CIMA extends a huge congratulations to all the independent artists & their companies who earned nominations for the 2026 JUNO Awards. Independent Canadian artists & their companies made up a whopping 70% of the nominations this year! We’re proud to see the strength and impact of our community recognized on the national stage and celebrated here at home at the JUNO Awards. To all the nominees who received recognition today – pause & take it all in, because you deserve it. We’re excited to celebrate right alongside you this March in Hamilton! More details on that coming very soon. 2026 JUNO Award Independent Nominees: TD JUNO FAN CHOICE bbno$ - Independent*Broke/CMG Shubh – Independent   BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY FACTOR, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADIO BROADCASTERS Goldie Boutilier - Independent Jutes - Position Music Noeline Hofmann - La Honda*The Orchard Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin Sofia Camara - 21 Entertainment*Universal ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA bbno$ - Independent*Broke/CMG CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST) Zaytoun - Haitham Haidar - Athene*Naxos Awake and Dreaming - Katherine Dowling - Independent*Leaf/Naxos Obsession - Marie Nadeau-Tremblay - ATMA*Universal CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE) Current: MISSING ATOM - Artists of the Opera MISSING, Timothy Long & The Continuum Ensemble - Bright Shiny Things Re/String - CC Duo & colletif9 - Leaf*Naxos Vivaldi Les Quatres Nations (reconstruites) - Ensemble Caprice - ATMA*Naxos/Believe Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl - Mariko Anraku, Conrad Chow, Ron Korb & Rachel Mercer - Independent in an archipelago - Standing Wave – Independent CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE) | ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (GRAND ENSEMBLE) Benedict Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem - Axios Men’s Ensemble, The Tenors and Basses of Pro Coro Canada - Cappella*Naxos Where Waters Meet - Canadian Chamber Choir featuring Sherryl Sewepagaham - Independent Ichmouratov: The Ninth Wave, Viola Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1 - Les Violons du Roy - ATMA*Universal Haydn: Symphony No. 43 “Mercury” & Symphony No. 49 “La passione” - Tafelmusik - Independent Stravinsky: Pulcinella, Le Baiser de la fée (Divertimento) - Toronto Symphony Orchestra - Harmonia Mundi JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO) City Lights - Anthony D’Alessandro - Independent Kinda Out West - Aretha Tillotson - Bent River*Independent Immersed - Justin Gray - IAN Records*Virgin Deeper Down - Nancy Walker - Independent Crossing Paths - Renee Rosnes - Smoke Sessions*The Orchard JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP) Afrokando - Alexis Baro Y la Big Band - G-THREE*Kycker CODE Red - CODE Quartet - Justin Time*Nettwerk/F.A.B Are You Really Real - Shuffle Demons - Alma*Universal Impact - The Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet - Independent East Meets West: Connections - Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra – Chronograph VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR Under the Lemon Tree - Ale Nuñez - Independent Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland - Alex Samaras - Independent Seascape feat. Norma Winstone & Joe LaBarbera - Atlantic Jazz Collective - Alma*Universal Caity Gyorgy with Strings - Caity Gyorgy & Mark Limacher - La Reserve*The Orchard Get Out of Town - Laura Anglade - Justin Time*Nettwerk/F.A.B INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR LOTUSLAND - Aaron Paris - Independent*Too Lost The love it took to leave you - Colin Stetson - Envision*Believe Le piano et le torrent - Viviane Audet - LABE*The Orchard/Sony BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR Sing Pretty Blues - Crystal Shawanda - New Sun*Independent Ooh Yeah! - Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne - Stony Plain*IDLA The Medicine - Miss Emily - Gypsy Soul*FUGA Answer the Call - Secondhand Dreamcar - Independent Hear My Heart - Steven Marriner - Cordova Bay*Fontana North/Symphonic TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR I Lost My Heart On Friday - Aerialists - Independent Gold and Coal - Cassie and Maggie - Independent The Moon’s Daughter - Heather MacIsaac - Independent Heal The Divide - Morgan Toney - Ishkōdé*Universal Folk Signals - The Southern Residents – Independent CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR Strange Trip Ahead - Mariel Buckley - Birthday Cake*Secretly Distribution The Hammer & The Rose - Matt Andersen - Sonic*Warner Purple Gas - Noeline Hofmann - La Honda*The Orchard These Dark Canyons - The Young Novelists - Independent Further From the Country - William Prince - Six Shooter*The Orchard COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR Let Your Horses Run - Brett Kissel - Big Star*Universal Later Tonight - Josh Ross - Core Entertainment*Universal Golden Child - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR My Second Last Album - Bahamas - Barchords*Universal Fantasy Life - Begonia - Birthday Cake*Secretly Distribution Uh Oh - Patrick Watson - Secret City*F.A.B. Let it Hiss - The Barr Brothers - Secret City*F.A.B. Humanhood - The Weather Station - Next Door*Outside ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee - Ishkōdé*Universal SAYA - Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin SORRY, IT’S OVER - The OBGMs - BURN INDUSTRY*The Orchard All Cylinders - Yves Jarvis - Next Door*Outside ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Roll With The Punches - Bryan Adams - Bad Records*Platoon/Y.E.S INERTIA - grandson - XX*Create Music Metro - The Blue Stones - New Weapon*The Orchard The Damn Truth - The Damn Truth - Spectra*The Orchard METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR Heaven Let Them Die - Counterparts - Pure Noise*The Orchard An Insatiable Violence - Cryptopsy - Season of Mist*The Orchard Shadow Work - DESPISED ICON - Nuclear Blast*Believe/ADA Antibloom - Silverstein - UNFD*FUGA A Pathway to the Moon - Unreqvited - Independent*Believe/SPKR ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR NU2U - Nuela Charles - Independent*AWAL Conditions of Love Vol. 1 - Rose Cousins - Nettwerk*F.A.B. Better Broken - Sarah McLachlan - Concord*Universal Rebuild - Shawn Hook - Infinity*Vydia/Independent Believer - Sister Ray - Royal Mountain*Universal POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 0.0 bbno$ - bbno$ - Independent*Broke/CMG 7 - Nelly Furtado - Nelstar/21 Entertainment*Universal DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR Bet On Me - Debby Friday - Royal Mountain*Universal i, sabotage - Felix Cartal - Physical Presents*Fontana North UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR Cosmic Affliction (toi toi toi) - AADJA - BPitch Control*Believe/The Orchard Main de Fer - Annie-Claude Deschênes - Bonsound*Redeye Icarus - F7 Acting - Press*Independent Phantom Vibrations feat. Teddy Bryant - Gene Tellem - Love Injection*!K7 Yeah! - Pacific Coliseum - Rhythm Section*!K7 ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY NISSAN Channel 303 - Cloverdale - VIBRANCY*LabelWorx The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life - Debby Friday - Royal Mountain*Universal Bab El Mdina - Didon - Electrofone*Independent Shades of Meridian - ÈBONY - Turbo*!K7 Glow Up - Korea Town Acid - Groovy Lab*Independent RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR Mula feat. Big Sean - Connor Price - Independent PURSUIT - Freddie Dredd - Doomshop/RCA*Sony DUMB - SonReal & Snotty Nose Rez Kids - 1851*Independent/GroupSpeed RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE SPARROW - ARDN - Amuseio About Time - Connor Price - Independent Misery Loves Company - NorthSideBenji - NRTHRN RECORDS*Virgin DRY CRY - SadBoi - LVRN*The Orchard TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR Say Yes - Melanie Fiona - PUBLIC/COLTURE*Stem Formed - Savannah Ré - Matrimony*ADA Reasons To Stay - Tanika Charles - Unique Applause/Record Kicks*Secretly Distribution/Symphonic CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR THERAPIST - SadBoi - LVRN*The Orchard Set Me Free - Adria Kain - ArtHaus/Circle of 5ths*APG REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR Ready For You - Exco Levi & Kheilstone - Kheilstone*ONErpm Dagga Riddim Cypher - Jojo You Made That, Yung 2nuff, Erin B, Topman Meeko, One Don & Enzooo - Independent Deh Yah - Kirk Diamond - Independent Welcome To Paradise - Naomi Cowan - Dreamspace/7th C*ADA More Reggae (Funk It Up) - Samora & Ammoye - Staudenmann*Hapilos CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR Ari Cui Cui et les jeux d’rôles - Ari Cui Cui - Independent Little Leaf - Chris McKhool - Independent*Fontana North All the Earth Speaks - Ginalina - Independent Hip Kids Music, Vol. 1 - Hip Kids Music - Independent Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro - Young Maestro – Independent COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA Dragonflies - Adam Christie - Independent Fish From the Jar - Charlie Demers - Comedy Here Often?*Warner Dawud - Dave Merheje - Independent homesick. - Faris Hytiaa - Independent I’m Nervous - Robby Hoffman - Counterfeit Sounds TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR Battle At The Beach - Bad Eagle - Hidden Lake*Independent On The Move - Bear Creek - Hidden Lake*Independent Me & You - Manitou Mkwa Singers - Silverheels*Independent Anirniliit Suli Piunguałaq - Qamaniq*Independent Nakota Tayhunyabi - YB Nakota – Independent CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY DESTINATION INDIGENOUS Edge Of The Earth - Aysanabee - Ishkōdé*Universal LOVECHILD - Sebastian Gaskin - Ishkōdé*Universal Chapter 1 - Shawnee Kish - Independent*Symphonic Siibii - Siibii - Ishkōdé*Universal FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR On s’enverra des fleurs - Fredz - Les Disques Nova*Believe Les amours de seconde main - JF Pauzé - La Tribu*Believe/Propagande Journal d’un Loup-Garou - Lou-Adriane Cassidy - Bravo*Believe/F.A.B Dix chansons démodées pour ceux qui ont le cœur abîmé - Pierre Lapointe - Audiogram*The Orchard/Sony CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR Outlaw Gospel - collect.assembly - Independent the light that leads to YOU - Elenee - Independent*Wings Music Jubilate - Ryan Ofei - Independent*Believe GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR Bab El Mdina - Didon - Electrofone*Independent Ghoyoum - Kazdoura - Independent Future Village - Kizaba - Nuits D’Afrique*Independent/Believe Legends - PIQSIQ - Independent Rammana - Salin - Independent*AWAL ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR Bambini Symphonique - Mykael Nelson, Nicolas Lemieux, Liliane Jodoin & Felipe Arriagada – GSI MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR OK! - Haviah Mighty - Independent*Foundation Media Listen2me - Foxwarren - Arts & Crafts*Universal JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY AUDIO-TECHNICA Joel Stouffer “BODY” BODY - Shawn Desman & Jamie Fine - Wax*Universal “How to Sing for Money” - co-producer/co-producteur Corey LeRue HOW TO SING FOR MONEY - Maggie Andrew - Independent*Warner “Lie” - co-producer/co-producteur Shawn Hook Rebuild - Shawn Hook - Infinity*Universal “Revelation” - co-producer/co-producteur The Knocks Revelation - The Knocks & Dragonette - Neon Gold*Virgin “Talk About Me” Talk About Me - Tedy - Sony “Anyways How You Been?” Was I(t) Worth It? - Sofia Camara - 21 Entertainment*Universal Karen Kosowski “Feels Like Christmas” Feels Like Christmas - Mickey Guyton - MCA Nashville*Universal “Sugar Cookie” Feels Like Christmas - Mickey Guyton - MCA Nashville*Universal “Blood From a Stone” Golden Child - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard “Stoned Alone feat. Caitlyn Smith” Golden Child - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard “Jessica, Jezebel” Jessica, Jezebel - Meghan Patrick - Riser House*The Orchard “You Don’t Know Me At All” You Don’t Know Me At All - Mickey Guyton - Capitol Nashville*Universal RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Jason Dufour “Home (Phillip’s Version)” Home (Phillip’s Version) - Phillip Phillips - Independent “Blue Sky Mystery feat. Filter” Last Night on Earth - Finger Eleven - Better Noise John ‘Beetle’ Bailey “All I See feat. CUBE” All I See - Molly Johnson - Universal “Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em” Crashbox - Monkey House - Alma*Universal L Stu Young “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING FOR LOVE )” SAYA - Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin/Universal “LIE DOWN..” SAYA - Saya Gray - Dirty Hit*Virgin/Universal CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR Cloud Path - Amy Brandon - Leaf*Naxos The Laws of Nature - Andrew Staniland - Leaf*Naxos Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl - Kevin Lau - Bravo Niagara*Independent Linda Catlin Smith: The Complete Piano Solos (1989–2023) Vol. 1 – The Plains - Linda Catlin Smith - Redshift Music for Body-Without-Organs - Nicole Lizée - ATMA*Universal SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (NON-PERFORMER) PRESENTED BY SOCAN Elizabeth Lowell Boland Publisher - Artist Publishing Group West / Kobalt Music Services “World’s Smallest Violin” - co-songwriters Amanda Ava Koci, Arthur Remond, Hamid Bashir, Kyle Buckley & LOLO Don’t Click Play - Ava Max - Atlantic*Warner “Girls Like You” - co-songwriters Donny Bravo, Michael Wise, Nathan Ferraro & Sofia Camara Hard To Love - Sofia Camara - 21 Entertainment*Universal “Too Pretty For Buffalo” - co-songwriters Gus Van Go & Kayleigh O’Connor Too Pretty For Buffalo - Baby Nova - APG*Atlantic Hayley Gene Penner Publisher - Hayl Songs / Downtown Music Publishing “Small Hands feat. Raiche” - co-songwriters Eren Cannata, Jaten Dimsdale, Jett Gitelman & Skyler Stonestreet I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy - Teddy Swims - Warner*Downtown Music “West End Girl” - co-songwriters Alessandro Bruccellati, Blue May & Lily Cooper West End Girl - Lily Allen - BMG “Woman Of Faces” - co-songwriters Jamie Hartman, Celeste, KIDDO & Matt Maltese Woman Of Faces - Celeste - Polydor*Reservoir Nathan Ferraro Publisher - Warner Chappell Music Canada “After You feat. FAANGS” - co-songwriters Mikkel Cox, Christophe Dalla-Ca, David Guetta, FAANGS, Feli Ferraro, Heavy Mellow, Olivier Giacomotto & Tobias Frederiksen After You feat. FAANGS - David Guetta, Kiko & Olivier Giacomotto - Independent “Girls Like You” - co-songwriters Donny Bravo, Michael Wise, Elizabeth Lowell Boland & Sofia Camara Hard To Love - Sofia Camara - Universal “Parking Lot” - co-songwriters Sofia Camara, Elizabeth Lowell Boland & Mike Wise Hard To Love - Sofia Camara – Universal LATIN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR Índole - Alex Cuba - Caracol*Fontana North/ONErpm BAILA Y CONFÍA - Andy Rubal - MoonSun*Believe Vanity - Isabella Lovestory - Giant Music La Belleza - Lido Pimienta - ANTI-*Fontana North He Sanado Varias Cosas - Mario Puglia - ABC Music