I was reading through all of the nominees this last week when I became 'aware' of what I was doing. I have never cared enough about the Juno Awards (Canada's equivalent of The United States' Grammy Awards) to fully read an article about nominations, let alone attempt to predict outcomes.
Either I am getting older, or Canadian talent is becoming better and more numerous; enough so that the Juno Awards have become an event that is actually anticipated and discussed among musicians. I became interested in the Juno's during the '90's, but only long enough to tune in and watch the Group of the Year or Album of the Year distributions. And to readers whom assume I watched American musical award (albeit suspicious) shows - not so. I disdained both countries' music awards' equally.
Fast forward to current Canadian talent and who isn't impressed with Canada's musical contributions over the years? Canada still behind when it comes to officially recognizing our own artistic merits, but it will happen, eventually. We are simply inept at recognizing homegrown talent until somebody (out of country) takes notice of our brood. If that 'somebody' happens to be The United States, Canada becomes alarmed and distraught with the idea that a Canadian artist would actually want to emigrate. Imagine, leaving a country filled with disdain, for one filled with adoration - who knew? If only some wonderful American (with both power and leadership) would finally declare The Tragically Hip to be Canada's version of R.E.M., but a thousand times better, TTH would be surfing cash waves alongside Nickelback.
An aside there - WHERE is The New Pornographers' nomination (along with a specific mention of Myriad Harbour - hands down a best music video nomination)? Did management forget to submit The New Pornographers' name for consideration? As well, may I receive an explanation as to why The Bedouin Soundclash is categorized as 'Pop' music?
I assume the Juno Award selection process works similar to the Academy Awards in that an artists' peers and associates within the music industry will be the ones to cast the ballots. Par usual, I have random thoughts and questions about The Juno's decisions. The peer voting appears to be a respectable enough process, but I often wonder why an individual, or a band, must first pay their dueswithin the music business before being nominated for, or receiving, a "Best of..." Juno? Can't a band be nominated if they are relative newcomers, say... only one to two years on the tour circuit before they get signed to a label? Why can't this new'ish band, especially if their album is undeniably outstanding, immediately pass all 'due process' lineups and head straight for Album of the Year, or Group of the Year? May a young band win both the Best Newcomer award as well as the Group of the Year award? Now there would make for an exciting show!
Why must a rock-styled band be recognized by labels, media and public before they are allowed the New Group of the Year tag? (Which is laughable at best as some of the nominees are decidedly not new looking.) Meanwhile, if you are nominated for the Jazz or International/ World category, you need only be recognized by a handful of people and you are as good as in. Why? Final question - Must a band be signed by some form of a label in order to be considered for a Juno? What's the difference between "Alternative" and "Adult Alternative"? These are the everyday, regular Christine's-too-lazy-to-research ponderances.
But, I digress... here are some of Juno's 2008 nominations in selected categories. The Junos will be presented tomorrow night, April 6th, in Calgary, Alberta. (Watch on TV on CTV) Christine's predictions? I am pretty sure that Feist will be taking home her weight in Juno awards, and deservedly so. (My goodness, I'm a Canadian who both acknowledges and admires her Canadian peers' talents...? Scandalous!
You may view all nominees:Here:
(All of the following nominees qualify as 'winners' in my eyes because it is impressive that they managed to get their names known enough to be nominated. It's well known that Canadian music lovers are loathe to acknowledge brilliance in their back yard. Rather, our music industry is notorious for ignoring, invalidating and negating its own talent). But as Bob Dylan once sang, "The times they are a'changin'."
Here are my favoured categories with their nominees:
JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD
Avril Lavigne J/RCA * SONY BMG
Celine Dion SONY BMG
Claude Dubois Zone 3 * Select
Michael Bublé Reprise * Warner
Nelly Furtado Geffen * Universal
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Girlfriend Avril Lavigne J/RCA * SONY BMG
1234 Feist Arts&Crafts * EMI
Paralyzer Finger Eleven Wind-Up * Warner
Seven Day Fool Jully Black Jully Black Entertainment * Universal
Everything Michael Bublé Reprise * Warner
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Lost Highway Bon Jovi Island * Universal
The Dutchess Fergie Interscope * Universal
Noël Josh Groban Reprise * Warner
Good Girl Gone Bad Rihanna Def Jam * Universal
Timbaland Presents Shock Value Timbaland Def Jam * Universal
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Duets: Friends and Legends Anne Murray EMI
The Best Damn Thing Avril Lavigne J/RCA * SONY BMG
D’elles Céline Dion SONY BMG
Taking Chances Celine Dion SONY BMG
The Reminder Feist Arts&Crafts * EMI
Call Me Irresponsible Michael Bublé Reprise * Warner
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Avril Lavigne J/RCA * SONY BMG
Celine Dion SONY BMG
Feist Arts&Crafts * EMI
Michael Bublé Reprise * Warner
Pascale Picard Zone 3 * DEP/Universal
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Arcade Fire Merge * FAB
Blue Rodeo WEA * Warner
Finger Eleven Wind-Up * Warner
