The Beaches, Charlotte Cardin, Allison Russell Make the 2024 Polaris Music Prize Long List
The 40-album long list for the Polaris Prize, which awards $50,000 to the best Canadian record of the year, features up-and-comers like punk group NOBRO and producer Bambii, plus rapper TOBi, and legends like Quebec group Karkwa and previous Heritage Prize winner Beverly Glenn-Copeland.
The Beaches performing at Billboard Canada's Women in Music Launch on June 5, 2024
Some of the country's biggest breakthrough artists are in contention for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize.
The 40-album long list was revealed today (June 11) at Sonic Boom record store in downtown Toronto. It features some of the buzziest names in Canadian music, from The Beaches — who were recently awarded Billboard Canada Women in Music's inaugural Group of the Year award — to Grammy-winner Allison Russell, to Canadian Hot 100 charting acts like Charlotte Cardin and Talk, to underground mainstays like Cindy Lee, who had an organic breakthrough this year with Diamond Jubilee.
The list features sixteen first-time nominees, including Vancouver singer-songwriter Haley Blais, Montreal electro-punk duo Pelada, death metal group Tomb Mold, and Francophone singer Arielle Soucy.
Three previous winners feature on the list: Jeremy Dutcher, who won in 2018 with Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa; Karkwa, who won in 2010 with Les Chemins de verre; and Kaytranada, who won in 2016 with 99.9% and has longlisted this year as half of KAYTRAMINÉ. Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who won a Polaris Heritage Prize in 2020 for Keyboard Fantasies, longlists this year with The Ones Ahead. 238 albums were considered for this year's long list.
As usual, the list is a mix of genres and regions, though the 2024 long list features no instrumental records — surprising for an award that has historically rewarded records by experimental groups like Godspeed! You Black Emperor.
The long list is determined by a jury of over 200 music critics and broadcasters, and from this list, the jury will vote for the short list, to be revealed on July 11. A Grand Jury of eleven will select the winning album, announced at the Polaris Gala, which will take place at Massey Hall for the second year in a row on September 17, 2024. [Several members of Billboard Canada's editorial team are on the jury, including this writer.]
Last year, Debby Friday's genre-defying debut Good Luck won the prize, following 2022 winner Pierre Kwenders.
Based on critical reception alone, Cindy Lee might be the favourite to win, though Allison Russell has had a major year, between picking up a Grammy, touring with Hozier and fighting back against Tennessee's anti-LGBTQ policies. Ultimately, though, the award is based purely on artistic merit, without regard for sales, genre, or public perception. It's up to the jury to make the final call.
Find the full long list below.
2024 Polaris Prize Long List
Allie X — Girl With No Face
BAMBII — INFINITY CLUB
The Beaches — Blame My Ex
BIG|BRAVE — A Chaos Of Flowers
Haley Blais — Wisecrack
Charlotte Cardin — 99 Nights Beverly
Glenn-Copeland — The Ones Ahead
Corridor — Mimi
Helena Deland — Goodnight Summerland
Annie-Claude Deschênes — LES MANIÈRES DE TABLE
Devours — Homecoming Queen
DijahSB — The Flower That Knew
Ducks Ltd. — Harm's Way
Jeremy Dutcher — Motewolonuwok
Elisapie — Inuktitut
Dominique Fils-Aimé — Our Roots Run Deep
Shane Ghostkeeper — Songs For My People
Karkwa — Dans la seconde
KAYTRAMINÉ — KAYTRAMINÉ
KEN mode — Void
La Force — XO Skeleton
La Sécurité — Stay Safe!
Cindy Lee — Diamond Jubilee
Sean Leon — IN LOVING MEMORY
Terra Lightfoot — Healing Power
LOONY — LOONY
Jon Mckiel — Hex
myst milano. — Beyond the Uncanny Valley
NOBRO — Set Your Pussy Free
NYSSA — Shake Me Where I'm Foolish
Pelada — Ahora Más Que Nunca
PETER PETER — Éther
Population II — Électrons libres du québec
Allison Russell — The Returner
Arielle Soucy — Il n'y a rien que je ne suis pas
Super Duty Tough Work — Paradigm Shift
TALK — Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees
TEKE::TEKE — Hagata
TOBi — Panic
Tomb Mold — The Enduring Spirit
