Music News

The 2017 Polaris Music Prize Long List is Out

After months of to-ing and fro-ing, arguing and bickering, supporting and a tiny bit of bashing, the 200+ music industry types who make up the vast jury for the Polaris Music Prize have voted in stage one of this year’s competition. Again, the goal is to name the best Canadian album of the last 12 months regardless of genre or commercial success.

There were 188 submissions. Now we’re down to these 40 (in alphabetical order):

  1. A Tribe Called Red – We Are The Halluci Nation
  2. Alaclair Ensemble – Les Frères Cueilleurs
  3. Anciients – Voice of the Void
  4. Arkells – Morning Report
  5. Philippe B – La grande nuit vidéo
  6. BADBADNOTGOOD – IV
  7. Louise Burns – Young Mopes
  8. Chocolat – Rencontrer Looloo
  9. Clairmont The Second – Quest For Milk and Honey
  10. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker
  11. Antoine Corriveau – Cette chose qui cognait au creux de sa poitrine sans vouloir s’arrêter
  12. Le Couleur – P.O.P.
  13. Marie Davidson – Adieux Au Dancefloor
  14. Mac Demarco – This Old Dog
  15. Gord Downie – Secret Path
  16. Drake – More Life
  17. Feist – Pleasure
  18. Figure Walking – The Big Other
  19. Fiver – Audible Songs From Rockwood
  20. Geoffroy – Coastline
  21. Hannah Georgas – For Evelyn
  22. Japandroids – Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
  23. Carly Rae Jepsen – E.MO.TION Side B
  24. B.A. Johnston – Gremlins III
  25. Lisa LeBlanc – Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?
  26. The New Pornographers – Whiteout Conditions
  27. Klô Pelgag – L’Étoile thoracique
  28. Peter Peter – Noir Éden
  29. Lido Pimienta – La Papessa
  30. Jessie Reyez – Kiddo
  31. Daniel Romano – Modern Pressure
  32. The Sadies – Northern Passages
  33. John K. Samson – Winter Wheat
  34. Tanya Tagaq – Retribution
  35. The Tragically Hip – Man Machine Poem
  36. TUNS – TUNS
  37. Leif Vollebekk – Twin Solitude
  38. Weaves – Weaves
  39. The Weeknd – Starboy
  40. Charlotte Day Wilson – CDW

Now on to stage two. The same 200+ journos will now cast votes to whittle this Long List down to the Short List of 10. The results will be announced on CBC Music’s Facebook page.

Stage three will happen on September 18 in Toronto when a jury of 11 people will fight it out until we have one winner. This year’s Polaris event will take place, as usual, at the Carlu in Toronto.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have listening and voting to do.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 38011 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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