Juno Award for Artist of the Year

The Juno Award for Artist of the Year is an annual award presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) to the best individual musician in Canada. The five nominees in the category are decided through a combination of sales and CARAS member voting, and the recipient is chosen from among these nominees by member voting.

Prior to 2003, male and female artists were nominated and awarded in separate categories. The award was also known as Best Male Artist and Best Female Artist (2000–2002), Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist (1970–1974, 1999), and Male Vocalist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year (1975–1998).

Achievements

With nine wins and 20 nominations, Nova Scotian singer Anne Murray is both the most awarded and most nominated artist in this category, and was also nominated for a record twelve years in a row, from 1979 to 1991 (excluding 1988, when no ceremony was held). Rock musician Bryan Adams is the male with the most wins in the category, with seven, including a record five wins in a row from 1983 to 1987. Neil Young is the most nominated male with 14 total nominations, and is also remarkable for the 32 years between his first nomination in 1979 and his most recent win in 2011.

Maestro Fresh-Wes was the first hip-hop/rap artist to be nominated for the award in 1992, and deadmau5 was the first electronica artist to be nominated in 2012.

Recipients

Outstanding Performance (1972–1973) In 1972 and 1973 only, awards were given for Outstanding Performance of the Year – Female and Outstanding Performance of the Year – Male in addition to those for Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist.

Year Outstanding Performance of the Year – Male Outstanding Performance of the Year – Female Refs. 1972 Joey Gregorash Ginette Reno 1973 Bob McBride Ginette Reno

Male and Female Vocalists of the Year (1970–1998) Year Best Male Vocalist Best Female Vocalist Refs. Winner Nominees Winner Nominees 1970 Andy Kim — Ginette Reno — 1971 Gordon Lightfoot Andy Kim Pierre Lalonde Gene MacLellan Tom Northcott Anne Murray Susan Jacks Debbie Lori Kaye Joni Mitchell Ginette Reno 1972 Gordon Lightfoot — Anne Murray — 1973 Gordon Lightfoot — Anne Murray — 1974 Terry Jacks Keith Hampshire Gordon Lightfoot Bob McBride Murray McLauchlan Anne Murray Shirley Eikhard Patsy Gallant Susan Jacks Ginette Reno 1975 Gordon Lightfoot Michel Pagliaro Paul Anka Stompin' Tom Connors Terry Jacks Anne Murray Alexis Rose Radlin Cathy Young Patsy Gallant Susan Jacks 1976 Gino Vannelli Gordon Lightfoot Jean-Pierre Ferland Murray McLauchlan Paul Anka Joni Mitchell Anne Murray Charity Brown Suzanne Stevens Sylvia Tyson 1977 Burton Cummings Gino Vannelli Gordon Lightfoot Paul Anka Valdy Patsy Gallant Anne Murray Carroll Baker Charity Brown Joni Mitchell 1978 Dan Hill Burton Cummings Gino Vannelli Gordon Lightfoot Valdy Patsy Gallant Carroll Baker Charity Brown Claudja Barry Joni Mitchell 1979 Gino Vannelli Burton Cummings Dan Hill Gordon Lightfoot Neil Young Anne Murray Carroll Baker Joni Mitchell Lisa Dal Bello Patsy Gallant 1980 Burton Cummings Bruce Cockburn Gino Vannelli Murray McLauchlan Neil Young Anne Murray Carroll Baker Claudja Barry Joni Mitchell Lisa Dal Bello 1981 Bruce Cockburn Burton Cummings Gino Vannelli Gordon Lightfoot Neil Young Anne Murray Carroll Baker Claudja Barry Joni Mitchell Susan Jacks 1982 Bruce Cockburn Burton Cummings Gino Vannelli Gordon Lightfoot Neil Young Anne Murray Carole Pope Carroll Baker Joni Mitchell Lisa Dal Bello 1983 Bryan Adams Aldo Nova Burton Cummings Gordon Lightfoot Murray McLauchlan Carole Pope Anne Murray Jessie Burns Joni Mitchell Shari Ulrich 1984 Bryan Adams Bruce Cockburn Corey Hart Gordon Lightfoot Stan Rogers Carole Pope Anne Murray Dalbello Holly Woods Shari Ulrich 1985 Bryan Adams Bruce Cockburn Corey Hart Gowan Kim Mitchell Luba Anne Murray Carole Pope Dalbello Lee Aaron 1986 Bryan Adams Bruce Cockburn Gino Vannelli Kim Mitchell Neil Young Luba Anne Murray Carroll Baker Jane Siberry Martine St. Clair 1987 Bryan Adams Corey Hart Gino Vannelli Gowan Kim Mitchell Luba Anne Murray k.d. lang Lee Aaron Véronique Béliveau No award ceremony was held in 1988 1989 Robbie Robertson Bruce Cockburn David Wilcox Leonard Cohen Neil Young k.d. lang Anne Murray Celine Dion Johanne Blouin Rita MacNeil 1990 Kim Mitchell Bruce Cockburn David Wilcox George Fox Neil Young Rita MacNeil Anne Murray Candy Pennella Lee Aaron Sass Jordan 1991 Colin James Gowan Maestro Fresh-Wes Neil Young Paul Janz Celine Dion Anne Murray Candy Pennella Lee Aaron Rita MacNeil 1992 Tom Cochrane Bryan Adams Bruce Cockburn Maestro Fresh-Wes Robbie Robertson Celine Dion Lee Aaron Loreena McKennitt Mitsou Sarah McLachlan 1993 Leonard Cohen Corey Hart Francis Martin Kim Mitchell Neil Young Celine Dion k.d. lang Michelle Wright Rita MacNeil Sass Jordan 1994 Roch Voisine Daniel Lanois John McDermott Snow Stef Carse Celine Dion Alannah Myles Anne Murray Rita MacNeil Sarah McLachlan 1995 Neil Young Bruce Cockburn Colin James John McDermott Roch Voisine Jann Arden Julie Masse Loreena McKennitt Michelle Wright Sass Jordan 1996 Colin James Charlie Major Mario Pelchat Neil Young Tom Cochrane Alanis Morissette Celine Dion Rita MacNeil Shania Twain Susan Aglukark 1997 Bryan Adams Corey Hart John McDermott Neil Young Paul Brandt Celine Dion Alannah Myles Amanda Marshall Deborah Cox Lara Fabian 1998 Paul Brandt Bruce Cockburn Bruno Pelletier John McDermott Roch Voisine Sarah McLachlan Jann Arden Loreena McKennitt Shania Twain Terri Clark

Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist (1999) Year Best Male Vocalist Best Female Vocalist Refs. Winner Nominees Winner Nominees 1999 Jim Cuddy Colin James Corey Hart David Usher Kevin Parent Celine Dion Deborah Cox Ginette Reno Holly Cole Lynda Lemay

Best Male and Female Artists (2000–2001) Year Best Male Artist Best Female Artist Refs. Winner Nominees Winner Nominees 2000 Bryan Adams Paul Brandt Choclair Tom Cochrane Edwin Chantal Kreviazuk Alanis Morissette Amanda Marshall Celine Dion Lynda Lemay 2001 Neil Young Nicola Ciccone Jesse Cook Sylvain Cossette Snow Jann Arden Isabelle Boulay Lara Fabian Lynda Lemay Terri Clark

Best Artist (2002) Year Best Artist Nominees Ref. 2002 Diana Krall Amanda Marshall Garou Leonard Cohen Nelly Furtado

Artist of the Year (2003–present) Year Artist of the Year Nominees Ref. 2003 Shania Twain Alanis Morissette Celine Dion Daniel Bélanger Remy Shand 2004 Sam Roberts Celine Dion Nelly Furtado Sarah McLachlan Shawn Desman 2005 Avril Lavigne Bryan Adams Celine Dion Diana Krall k.d. lang 2006 Michael Bublé Boom Desjardins Diana Krall Kalan Porter Rex Goudie 2007 Nelly Furtado Diana Krall Gregory Charles Loreena McKennitt Pierre Lapointe 2008 Feist Avril Lavigne Celine Dion Michael Bublé Pascale Picard 2009 Sam Roberts Bryan Adams City and Colour k.d. lang Serena Ryder 2010 K'naan Diana Krall Jann Arden Johnny Reid Michael Bublé 2011 Neil Young Drake Johnny Reid Justin Bieber Sarah McLachlan 2012 Feist City and Colour deadmau5 Drake Michael Bublé 2013 Leonard Cohen Justin Bieber deadmau5 Carly Rae Jepsen Johnny Reid 2014 Serena Ryder Céline Dion Drake Michael Bublé Robin Thicke 2015 The Weeknd Bryan Adams deadmau5 Leonard Cohen Sarah McLachlan 2016 The Weeknd City and Colour Shawn Mendes Drake Justin Bieber 2017 Leonard CohenAlessia Cara Drake Shawn Mendes The Weeknd 2018 Gord DownieDaniel Caesar Lights Ruth B Shania Twain 2019 Shawn MendesMichael Bublé Alessia Cara The Weeknd Tory Lanez"Shawn Mendes and the Weeknd lead the 2019 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 29, 2019.2020 Shawn MendesBryan Adams Alessia Cara Tory Lanez Jessie ReyezMelody Lau, "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 28, 2019.2021 The WeekndAli Gatie Céline Dion Jessie Reyez Justin BieberHolly Gordon, "The Weeknd, JP Saxe, Jessie Reyez and Justin Bieber lead 2021 Juno Award nominations". CBC Music, March 9, 2021.2022 Charlotte CardinJustin Bieber Shawn Mendes JP Saxe The WeekndHolly Gordon, "Here are all the 2022 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, May 14, 2022.2023 The WeekndMichael Bublé Avril Lavigne Shawn Mendes Lauren Spencer-Smith Jenna Benchetrit and Arti Patel, "The Weeknd picks up 4 wins on Junos 2023 opening night". CBC News, March 11, 2023.2024 Tate McRaeCharlotte Cardin Daniel Caesar Lauren Spencer-Smith Shania Twain "Here are all the 2024 Juno nominees". CBC Music, February 6, 2024.2025 Tate McRaeKaytranada Shawn Mendes Josh Ross The Weeknd "Junos 2025: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 30, 2025.2026 Tate McRaebbno$ Justin Bieber Daniel Caesar The Weeknd Natalie Harmsen, Melody Lau, Holly Gordon and Kelsey Adams, "Here are all the 2026 Juno nominees". CBC Music, March 28, 2026.

See also

List of Canadian musicians

References