Here is the Long List for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize

From 221 nominated albums comes the Polaris Music Prize Long List, the forty semi-finalists for 2023. Everything was nominated and then voted on by 205 music wonks across Canada (including me). A second round of voting is currently underway to reduce the Long List down to the Short List of ten which will be announced on July 13. Then we move to the Gala in September where a jury from the voters pool will name the best Canadian album of the year and give that artist $50,000.

But I’m ahead of myself. Here’s the Long List.

ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT – Darling The Dawn
Alvvays – Blue Rev
Aquakultre – Don’t Trip
Aysanabee – Watin
Badge Époque Ensemble – Clouds Of Joy
Begonia – Powder Blue
Bibi Club – Le soleil et la mer
BIG|BRAVE – nature morte
Philippe Brach – Les gens qu’on aime
Mariel Buckley – Everywhere I Used To Be
Daniel Caesar – Never Enough
Chiiild – Better Luck In The Next Life
Feist – Multitudes
Debby Friday – Good Luck
Gayance – Mascarade
Ghostkeeper – Multidimensional Culture
Home Front – Games of Power
JayWood – Slingshot
Khotin – Release Spirit
Thierry Larose – Sprint!
Murray Lightburn – Once Upon A Time In Montreal
Isabella Lovestory – Amor Hardcore
Dan Mangan – Being Somewhere
N NAO – L’eau et les rêves
Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
Eliza Niemi – Staying Mellow Blows
Nico Paulo – Nico Paulo
Planet Giza – Ready When You Are
poolblood – mole
Jessie Reyez – Yessie
The Sadies – Colder Streams
Jairus Sharif – Water & Tools
Andy Shauf – Norm
Dylan Sinclair – No Longer In The Suburbs
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – I’m Good, HBU?
Alexandra Stréliski – Néo-Romance
U.S. Girls – Bless This Mess
Witch Prophet – Gateway Experience
Yoo Doo Right – A Murmur, Boundless to the East
Zoon – Bekka Ma’iingan