Polaris Music Prize Reveals 40 Album Long List, Announces Launch Of Song Prize and Polaris Festival

CBC presents the 2025 Polaris Music Prize, has revealed its 40 nominated album Long List. The organization, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, also announced the launch of two major new initiatives, the SOCAN Polaris Song Prize and 2025 Polaris Festival.

The album Long List, presented by Canada Council for the Arts, is where Polaris reveals the 40 nominated records that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.

The 2025 Polaris Music Prize Long List is:

Art d’Ecco – Serene Demon
Backxwash – Only Dust Remains
Quinton Barnes – CODE NOIR
Bibi Club – Feu de garde
Basia Bulat – Basia’s Palace
Caribou – Honey
Lou-Adriane Cassidy – Journal d’un Loup-Garou
Choses Sauvages – Choses Sauvages III
Cold Specks – Light For The Midnight
Antoine Corriveau – Oiseau de Nuit
Marie Davidson – City Of Clowns
Destroyer – Dan’s Boogie
Myriam Gendron – Mayday
Gloin – All of your anger is actually shame (and I bet that makes you angry)
Saya Gray – SAYA
Hildegard – Jour 1596
Yves Jarvis – All Cylinders
Kaia Kater – Strange Medicine
Bells Larsen – Blurring Time
Richard Laviolette – All Wild Things Are Shy
Wyatt C. Louis – Chandler
Kelly McMichael – After The Sting Of It
Men I Trust – Equus Asinus
Mustafa – Dunya
N NAO – Nouveau langage
Nemahsis – Verbathim
Eliza Niemi – Progress Bakery
The OBGMs – SORRY, IT’S OVER
Dorothea Paas – Think Of Mist
Klô Pelgag – Abracadabra
Population II – Maintenant Jamais
Ribbon Skirt – Bite Down
Ariane Roy – Dogue
Mike Shabb – Sewaside III
Sister Ray – Believer
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – RED FUTURE
The Weather Station – Humanhood
Rick White and The Sadies – Rick White and The Sadies
Donovan Woods – Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now
Yoo Doo Right – From the Heights of Our Pastureland

The Long List includes 16 first-time nominees as well as two past winners (Backxwash, Caribou) and one past Polaris Heritage Prize recipient (Rick White, as part of Eric’s Trip). In total, 189 albums were considered for the Long List by the 205 member jury this season.

The Polaris Music Prize awards $30,000 courtesy of the Slaight Family Foundation to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales. The Polaris Prize album winner is determined by an 11-member Polaris Grand Jury selected from the greater Polaris juror pool.

The 2025 Long List was unveiled during a reveal event at Paradise Wine Bar in Toronto’s downtown west end which featured an art installation by Polaris Community Partner Oasis Skateboard Factory. The album Long List reveal event also featured a number of previous winners and current nominees in attendance.

The Polaris Music Prize Short List, presented by FACTOR, will reveal the 10 finalist albums being considered on July 10. More details on this will be announced in the coming weeks.

During the event, Polaris announced the new SOCAN Polaris Song Prize category, Polaris’ first expansion since it introduced the hall of fame Heritage Prize in 2015. Similar to the album prize, the Song Prize will be adjudicated by the members of the Polaris jury with the goal of determining the Canadian song of the year, based on artistic merit, without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity. The Song Prize will feature a 20 nominee Long List being revealed on June 24 followed by a five nominee Song Short List that will then be unveiled on July 29. The first-ever SOCAN Polaris Song Prize winner will receive $10,000 split between the song’s Canadian performers and the song’s credited Canadian songwriter(s) courtesy of SOCAN.

Both the winning album and song will be revealed during the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony, powered by FACTOR, taking place at Toronto’s Massey Hall on Tuesday, September 16. This will be the third straight year that Polaris will take over the iconic 131-year-old Massey Hall, Canada’s marquee live venue. Tickets to the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony are on sale now via the Massey Hall website. To celebrate the Long List, Polaris is offering 25% off tickets with the code POLARIS25.

Polaris also used the Long List album reveal event to announce a number of other 20th anniversary programming updates.

In September, Polaris will debut its first month-long Polaris Festival presented by SiriusXM Canada, featuring new programming like Salons, Listening Parties, Poster Exhibits, and Concerts, all culminating in the annual Concert & Award Ceremony. The aim is to spotlight as many of our 600+ past nominees as possible while reaching new audiences through expanded programming and diverse venues. More details on these events will be shared in the coming weeks.

Additionally, the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, the organization’s hall of fame for Canadian albums of distinction from the past, will be adjusting its campaign window. The hybrid critics prize/public vote campaign will move from October into late-summer. Enthusiastic fans of Canada’s exceptional musical legacy should expect more information, including the reveal of this year’s 12 nominated Heritage albums, in July.

Polaris also announced that it will be limiting future commissions for its award-winning Polaris Poster program. Existing stock of these exceptional screenprinted artworks inspired by past Polaris winners and nominees will remain available for sale to the public as supplies last.

POLARIS ALBUM PRIZE WINNERS 

The past winners are Jeremy Dutcher (2024), Debby Friday (2023), Pierre Kwenders (2022), Cadence Weapon (2021), Backxwash (2020), Haviah Mighty (2019), Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).

2025 POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE KEY DATES

June 10 – Album Long List presented by the Canada Council for the Arts. Polaris reveals the 40 nominees for the year’s Album Prize.

June 24 – SOCAN Song Prize Long List. Polaris reveals the 20 nominees for the year’s Song Prize.

July 10 – Album Short List presented by FACTOR. Polaris reveals the 10 finalist nominees for the year’s Album Prize.

July 29 – SOCAN Song Prize Short List. Polaris reveals the 5 finalist nominees for the year’s Song Prize.

July 29 – The Slaight Family Heritage Prize Short List. Polaris reveals the 12 nominee albums for the Slaight Family Heritage Prize and opens its related public voting campaign.

September 16 – Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony is powered by FACTOR. Our prestigious winner reveal event, this concert features performances by nominated acts as well as the announcement of the year’s Album Prize, Song Prize and Heritage Prize honourees.

This project is funded in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, and Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

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