniland - Leaf*Naxos
Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl - Kevin Lau - Bravo Niagara*Independent
Linda Catlin Smith: The Complete Piano Solos (1989–2023) Vol. 1 – The Plains - Linda Catlin Smith - Redshift
Music for Body-Without-Organs - Nicole Lizée - ATMA*Universal
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (NON-PERFORMER) PRESENTED BY SOCAN
Elizabeth Lowell Boland
Publisher - Artist Publishing Group West / Kobalt Music Services
“World’s Smallest Violin” - co-songwriters Amanda Ava Koci, Arthur Remond, Hamid Bashir, Kyle Buckley & LOLO
Don’t Click Play - Ava Max - Atlantic*Warner
“Girls Like You” - co-songwriters Donny Bravo, Michael Wise, Nathan Ferraro & Sofia Camara
Hard To Love - Sofia Camara - 21 Entertainment*Universal
“Too Pretty For Buffalo” - co-songwriters Gus Van Go & Kayleigh O’Connor
Too Pretty For Buffalo - Baby Nova - APG*Atlantic
Hayley Gene Penner
Publisher - Hayl Songs / Downtown Music Publishing
“Small Hands feat. Raiche” - co-songwriters Eren Cannata, Jaten Dimsdale, Jett Gitelman & Skyler Stonestreet
I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy - Teddy Swims - Warner*Downtown Music
“West End Girl” - co-songwriters Alessandro Bruccellati, Blue May & Lily Cooper
West End Girl - Lily Allen - BMG
“Woman Of Faces” - co-songwriters Jamie Hartman, Celeste, KIDDO & Matt Maltese
Woman Of Faces - Celeste - Polydor*Reservoir
Nathan Ferraro
Publisher - Warner Chappell Music Canada
“After You feat. FAANGS” - co-songwriters Mikkel Cox, Christophe Dalla-Ca, David Guetta, FAANGS, Feli Ferraro, Heavy Mellow, Olivier Giacomotto & Tobias Frederiksen
After You feat. FAANGS - David Guetta, Kiko & Olivier Giacomotto - Independent
“Girls Like You” - co-songwriters Donny Bravo, Michael Wise, Elizabeth Lowell Boland & Sofia Camara
Hard To Love - Sofia Camara - Universal
“Parking Lot” - co-songwriters Sofia Camara, Elizabeth Lowell Boland & Mike Wise
Hard To Love - Sofia Camara – Universal
Mustafa
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
“Rearrange My World” – co-songwriters/co-compositeurs Alexander O’Conner, Ashton Simmonds & Devonte Hynes
Rearrange My World – Daniel Caesar & Rex Orange County Hollace/Republic*Universal
“Have A Baby (With Me)” – co-songwriters/co-compositeurs Bobby Dixon, Ashton Simmons, Bradley Brown, Dalton Brown, Dave Richards, Jordan Evans, Les McCan, Miguel Orlando Collins, Paul Heaton & Teo Halm
Son Of Spergy – Daniel Caesar Hollace/Republic*Universal
“There’s a Field (That’s Only Yours)” – co-songwriters/co-compositeurs Alexander O’Conner & Ashton Simmonds
There’s a Field (That’s Only Yours) – Daniel Caesar & Rex Orange County Hollace/Republic*Universal
LATIN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Índole - Alex Cuba - Caracol*Fontana North/ONErpm
BAILA Y CONFÍA - Andy Rubal - MoonSun*Believe
Vanity - Isabella Lovestory - Giant Music
La Belleza - Lido Pimienta - ANTI-*Fontana North
He Sanado Varias Cosas - Mario Puglia - ABC Music