Hedley Universal
KaïnDisques Passeport * DEP
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Belly CP * Fontana North
Jeremy Fisher Aquarius * EMI
Jill Barber Baudelaire * Outside
Justin NozukaCoalition * Warner
Serena Ryder EMI
Suzie McNeil Curve * Universal
NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR
Dragonette Mercury * Universal
Faber Drive 604 * Universal
ill Scarlett SONY BMG
State of Shock Cordova Bay * Fontana North
Wintersleep Labwork * Sonic Unyon/EMI
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Avril Lavigne
Daniel Bélanger
Feist
Joel Plaskett
Rufus Wainwright
COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Moments That Matter Aaron Lines Outside The Lines * Fontana North
Honkytonks And Heartaches Gord Bamford Royalty Records
Kicking Stones Johnny Reid Open Road * Universal
Risk Paul Brandt Brand-T * Universal
Life Is Calling My Name Shane Yellowbird 306 Records * KOCH
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Small Miracles Blue Rodeo WEA * Warner
Goodbye Blue Monday Jeremy Fisher Aquarius * EMI
Chrome Dreams II Neil Young Reprise * Warner
Release The Stars Rufus Wainwright Geffen * Universal
No Stranger Tom Cochrane Sky Is Falling * Universal
ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Neon BibleArcade Fire Merge * FAB
LP Holy Fuck Young Turks * Select
Close To Paradise Patrick Watson Secret City * Fusion III
The Con Tegan and Sara MapleMusic * Fontana North
Welcome To The Night Sky Wintersleep Labwork * Sonic Unyon/EMI
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Duets: Friends & Legends Anne Murray EMI
Street Gospels Bedouin Soundclash Dine Alone * Universal
Taking Chances Celine Dion SONY BMG
The Reminder Feist Arts&Crafts * EMI
Call Me Irresponsible Michael Bublé Reprise * Warner
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Them Vs. You Vs. Me Finger Eleven Wind-Up * Warner
Hospital Music Matthew Good Universal
The Lucky Ones Pride Tiger EMI
Underclass Hero Sum 41 Aquarius * EMI
The Saint Alvia Cartel The Saint Alvia Cartel Stomp * Warner
VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Destination Moon Deborah Cox Decca * Universal
The Very Thought of You Emilie-Claire Barlow Empress * Fusion III
Holly Cole Holly Cole Alert * Universal
Days Like These Michael Kaeshammer Alert * Univeral
Make Someone Happy Sophie Milman Linus * Universal
FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
D’elles Céline Dion SONY BMG
L’homme qui me ressemble Damien Robitaille Audiogram * Select
L’échec du matériel Daniel Bélanger Audiogram * Select
De retour à la source Isabelle Boulay Audiogram * Select
Vers à soi Jorane Tacca * Select
CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
This is Daniel Cook. Here We Are! Daniel Cook and Friends * KOCH
Gonna Keep Dancing Eddie Douglas Fat Flea Music * CD Baby
Music Soup Jen Gould Independent
Superstars The Doodlebops Cookie Jar Ent. * Universal
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf Windsor Symphony Orchestra Independent
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SOLO OR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Rameau Keyboard Suites Angela Hewitt Hyperion * SRI
Bach Cello Suites Jean-Guihen Queyras Harmonia Mundi * SRI
Alkan Concerto for Solo Piano Marc-André Hamelin Hyperion * SRI
After Reading Shakespeare Matt Haimovitz Oxingale * KOCH
Shostakovich: Complete Works for Piano Trio/Silvestrov: Postlude DSCH The Gryphon Trio Analekta * Select
RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR
The Revolution Belly CP * Fontana North
The FEWturistic Brassmunk EMI
Memoirs Of A Playboy JDiggz Maxamus * KOCH
Port Authority Marco Polo Soulspazm/Rawkus * red ink
The Old Prince Shad Black Box * Fontana North
BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Building Full Of Blues FATHEAD Electro-Fi * Festival
High Country Blues Harrison Kennedy Electro-Fi * Festival
Blues Thing Jack de Keyzer blue star * Festival
Junction City Little Miss Higgins Independent * Festival
A Lesson I’ve Learned The Johnny Max Band Pour Soul * CD Baby
WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Agua Del Pozo Alex Cuba Caracol * Festival
So The Journey Goes Autorickshaw Tala-Wallah Festival
Jogo Da Vida Celso Machado CBC Records * Universal
Frontiers Jesse Cook EMI
Wanderlust Kiran Ahluwalia Time Square * Fusion III
JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bob Rock CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE – Michael Bublé Reprise
LANGFORD – PART ONE Payola$ EMI
Joni Mitchell SHINE – Joni Mitchell Hear Music/Concord * Universal
Kevin Churko (co-producer Ozzy Osbourne) BLACK RAIN Ozzy Osbourne Epic * SONY BMG
Rhys Fulber IF YOUR MEMORY SERVES YOU WELL – Serena Ryder EMI
Skratch Bastid SITUATION – Buck 65 WEA * Warner
CD ARTWORK DESIGN OF THE YEAR
Felix Wittholz (Director/Designer/Illustrator) BUCK 65 WEA * Warner
Jeff Harrison (Director/Designer/Illustrator); Clinton Hussey (Photographer)VONNEGUT DOLLHOUSE Independent
John Cook (Director/Photographer); Mark Buchner (Director/Designer); Greg Bennett (Photographer) PAUL REDDICK NorthernBlues * Festival
Mathieu Houde (Director); Simon Rivest (Designer); Catherine Lepage (Designer/Illustrator); Mathieu Doyon (Photographer) 2X2 PIERRE LAPOINTE Audiogram * Select Tracy Maurice (Director/Designer); François Miron (Photographer) ARCADE FIRE Merge * FAB
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Neon Bible Vincent Morriset ARCADE FIRE Merge * FAB
Walls Fall Down Marc Ricciardelli BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH Dine Alone * Universal
C’mon Christopher Mills BLUE RODEO Warner
Shaketramp Kyle Davison MARIANAS TRENCH 604 * Universal
Cheer It On Sean Wainsteim TOKYO POLICE CLUB Paper Bag * Universal
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