2016 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize Winning Albums Announced
The eight winning albums for the 2016 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize have been announced.
The winners were chosen from four Short Lists, each representing a different musical era (1960-75, 1976-85, 1986-95, 1996-2005), and were curated by juries of music historians and music media. Two winners for each era were chosen — one by public vote and one by the juries. Voting opened at the Polaris Music Prize Gala on September 19, 2016 and ended on October 17.
Sloan’s Chris Murphy helped reveal the winning albums via live broadcast on the Polaris Facebook page. Sloan’s Twice Removed album won the Heritage Prize last year in the 90s category.
The winners of the 2016 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize are:
1960-1975
Public: Neil Young – After The Gold Rush
Jury: Leonard Cohen – Songs Of Leonard Cohen
1976 – 1985
Public: Rush – Moving Pictures
Jury: Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Kate & Anna McGarrigle
1986-1995
Public: Blue Rodeo – Five Days In July
Jury: Mary Margaret O’Hara – Miss America
1996-2005
Public: Arcade Fire – Funeral
Jury: Lhasa – La Llorona
Gary Slaight, President and CEO of Slaight Communications, commended the winners, saying, “Congratulations to all the winning artists. I appreciate all the hard work and dedication that goes into creating these memorable recordings and am pleased to celebrate your achievement in receiving this recognition.”
Gilbert Li, who curated the 2016 Polaris Music Prize posters and the posters for the 2015 Heritage Prize, will return to select eight new artists to pay tribute to the winning records. The 32 records that did not get selected as winners will remain on each era’s Short List for the 2017 Heritage Prize. Two more records from the period, selected by the jury, will then be added.
This jury selected records for the Heritage Prize in accordance with existing Polaris criteria; to honour and reward artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity.