The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences unveiled the full list of nominees for the 44th annual Juno Awards on Tuesday morning, with Magic! leading the way with five nominations. Calgary-based newcomer Kiesza and Canadian music icon Leonard Cohen tied for the second-most nominations, tallying four nods each.
Though they lead the way with five nominations, Magic!, the Toronto reggae fusion group whose infectious hit and Single of the Year nominee “Rude” dominated airwaves throughout the summer, were not nominated in the Group of the Year category. Instead, the band appears to be the clear favourite to claim Breakthrough Group of the Year honours where they are nominated alongside Adventure Club, Alvvays, USS and Zeds Dead.
Kiesza is in the same boat, receiving nominations for Single of the Year for her track “Hideaway,” which peaked at No. 5 in Canada, but debut atop the charts in England, and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, but not the more prestigious Artist of the Year category.
That disconnect between different categories is the biggest takeaway from Tuesday’s announcement of the nominations.
Veteran Bryan Adams, who released Tracks of My Years, an album of eclectic covers, was nominated for Artist of the Year, but nothing else. Same goes for Sarah McLauchlan. Hedley landed an Album of the Year nod for Wild Life, but don’t find themselves in the Group of the Year race. Drake was nominated for Single of the Year for “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” a track that was released for digital download on August 7, 2013 and to radio six days later.
You+Me, the folk team-up from Dallas Green (City and Colour) and Alecia Moore (you might know here better as Pink) nabbed a Group of the Year nomination, but like Drake, were only nominated for one additional award, the Juno Fan Choice Award.
Here is a look at the nominees in select categories:
Juno Fan Choice Award: Arcade Fire, Bobby Bazini, Drake, Hedley, Leonard Cohen, Magic!, Michael Buble, Nickleback, Serge Fiori, You+Me
Single of the Year: Hold On, We’re Going Home by Drake, Crazy for You by Hedley, Hideaway by Kiesza, Rude by Magic!, We’re All in This Together by Sam Roberts Band
Album of the Year: Where I Belong by Bobby Bazini, Wild Life by Hedley, Popular Problems by Leonard Cohen, No Fixed Address by Nickelback, Serge Fiori by Serge Fiori
Artist of the Year: Bryan Adams, Deadmau5, Leonard Cohen, Sarah McLachlan, The Weeknd
Group of the Year: Arkells, Chromeo, Mother Mother, Nickelback, You+Me
The Juno Awards take place on March 15th at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre. Tickets for the 2015 awards gala range from $39 to $149 and can be purchased at FirstOntario Centre, by phone at 1-855-872-5000 and online at Ticketmaster.ca.
