Here Is Your Polaris Music Prize Long List for 2016

It seems like there were hundreds of albums to choose from when it came to this year’s Polaris Music Prize, Canada’s annual critic pick for the best record of the year. The 200+ people in the voting pool (broadcasters, music writers, bloggers, various critics) put forth a lot–and I mean a LOT–of music for consideration this year. When it came time for the first cull–the winnowing of the master list down to just 40 on the Long List–here’s what happened (in alphabetical order):

1. Art Bergmann – The Apostate
2. Justin Bieber – Purpose
3. Black Mountain – IV
4. Jean-Michel Blais – II
5. Basia Bulat – Good Advice
6. Daniel Caesar – Pilgrim’s Paradise
7. Tanika Charles – Soul Run
8. City and Colour – If I Should Go Before You
9. Cœur de pirate – Roses
10. Dead Obies – Gesamtkunstwerk
11. Destroyer – Poison Season
12. Dilly Dally – Sore
13. Drake – VIEWS
14. Essaie pas – Demain est une autre nuit
15. Fred Fortin – Ultramarr
16. FOXTROTT – A Taller Us
17. Grimes – Art Angels
18. Half Moon Run – Sun Leads Me On
19. Veda Hille – Love Waves
20. Jazz Cartier – Hotel Paranoia
21. Carly Rae Jepsen – E•MO•TION
22. Junior Boys – Big Black Coat
23. Kaytranada – 99.9%
24. Jessy Lanza – Oh No
25. Majid Jordan – Majid Jordan
26. Michelle McAdorey – Into Her Future
27. Nap Eyes – Thought Rock Fish Scale
28. Safia Nolin – Limoilou
29. Operators – Blue Wave
30. Peaches – Rub
31. PUP – The Dream Is Over
32. Daniel Romano – Mosey
33. Andy Shauf – The Party
34. The Strumbellas – Hope
35. Suuns – Hold/Still
36. U.S. Girls – Half Free
37. Un Blonde – Good Will Come To You
38. The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
39. White Lung – Paradise
40. Donovan Woods – Hard Settle, Ain’t Troubled

A solid list of music, to be sure. But we’re far from done. A second round of voting will result in the Short List, which will be unveiled July 14. The remainder of the summer will be devoted to infighting as to which album should win. The final responsibility lies with the Grand Jury, eleven folks out of those 200+ who will render their verdict at the Polaris Music Prize Gala on September 19 at the Carlu in Toronto. The winning act gets $50,000 cash and each of the nine finalists will get three grand each.