The nominations for the 2016 JUNO Awards were made this morning, honouring the best in Canadian music.
The Weeknd garnered six nominations, including JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.
Tying for second place with five nods apiece are Drake and Justin Bieber, both running for JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year. Drake also received a nomination for Rap Recording of the Year, while Justin Bieber was nominated for Pop Album of the Year.
Related: A Look Back At The Last 15 Single Of The Year JUNO Winners
Vying for four categories each, Alessia Cara was nominated for JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year* and R&B/Soul Recording of the Year; while Shawn Mendes was nominated for JUNO Fan Choice, Album of the Year, Artist for the Year and Pop Album of the Year.
Artists with three nominations each include Buffy Sainte-Marie (Songwriter of the Year, Aboriginal Album of the Year, Contemporary Roots Album of the Year), City and Colour (Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Jack Richardson Producer of the Year), Tobias Jesso Jr. (Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Adult Alternative Album of the Year), and Walk Off the Earth (JUNO Fan Choice, Group of the Year, Pop Album of the Year).
Walk Off the Earth’s Sarah Blackwood released the following statement on the band’s multiple nominations: “We’re so pumped to be nominated!”; says Blackwood. “It’s always such a shock when we get to participate in these kind of things because in our mind we are still just a bunch of kids performing songs in our garage. And we’re in categories with such incredibly talented artists!”;
Among the anticipated highlights of this year’s awards will be former Guess Who front man Burton Cummings being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a solo artist, while Bryan Adams has been announced as one of this year’s performers.
The JUNOs will air Sunday, Apr. 3. In the meantime, here are this year’s top nominees:
JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD: Alessia Cara; Carly Rae Jepsen; Dean Brody; Drake; Justin Bieber; Shawn Hook; Shawn Mendes; The Weeknd; Walk Off The Earth
SINGLE OF THE YEAR: “Here”; – Alessia Cara; “Hotline Bling”;- Drake; “What Do You Mean?”; – Justin Bieber; “Clothes Off”; – Ria Mae; “Can’t Feel My Face”; – The Weeknd
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: 25 – Adele; Hozier – Hozier; Title – Meghan Trainor; Four – One Direction; Dream Your Life Away – Vance Joy
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late -Drake; À Paradis City – Jean Leloup; Purpose – Justin Bieber; Handwritten – Shawn Mendes; Beauty Behind the Madness – The Weeknd
ARTIST OF THE YEAR: City and Colour; Drake; Justin Bieber; Shawn Mendes; The Weeknd
GROUP OF THE YEAR: Hedley; Marianas Trench; Metric; Three Days Grace; Walk Off The Earth
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Alessia Cara; Coleman Hell; Francesco Yates; Scott Helman; Tobias Jesso Jr.
BREAKTHROUGH GROUP OF THE YEAR: Dear Rouge; Half Moon Run; Milk & Bone; The Elwins; Young Empire
COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR Anchor – Autumn Hill; Pick Me Up – Brett Kissel; Gypsy Road – Dean Brody; County Line – High Valley; Frontier – Paul Brandt;
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: If I’ve Only One Time Askin‘ – Daniel Romano; The Park Avenue Sobriety Test – Joel Plaskett; In My Dreams – Mo Kenney; Goon – Tobias Jesso Jr.; Leave No Bridge Unburned – Whitehorse
ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Deep in the Iris – BRAIDS; Poison Season – Destroyer; Are You Alone? – Majical Cloudz; Half Free – U.S. Girls; Viet Cong – Viet Cong
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Hello – Hedley; Purpose – Justin Bieber; Augusta – Scott Helman; Handwritten Shawn Mendes; Sing It All Away – Walk Off The Earth
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Get Up – Bryan Adams; The Physical World – Death From Above 1979; Chaotic Neutral – Matthew Good; No Fixed Address – Nickelback; Future Nostalgia – The Sheepdogs
