2024 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize Voting Is Now Open
Voting for the 2024 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize has opened.
The companion award to the Polaris Music Prize, winners and nominees for the Heritage Prize are also Canadian albums of artistic distinction, without regard to sales, genre or affiliation. This is our version of a hall of fame where we honour meritorious Canadian albums that pre-date when Polaris began in 2006.
Two of this year’s 12 nominated albums will receive Heritage Prize designation. One album will be chosen by public vote campaign and a second will be determined by a Heritage Prize jury made up of music media and music historians.
The 2024 Polaris Heritage Prize nominated albums are:
Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier -– Lindberg
Julie Doiron & the Wooden Stars – Julie Doiron & the Wooden Stars
Sarah Harmer – You Were Here
The Inbreds – Kombinator
Daniel Lanois – Acadie
Jean Leloup – Le Dôme
Jackie Mittoo – Macka Fat
The Oscar Peterson Trio – Canadiana Suite
Robbie Robertson – Robbie Robertson
Slow – Against The Glass
Tegan And Sara – So Jealous
The Weakerthans – Reconstruction Site
Go HERE to vote.
Oscar Peterson is the only previous Heritage Prize winner on the nominee list, having won in 2019 for the album Night Train. Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier, Sarah Harmer, Daniel Lanois, Jean Leloup, Jackie Mittoo, The Weakerthans and Robbie Robertson have all been past Heritage nominees, while this is the first nomination for Julie Doiron, The Inbreds, Slow and Tegan And Sara. Harmer (2006), Doiron (2007), The Weakerthans (2008) and Tegan And Sara (2010, 2013) have all previously made the Polaris Music Prize Short List, while Daniel Lanois (2021) and Jean Leloup (2015, 2019) have been Polaris Music Prize Long Listed in the past.
Heritage Prize balloting was officially opened on Tuesday, Sept. 17 during the 2024 Polaris Gala, where Jeremy Dutcher’s album Motewolonuwok was awarded the 19th annual Polaris Music Prize.
Voters will be able to submit ballots once per day. Voting closes Friday, Oct. 11 at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. The new Heritage Prize designates will be revealed Thursday, Oct. 17.
Heritage Prize winners are commemorated with limited-edition artwork commissioned and inspired by the music on these designated albums. Examples of past winners’ works, including those honouring last year’s winners Skinny Puppy and Maestro Fresh Wes, can be found HERE.
This year’s Heritage Prize jury includes Lisa Christiansen, Dani Elwell, Brian Fauteux, Vish Khanna, Marc-Xavier Leblanc, Elliott Lefko, Julia Lipscombe, Antoine-Samuel Mauffette Alavo, Mike McCann, Marie Mello, and official guest musician juror and past Polaris nominee, Julian Taylor.
Thirty-nine albums have received Heritage Prize designation since its introduction in 2015. Past winning albums include Peaches’ The Teaches Of Peaches, NOMEANSNO’s Wrong, Main Source’s Breaking Atoms, and The Tragically Hip’s Fully Completely.
We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters.
