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Chart Beat

B.C. Singer Cameron Whitcomb Charts His Fourth Straight Single on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 with 'Options'

The energetic song details the fast-rising artist's sobriety journey. Meanwhile, Doechii charts two versions of "Anxiety" on the Canadian Hot 100 and Lady Gaga's Mayhem and Tory Lanez's prison album Peterson debut on the Canadian Albums chart.

Cameron Whitcomb
Cameron Whitcomb
Ryan Simmons

Cameron Whitcomb is quickly becoming one of Canada's most reliable charting artists.

The fast-rising B.C. singer and former American Idol contestant notches his fourth entry on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 this week — chart dated March 22 — with "Options" at No. 80.


That song joins his first entry "Quitter," hitting a peak at No. 41, and "Medusa" at No. 73. Another single, "Hundred Mile High," charted back in February. That's an impressive track record for a young artist at this stage, with just one official EP and a handful of singles to his name.

"Options" is another energetic folk anthem from Whitcomb. This one describes his sobriety journey, and finds Whitcomb reflecting on the various paths he could take. "I won’t but I could / pull that bottle off that shelf / it helps me cope knowing I could be that version of myself," he sings, supported by powerful backing vocals that lift him up along the way.

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Whitcomb is on tour with Ben Cottrill in the U.S. right now and heads to Australia in April. Find his full tour dates here.

Mayhem is sweeping the charts this week. Lady Gaga's critically acclaimed seventh album is at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, bumping Tate McRae's So Close To What to No. 2 and Drake and PartyNextDoor's $ome $exy $ongs 4 U to No. 3.

Lady Gaga also has 11 songs on the Canadian Hot 100, sitting at No. 2 with her Bruno Mars duet "Die With a Smile," while Bruno and ROSÉ hold on to No. 1 with "APT."

Also on the Canadian Albums chart, Tory Lanez debuts Peterson at No. 38. The Toronto rapper and singer recorded the album while incarcerated for shooting rapper Megan Thee Stallion, and has thanked Chris Brown for supporting the album financially.

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Another rising hit on the Canadian Hot 100 is Doechii's Gotye-sampling "Anxiety," which is actually on the chart twice — with Doechii's version at No. 15 and Brooklyn rapper Sleepy Hallow's version featuring Doechii at No. 31. It's one of the few times two takes on the same song have charted simultaneously.

Check out the full charts here.

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Amber Still, executive director of the Polaris Music Prize
Johanna Stickland

Amber Still, executive director of the Polaris Music Prize

Awards

‘Protect the Prize’: The Polaris Music Prize Undergoes Its Biggest Period of Change

Now entering its third decade, the Canadian critic’s prize has expanded its voting pool, adjusted to financial constraints and begun awarding both albums and songs. After years defined by its refined focus, the changes mark a major expansion of the organization’s mission.

In 2025, the Polaris Music Prize celebrated its 20th anniversary. Entering its third decade, the award is undergoing what might be its biggest period of change. From funding to voting process, the organization is continuing to evolve.

The cultural not-for-profit organization has spent the better part of two decades creating a space in the industry for Canadian acts to be recognized based solely artistic merit, rather than sales, genre or support from a record label. Founded in the 2000s as Canada's answer to the Mercury Prize, the organization became a registered Canadian charity in 2017.

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