This week the Polaris Music Prize left their Toronto offices for the first time to announce the Long List of nominees for this year’s prize. From Vancouver’s Waldorf Hotel, the Long List of 40 artists, as chosen by the jury of 200 independent music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across the country, was unveiled featuring a diverse line up of Canada’s best talents.
The $30,000 Polaris Prize is awarded to the best full-length Canadian album judged solely on artistic merit with no attention paid to genre, marketing or sales. From the Long List the full jury will choose the Short List of 10 nominees to be announced July 17th, from the Drake Hotel in Toronto. From there a Grand Jury of 11 peer selected jurors vote for the 2012 winner, to be announced at the Polaris Gala on September 24th. Broadcast on MuchMusic and CBC Radio 3 from the CTV Concert Hall in Tronto’s Masonic Temple the gala features performances by the Short List nominees before the winner is revealed.
This year’s Long List nominees are: (check out most of the list on Rdio*)
A Tribe Called Red, A Tribe Called Red
Marie-Pierre Arthur, Aux alentours
Rich Aucoin, We’re All Dying To Live
Avec pas d’casque, Astronomie
Azari & III, Azari & III
Bahamas, Barchords
The Barr Brothers, The Barr Brothers
Blackie And The Rodeo Kings, Kings And Queens
Cadence Weapon, Hope In Dirt City
Kathryn Calder, Bright And Vivid
Cannon Bros, Firecracker / Cloudglow
Coeur de pirate, Blonde
Leonard Cohen, Old Ideas
Cold Specks, I Predict A Graceful Expulsion
Rose Cousins, We Have Made A Spark
Mark Davis, Eliminate The Toxins
Drake, Take Care
Kathleen Edwards, Voyageur
Feist, Metals
Fucked Up, David Comes To Life
Great Lake Swimmers, New Wild Everywhere
Grimes, Visions
Handsome Furs, Sound Kapital
Japandroids, Celebration Rock
Dan Mangan, Oh Fortune
Mares Of Thrace, The Pilgrimage
Ariane Moffatt, MA
Lindi Ortega, Little Red Boots
Parlovr, Kook Soul
Sandro Perri, Impossible Spaces
Joel Plaskett Emergency, Scrappy Happiness
PS I Love You, Death Dreams
John K. Samson, Provincial
Shooting Guns, Born To Deal In Magic: 1952-1976
The Slakadeliqs, The Other Side of Tomorrow
Patrick Watson, Adventures In Your Own Backyard
Bry Webb, Provider
The Weeknd, Echoes of Silence
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, YT//ST
Yukon Blonde, Tiger Talk
*Check out Rdio for yourself sign-up for a 7 Day Free Trial.