Junos: And the Winners Will Be
JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD (PRESENTED BY PEPSI)
Céline Dion (Sony)
Feist (Arts & Crafts*EMI)
Hedley (Universal)
Nickelback (EMI)
The Lost Fingers (Tandem*Select/Sony)
It’s hard to believe that a couple of the choices made the cut, but regardless it comes down to a couple of feelings; on the one hand I want Feist to win, but on the other, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hedley succeeds. So I’ll just go with the one I want.
WINNER: Feist
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Taking Chances Céline Dion (Sony)
Lay It On The Line Divine Brown (WEA*Warner)
Dangerous Kardinal Offishall (Kon Live*Universal)
Lost Michael Bublé (Reprise*Warner)
Gotta Be Somebody Nickelback (EMI)
I don’t know about this one, nothing really stands out so I’m going to pull someone out of my hat…
WINNER: Kardinal Offishall
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Black Ice AC/DC (Columbia*Sony)
Viva La Vida Coldplay (Capitol*EMI)
Chinese Democracy Guns N' Roses (Geffen*Universal)
Sleep Through The Static Jack Johnson (Brushfire*Universal)
Death Magnetic Metallica (Warner Bros.*Warner)
Guns N’ Roses makes the list? Really? Why, because they finally released an album after 15 years? There’s really only one choice that stands out above all others.
WINNER: Coldplay
ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CANADIAN RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION)
Famous Last Words Hedley (Universal)
Dark Horse Nickelback (EMI)
Simple Plan Simple Plan (Atlantic*Warner)
70's Volume 2 Sylvain Cossette (Vega*DEP/Universal)
Lost In The 80's The Lost Fingers (Tandem*Select/Sony)
Oy, how am I supposed to choose between these guys? I’m going to throw out Hedley, Nickelback and Simple Plan right off; not a fan, never going to be a fan. And because we all know the 70s are better than the 80s, my winner is Sylvain Cossette. However, it’s probably going to be a best-seller that wins, so I’ll just go for the BC boys.
WINNER: Hedley
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bryan Adams (Polydor*Universal)
City and Colour (Dine Alone*Universal)
k.d. lang (Nonesuch*Warner)
Sam Roberts (Universal)
Serena Ryder (EMI)
This is really tough because you have the old guard like Adams and Lang staked up against newbies like Ryder and Dallas Green. In the middle though, I think this year’s winner clearly stands out somewhere in between.
WINNER: Sam Roberts
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Great Big Sea (WEA*Warner)
Nickelback (EMI)
Simple Plan (Atlantic*Warner)
The Trews (Bumstead*Universal)
Tokyo Police Club (Mean Beard*Universal)
It could be Nickelback, but I’d rather it be Tokyo Police Club. Having said that though, I give the medal to our favourite East Coast rockers becasue they’re just impossible not to like.
WINNER: Great Big Sea
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY FACTOR AND CANADA'S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS)
Crystal Shawanda (Sony)
Jessie Farrell (604*Universal)
Kreesha Turner (EMI)
Lights (Underground Operations*Universal)
Nikki Yanofsky (A440*Universal)
Given her clean sweep of the different awards at Canadian Music Week, look for Lights to score here as well.
WINNER: Lights
NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY FACTOR AND CANADA'S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS)
Beast (Pheromone/Vega*Universal)
Cancer Bats (Distort*Universal)
Crystal Castles (Last Gang*Universal)
Plants and Animals (Secret City*Fusion III)
The Stills (Arts & Crafts*EMI)
I can’t say that there’s single band here I can’t get into, even the Cancer Bats are hardcore I can enjoy. But if I could vote, I think I’d have to vote for whimsy on this one.
WINNER: Plants and Animals
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY GALAXIE, RISING STARS PROGRAM OF THE CBC)
Between The Beautifuls Hawksley Workman (Universal)
Asking For Flowers Kathleen Edwards (MapleMusic*Universal)
Exit Strategy Of The Soul Ron Sexsmith (Ronboy Rhymes*Warner)
The Baroness Sarah Slean (WEA*Warner)
is it o.k Serena Ryder (EMI)
By far this is my favourite category. I just wish it was called something else other than “adult alternative.” So, we’re in a bit of a tough spot here, do I choose at random? No, instead I’ll just go with the gut instinct, and the artist whose music jumps out at me most.
WINNER: Sarah Slean
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY 91.7 THE BOUNCE)
Flavors of Entanglement Alanis Morissette (Maverick*Warner)
No Sleep At All Creature Bonsound*(Universal)
Wake Up And Say Goodbye David Usher (MapleMusic*Universal)
Passion Kreesha Turner (EMI)
Holes The Midway State (Remedy*EMI)
Kreesha Turner and Midway State both have their charms, but so far as old favourites go, I think one person wins out due to their seniority
WINNER: Alanis Morissette
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Terminal Romance Matt Mays & El Torpedo (Sonic*Warner)
Fortress Protest The Hero (Underground Operations*Universal)
Love At The End Of The World Sam Roberts (Universal)
Parallel Play Sloan (murderecords*Sony)
No Time For Later The Trews (Bumstead*Universal)
As much as I love indie boys like The Trews and Matt Mays, I think this category will go to one of the two bigger boys. And the influence of one last year, I think, definitely outpaced the other.
WINNER: Sam Roberts
RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR
A Captured Moment In Time DL Incognito (URBNET*Fontana North)
The Book D-Sisive (URBNET*Fontana North)
I Rap Now Famous (HHC*KOCH)
Not 4 Sale Kardinal Offishall (Kon Live*Universal)
Point Blank Point Blank (TiltRock*KOCH)
Kardinal’s got name value, but I’ve been kind of obsessed with D-Sisive since seeing him perform last year at North By Northeast. He’s just such a great performer and tremendous writer. A true Canadian talent that deserves a wide audience.
WINNER: D-Sisive
R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
The Love Chronicles Divine Brown (WEA*Warner)
The Promise Deborah Cox (Deco*KOCH)
Elise Estrada Elise Estrada (Rockstar Music*KOCH)
TONY Ivana Santilli (Do Right! Music*Outside)
Money Zaki Ibrahim (Sony)
I can get into pop easier than most, and there is something about Elise Estrada, but standing up against the grand ‘dame of Canadian soul, let’s just say that this is not her year.
WINNER: Divine Brown
ROOTS & TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: GROUP
Chic Gamine Chic Gamine (Independent)
Fast Paced World The Duhks (Sugar Hill*EMI)
Mountain Meadows Elliott BROOD (Six Shooter*Warner)
XOK NQ Arbuckle (Six Shooter*Warner)
Highway Prayer Twilight Hotel (Independent*Outside)
This category covers so much, but for pure musical energy and fidelity, my choice is the band with the Q in its name.
WINNER: NQ Arbuckle
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