2018 Juno Award Nominees Announced!

The Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) is thrilled that the nominees for the 2018 JUNO Awards are highlighting the contributions and strength of the Canadian independent music industry!

We’d like to extend sincere congratulations to all of our members whose artists have earned nominations in this year’s JUNO Awards. To all nominees who have received recognition at yesterday’s announcement, congratulations and good luck! The Canadian indie sector has always excelled at developing artists which is why our artists are no stranger to the JUNO Awards. We’re proud to see this tradition continue! 

2018 Juno Award Nominees:

Juno Fan Choice Award:  

  • Theory: 604 Records  
  • Arkells: Last Gang Records & eOne

Single of the Year:

  •  Arkells – “Knocking at the Door” Last Gang Records & eOne

Artist of the Year: 

  • Gord Downie: Arts & Crafts  Lights: Last Gang Managment    

Group of the Year:

  • Broken Social Scene: Arts & Crafts    

Breakthrough Artist of the Year:

  • Virginia to Vegas: Wax Records   

Breakthrough Group of the Year: 

  • The Dead South: Managed by Six Shooter  
  • The Franklin Electric: Indica Records  The Jerry Cans 

Songwriter of the Year:

  • “Chosen”, “Grace” – co-songwriter Mark Erelli, “White Flag” – co-songwriter KS Rhoads NATURAL CONCLUSION – Rose Cousins?Rose Cousins: Outside Records
  • “21 Days” – co-songwriters Simon Wilcox, Thomas ‘Tawgs’ Salter, Michael J. Wise, Ron Lopata, “It’s Kinda Complicated” – co-songwriters Thomas ‘Tawgs’ Salter, Todd Clark, Ron Lopata, “PDA” – co- songwriters Simon Wilcox, Thomas ‘Tawgs’ Salter, Ron Lopata HÔTEL DE VILLE – Scott Helman Scott Helman: Coalition Music
  • “Come Back for Me”, “Watershed”, “Try” WATERSHED – Amelia Curran  Amelia Curran: Six Shooter Records
  • “A Natural”, “Introduce Yerself”, “The North” INTRODUCE YERSELF – Gord Downie:  Gord Downie & Kevin Drew:  Arts & Crafts   

Country Album of the Year:   

  • Jess Moskaluke – Past the Past: MDM Recordings 
  • Tim Hicks – Shake These Walls Open Road  
  • Dean Brody – Beautiful Freakshow: Open Road   

Adult Alternative Album of the Year:  

  • Leif Vollebekk – Twin Solitude: Secret City Records 
  • Terra Lightfoot – New Mistakes: Sonic Unyon 
  • Timber Timbre – Sincerely, Future Pollution: Arts & Crafts 
  • Whitehorse – Panther in the Dollhouse: Six Shooter Records  
  • Gord Downie – Introduce Yerself: Arts & Crafts   

Alternative Album of the Year:  

  • Land of Talk – Life After Youth:  Dine Alone Records 
  • Tanya Tagaq – Retribution: Six Shooter Records  

Pop Album of the Year:

  • Lights – Skin & Earth: eOne/Last Gang
  • Scott Helman – Hôtel de Ville: Coalition Music
  • Rock Album of the Year:
  • Theory – Wake Up Call: 604
  • Big Wreck – Grace Street: ole
  • Death From Above – Outrage! Is Now: Last Gang Records/eOne
  • Vocal Jazz Album of the Year:
  • Matt Dusk – Old School Yule!: True North Records/IDLA
  • Michael Kaeshammer – No Filter: eOne

Jazz Album of the Year (Solo):

  • Hilario Durán – Contumbao: Alma Records
  • Chet Doxas – Rich in Symbols: eOne
  • Rock Album of the Year:
  • Theory – Wake Up Call: 604
  • Big Wreck – Grace Street: ole
  • Death From Above – Outrage! Is Now: Last Gang Records/eOne

Vocal Jazz Album of the Year:

  •  Matt Dusk – Old School Yule!: True North Records/IDLA
  • Michael Kaeshammer – No Filter: eOne
  • Jazz Album of the Year (Solo):
  • Hilario Durán – Contumbao: Alma Records
  • Chet Doxas – Rich in Symbols: eOne

Jazz Album of the Year (Group):

  • Christine Jensen & Ingrid Jensen – Infinitude: Outside Records

Instrumental Album of the Year:

  • Do Make Say Think Stubborn – Persisten Illusions: Outside Records

Children’s Album of the Year:

  • Fred Penner – Hear the Music: Linus/IDLA

Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble):

  • Shaman & Arctic Symphony: Centrediscs  
  • Classical Composition of the Year:
  • James Rolfe – Breathe: Centrediscs
  • Vincent Ho – The Shaman: Centrediscs
  • Alice Ping Yee Ho – Cœur à Cœur: Marquis/eOne
  • Rap Recording of the Year: 
  • Maestro Fresh Wes – “Coach Fresh”: Fontana North

Dance Recording of the Year:

  • Felix Cartal – “Get What You Give”: Fontana North

Reggae Recording of the Year:

  • Ammoye – “The Light”:  eOne
  • Indigenous Music Album of the Year:
  • Iskwé – The Fight Within:
  • Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs: True North Records/Idla
  • Contemporary Roots Album of the Year:
  • The Jerry Cans – Inuusiq: Fontana North
  • The Weather Station – The Weather Station: Outside Records
  • Amelia Curran – Watershed: Six Shooter Records
  • Bruce Cockburn – Bone on Bone: True North Records/IDLA
  • Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs: True North Records/IDLA

Traditional Roots Album of the Year:

  • Jayme Stone – Jayme Stone’s Folklife: Borealias Fontana North
  • The East Pointers – What We Leave Behind: Noisemaker mgmt/ Fontana North
  • The Dead South – Illusion & Doubt Curve Music / eOne  

Blues Album of the Year:

  • MonkeyJunk – Time to Roll: Stony Plain
  • Steve Strongman – No Time Like Now: Somoc Unyon
  • Williams, Wayne & Isaak – Big City, Back Country Blues
  • Big Dave McLean – Better the Devil You Know: Black Hen/IDLA
  • Downchild – Something I’ve Done: Linus/IDLA
  • Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year:
  • Manafest – Stones: Manafest  

Jack Richardson Producer of the Year:

  • Thomas “Tawgs” Salter (“PDA” – Hôtel de Ville by Scott Helman, “Electric Love” [co-producer Mike Wise] – Utopia by Serena Ryder):  Pandyamonium Artist Managment
  • Felix Cartal (“Get What You Give” – Get What You Give by Felix Cartal, “Drifting Away” – Drifting Away by Felix Cartal): Fontana North

Recording Engineer of the Year:

  • Eric Ratz
  • Gus van Go: Sonic Unyon

Album Artwork of the Year:

  • Esmerine – Mechanics of Dominion: Outside Records
  • Do Make Say Think – Stubborn Persistent Illusions: Outside Records

Video of the Year: 

  • Grimes – “Venus Fly” (Grimes): Crystal Math
  • Arkells – “Knocking at the Door” (Shane Cunningham & Mark Myers): Last Gang Management

Electronic Album of the Year:

  • Kid Koala – Music to Draw To: Satellite: Arts & Crafts
  • Blue Hawaii – Tenderness: Outside Records

Comedy Album of the Year:

  • K. Trevor Wilson – Sorry! (A Canadian Album): Dine Alone Records
  • Rebecca Kohler – In Living Kohler: Dine Alone Records
  • Charlie Demers –  Fatherhood: 604