The 2026 Polaris Music Prize long list, sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, has been unveiled, featuring 40 albums including works from the Beaches, Angine de Poitrine, and others.
The Polaris Music Prize recognizes the finest Canadian album of the year, irrespective of genre or sales figures. Established in 2006, past winners include Jeremy Dutcher, Kaytranada, Feist, Arcade Fire, and more.
This year’s longlisted albums were chosen from 202 records by 205 Canadian jurors, including several CBC Music producers. The victor will be awarded a $30,000 cash prize by the Slaight Family Foundation.
Among the nominees are previous champions Tanya Tagaq and Kaytranada, winners in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Caribou, who triumphed in 2008, is nominated this year under the alias Daphni. Peaches, a previous recipient of the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize in 2015, and Beverly Glenn-Copeland, winner in 2020, also feature on this year’s long list.
Several artists are debutants on the list, such as Baby Nova, No Joy, Angine de Poitrine, Foxwarren, Julianna Riolino, Catherine Leduc, Pony, Nadah El Shazly, Slash Need, Boy Golden, Katie Tupper, Ora Cogan, and Cootie Catcher.
A jury will select ten albums for the Polaris short list, to be announced on July 9. The winning album will be revealed at a gala at Toronto’s Massey Hall on Sept. 22.
For the complete list of nominees, please see below:
– Angine de Poitrine, Vol. II
– Aquakultre, 1783
– Baby Nova, Shhugar
– The Beaches, No Hard Feelings
– Begonia, Fantasy Life
– Bibi Club, Amaro
– Boy Golden, Best of Our Possible Lives
– Mariel Buckley, Strange Trip Ahead
– Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Triste Animal
– Ora Cogan, Hard Hearted Woman
– Cootie Catcher, Something We All Got
– Charlotte Cornfield, Hurts Like Hell
– Daphni, Butterfly
– Nadah El Shazly, Laini Tani
– Dominique Fils-Aimé, My World Is The Sun
– Foxwarren, 2
– Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Laughter In Summer
– Holy F–k, Event Beat
– Home Front, Watch It Die
– JayWood, Leo Negro
– Rochelle Jordan, Through the Wall
– Kaytranada, Ain’t No Damn Way!
– Catherine Leduc, Les jours où il neige à tous les postes
– Les Louanges, Alouette!
– Men I Trust, Equus Caballus
– Tami Neilson, Neon Cowgirl
– No Joy, Bugland
– Ouri, Daisy Cutter
– Peaches, No Lube So Rude
– Pony, Clearly Cursed
– Propagandhi, At Peace
– Pup, Who Will Look After the Dogs?
– Julianna Riolino, Echo in the Dust
– Shad, Start Anew
– Slash Need, Sit & Grin
– Arielle Soucy, Passages
– Tanya Tagaq, Saputjiji
– Tobi, For Good Measure (at Dreamhouse Studios)
– Katie Tupper, Greyhound
– Charlotte Day Wilson, Patchwork