Introducing Canada’s newest album prize competition: The Meridian Prize

July 10, 2026 Alan Cross 0 Comments 14 Views

Welcome to The Meridian Prize, Canada’s newest album prize. It focuses on albums from Western and Northern Canada that display “exceptional artistic achievement.” In other words, it’s a regional version of the Polaris Music Prize. Nice.

The inaugural list of nominees–there are 10–was announced this week. The winner (picked by a jury of radio people, festival programmers, indie record store owners, critics, and writers) will be announced at BreakOut West in Victoria and will receive an honorarium worth $5,000.

Here are the nominees:

Begonia – Fantasy Life
Cassia Hardy – In Relation
Emma Goldman – all you are is we
Fontine – Good Buddy
Foxwarren – 2
Home Front – Watch It Die
Jack J – Desert Blue
Jairus Sharif – Basis of Unity
Living Hour – Internal Drone Infinity
William Prince – Further From The Country

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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