Feist, The Tragically Hip & More Inducted Into 2026 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) has inducted its latest class.

Feist, The Tragically Hip, Roch Voisine and Loverboy's Mike Reno and Paul Dean are now stamped with one of Canada's highest musical honours following this year's gala at Toronto's Massey Hall on Saturday night (Sept. 26).

Gathering to celebrate and recognize their achievements and influence in songwriting, Finneas, Tia Wood, City and Colour, Ruby Waters, Our Lady Peace and more took the stage to cover the inductees' biggest hits, while fellow superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Joe Jonas, Sam Smith, Sammy Hagar and more made video appearances to congratulate the Canadian musicians. The event was co-hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos and Marie-Mai.

After personally requesting to take part in the ceremony to honour Feist, Oscar and Grammy-winning songwriter Finneas gave a heartfelt induction speech for Leslie Feist. “Leslie is so many of your favourite artists’ favourite artist. I know, I’ve talked to all of them about her. She has the most beautiful voice I can imagine a person having and writes lyrics and melodies that have moved me to tears and made my wife and I dance in our kitchen for years. She also kicks a-- at the guitar," he said, later leaning on one knee to hand Feist her trophy.

Finneas and Feist at 2026 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in Toronto.Lu Chau/Photagonist

Inducting the songwriter, who he considers among his top five all-time guitarists, he recalled first meeting her at the Los Angeles airport in 2018 and eavesdropping on a conversation during which a friend had to explain to her who Billie Eilish — the pop sensation and Finneas' younger sister — was.

Finneas wasn't done. He performed a cover of Feist's "My Moon My Man," one of her signature songs that recently saw a resurgence after its use in Heated Rivalry. After releasing the cover as an Amazon Music exclusive (the streaming service was a sponsor of the CSHF gala), he added some dramatic flair to his live rendition, holding out the mic as he hit multiple rock star poses.

Renowned Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, who Stroumboulopoulos called "the greatest living songwriter," also took the stage to perform a beautifully understated version of her 2007 song, "The Park."

Earlier in the ceremony, Polaris Prize 2026 shortlist nominee Charlotte Cornfield played "How Come You Never Go There?" Feist duets with Cornfield on her newest album Hurts Like Hell.

It's clear that Feist commands extreme reverence and respect from her fellow songwriters. Among the Canadian accolades, video tributes from Joe Jonas, Olivia Rodrigo and Sam Smith praised her work and influence.

Ten years after their final concerts, the celebration of The Tragically Hip's legacy continued with a star-studded tribute, during which Cree singer-songwriters Tia Wood and Sebastian Gaskin covered the band's staple song "Bobcaygeon." Star producer and frequent Drake collaborator Boi-1da made a special appearance to introduce City and Colour and Ruby Waters, who performed a new version of "Ahead by a Century" from his World Cup album, What If It All Goes Right? Working with the Hip's music was humbling, he said, and also intimidating because of the fan's protection over the legendary band's legacy.

Actor, writer and fierce champion of Canadian artistic expression, Jay Baruchel inducted The Hip with a speech about their importance in his own life as he grew up as a young creative in this country. They stayed true to their creative spirit while staying unapologetically Canadian, a philosophy he has brought to his own work.

The Tragically Hip at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2026 gala at Massey Hall in Toronto.Lu Chau/Photagonist

“For us to be granted a place in this Pantheon, in the hallowed company of iconic songwriters that we revered, even idolized, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Michel Pagliaro, Robbie Robertson, Rush… it’s an unfathomably huge and surreal honour," guitarist Rob Baker said in his speech while standing alongside his bandmates Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair.

He also shared a message by their late bandmate Gord Downie, who passed away from brain cancer in 2017 and "couldn't be here."

"I stood before the songwriters' cabal, bearing gifts of drugs and alcohol. That's not enough, and that's not all. Wait over there until your number's called. I stood before the songwriters' cabal, all wide-eyed and enthralled, just to be included at all," Baker read, quoting the lyrics of the rare Hip song "Songwriter's Cabal," released posthumously in 2023.

The Hip paid tribute to Downie by placing his iconic purple hat on a mic stand during their acceptance speech and the tribute performances. Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Russell gave a nod to Downie by blowing a kiss to the hat stand during her cover of "Wheat Kings," taken from the It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken musical, which is dedicated to the band's music and debuted earlier this year in Hamilton, Ontario.

Allison Russell at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2026 gala at Massey Hall in Toronto.Lu Chau/Photagonist

Raine Maida also reflected on The Tragically Hip’s influence on him as a Canadian rock singer, before his band Our Lady Peace played a finale rendition of “Locked in the Trunk of a Car.”

Earlier in the night, Roch Voisine surprised the audience by taking the stage, being the only inductee to do so, joining Quebec singer-songwriter Isabelle Boulay to sing "I'll Always Be There." He was inducted by Olympic gold medallists Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey, and also received performance tributes by Ludovick Bourgeois, winner of the Quebec edition of The Voice, and country singers Sara Dufour and Matt Lang, who sang Voisine's most influential hits like "Darlin" and "Kissing Rain."

Roch Voisine at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2026 gala at Massey Hall in Toronto.Lu Chau/Photagonist

Vocal powerhouse Amanda Marshall also teamed up with TALK to perform Loverboy hits like "Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend," before legendary Canadian songwriter Jim Vallance inducted Mike Reno and Paul Dean. While Reno was absent from the ceremony, Dean shared his gratitude by pointing to the storied list of past honourees, whose ranks they have now joined.

“First of all, Mike Reno wishes he could be here to celebrate, and appreciates all the efforts that went into this fine production," he said. "It’s a great honour. And I agree, to think we’ll be sharing a Wikipedia page with all our Canadian songwriting idols. The first night Mike and I got together, we wrote two songs, which was a pretty good sign we had something.”

Paul Dean of Loverboy at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2026 gala at Massey Hall in Toronto.Lu Chau/Photagonist

The CSHF ceremony also honoured ZALE and Marie Céleste as the winners of this year's Breakthrough Songwriter Award. It's part of the organization's commitment to not just honouring the legends of Canadian songwriting, but paving the way for the next generation who may stand up there with them someday.