The year is nearly halfway done, and you know what that means: the Polaris Music Prize has unveiled its 2022 long list.
Among this crop of Canadian nominees are a handful of albums from heavy-hitters, including Arcade Fire, Shad, Stars and the Weeknd. Elsewhere, previous winners Backxwash, Tanya Tagaq and Haviah Mighty have once again been nominated.
Previous short-listers including Destroyer, the Halluci Nation, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Hubert Lenoir, PUP, BADBADNOTGOOD, Basia Bulat, Les Louanges, Julie Doiron, Jean-Michel Blais, Lisa Leblanc and Pierre Kwenders have been honoured, while debut albums from Joyful Joyful, OMBIIGIZI, LOONY and Sister Ray got their first nods.
A jury of 197 members considered 223 albums released between May 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022, for the long list, which has been whittled down to the 40 contenders seen below.
The short list — which will be revealed on July 14 — will move 10 nominees into the final round, after which a winner will be named and awarded $50,000 in the fall.
The nine runners-up will receive prizes of $3,000 each (courtesy of Slaight Music). Additionally, Play MPE partnered with Polaris this year to award the grand prize winner a global music promotion distribution package worth $3,025, and the nine runners-up with packages worth $1,000 each.
Last year's Polaris Music Prize was won by Cadence Weapon for Parallel World.
2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List:
AHI - Prospect
Arcade Fire - WE
Backxwash - I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses
BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory
Jean-Michel Blais - aubades
Basia Bulat - The Garden
Tanika Charles - Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly
Chiiild - Hope for Sale
Destroyer - Labyrinthitis
Julie Doiron - I Thought of You
The Garrys - Get Thee to a Nunnery
The Halluci Nation - One More Saturday Night
Joyful Joyful - Joyful Joyful
Adria Kain - When Flowers Bloom
Lydia Képinski - Depuis
Pierre Kwenders - José Louis and the Paradox of Love
Ada Lea - one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
Lisa Leblanc - Chiac Disco
Hubert Lenoir - PICTURA DE IPSE : Musique directe
Luna Li - Duality
Les Louanges - Crash
LOONY - soft thing
Kelly McMichael - Waves
Men I Trust - Untourable Album
Haviah Mighty - Stock Exchange
myst milano. - Shapeshyfter
Cedric Noel - Hang Time
OMBIIGIZI - Sewn Back Together
Orville Peck - Bronco
Ouri - Frame of a Fauna
P'tit Belliveau - Un homme et son piano
PUP - THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND
SATE - The Fool
Shad - Tao
Sister Ray - Communion
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - Life After
Stars - From Capelton Hill
Tanya Tagaq - Tongues
The Weeknd - Dawn FM
Charlotte Day Wilson - Alpha
Among this crop of Canadian nominees are a handful of albums from heavy-hitters, including Arcade Fire, Shad, Stars and the Weeknd. Elsewhere, previous winners Backxwash, Tanya Tagaq and Haviah Mighty have once again been nominated.
Previous short-listers including Destroyer, the Halluci Nation, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Hubert Lenoir, PUP, BADBADNOTGOOD, Basia Bulat, Les Louanges, Julie Doiron, Jean-Michel Blais, Lisa Leblanc and Pierre Kwenders have been honoured, while debut albums from Joyful Joyful, OMBIIGIZI, LOONY and Sister Ray got their first nods.
A jury of 197 members considered 223 albums released between May 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022, for the long list, which has been whittled down to the 40 contenders seen below.
The short list — which will be revealed on July 14 — will move 10 nominees into the final round, after which a winner will be named and awarded $50,000 in the fall.
The nine runners-up will receive prizes of $3,000 each (courtesy of Slaight Music). Additionally, Play MPE partnered with Polaris this year to award the grand prize winner a global music promotion distribution package worth $3,025, and the nine runners-up with packages worth $1,000 each.
Last year's Polaris Music Prize was won by Cadence Weapon for Parallel World.
2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List:
AHI - Prospect
Arcade Fire - WE
Backxwash - I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses
BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory
Jean-Michel Blais - aubades
Basia Bulat - The Garden
Tanika Charles - Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly
Chiiild - Hope for Sale
Destroyer - Labyrinthitis
Julie Doiron - I Thought of You
The Garrys - Get Thee to a Nunnery
The Halluci Nation - One More Saturday Night
Joyful Joyful - Joyful Joyful
Adria Kain - When Flowers Bloom
Lydia Képinski - Depuis
Pierre Kwenders - José Louis and the Paradox of Love
Ada Lea - one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
Lisa Leblanc - Chiac Disco
Hubert Lenoir - PICTURA DE IPSE : Musique directe
Luna Li - Duality
Les Louanges - Crash
LOONY - soft thing
Kelly McMichael - Waves
Men I Trust - Untourable Album
Haviah Mighty - Stock Exchange
myst milano. - Shapeshyfter
Cedric Noel - Hang Time
OMBIIGIZI - Sewn Back Together
Orville Peck - Bronco
Ouri - Frame of a Fauna
P'tit Belliveau - Un homme et son piano
PUP - THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND
SATE - The Fool
Shad - Tao
Sister Ray - Communion
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - Life After
Stars - From Capelton Hill
Tanya Tagaq - Tongues
The Weeknd - Dawn FM
Charlotte Day Wilson - Alpha