2015 Polaris Music Prize Short List Is Here

The 2015 Polaris Music Prize Short List was revealed this morning at The Carlu in Toronto.

Here’s the list:

Alvvays – Alvvays

BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul

Braids – Deep In The Iris

Caribou – Our Love

Jennifer Castle – Pink City

Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late

Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon

The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers

Buffy Sainte-Marie – Power In The Blood

Viet Cong – Viet Cong

Caribou (2008, 2010, 2015) and Drake (2012, 2014, 2015) now join Metric (2006, 2009, 2013), Shad (2008, 2010, 2014) and Owen Pallett (2006, 2010, 2014) as the only acts to be nominated for the Short List on three separate occasions. This is second time Braids (2011, 2015) and The New Pornographers (2006, 2015) have made the Short List. Alvvays, BADBADNOTGOOD, Jennifer Castle, Tobias Jesso Jr., Buffy Sainte-Marie and Viet Cong are all first-time nominees.

The event streamed live on TFO’s BRBR and Periscope. Over 150 members of the media and music industry were in attendance.

It was also announced that singer-songwriter Fred Penner will be the host of this year’s Polaris Gala event to determine the winner taking place on September 21 at The Carlu.

The Polaris Music Prize will award $50,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year. Courtesy of Slaight Music, each of the nine other short listed artists will receive $3,000. Judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or record sales, the prize’s past winners have included Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007), and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).

The Polaris Gala will be broadcast live September 21 by AUX TV.