The Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year is an annual award given by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to the best new musician in Canada. The award has been given since 1974, when it was originally divided into separate awards for men and women under the names Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year and Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year. These two awards were merged in 1994 into Best New Solo Artist, which was then changed to New Artist of the Year in 2003, and finally changed to its current title beginning in 2013. The award was customarily presented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The award was discontinued following the Juno Awards of 2024. At the following Juno Awards of 2025, it was merged with the sibling category for Breakthrough Group of the Year into a single category for Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year.
Recipients
Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year and Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year (1974–93) Year Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year Nominees Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year Nominees Refs. 1974 Cathy Young Linda Brown Donna Moon Marie Claire Seguin Donna Warner Nancy White Ian Thomas James Leroy Tom Middleton Dave Nicol Michael Tarry 1975 Suzanne Stevens Alexis Rose Radlin Charity Brown Debbie Fleming Gino Vannelli Bill King Justin Paige Keath Barrie Paul Hann 1976 Patricia Dahlquist Lisa Hartt Robin Moir Shawne Jackson Sylvia Tyson Dan Hill Bim Bruce Miller Lewis Furey Raoul Duguay 1977 Colleen Peterson Chris Nielsen Denise McCann Gail Dahms Patricia Anne McKinnon Burton Cummings Danny Hooper Nestor Pistor Roger Doucet Wayne St. John 1978 Lisa Dalbello Alma Faye Brooks Claudja Barry Glory-Anne Carriere Roxanne Goldade David Bradstreet Malcolm Tomlinson Pat Travers Peter Pringle Walter Rossi 1979 Claudja Barry Carolyne Bernier Denise McCann Ronney Abramson Roxanne Goldade Nick Gilder Marc Jordan Martin Stevens Pat Travers Rick James 1980 France Joli Alma Faye Brooks Karen Silver Laura Vinson Nana McLean Walter Rossi Bryan Adams Freddie James Gary Fjellgaard Richard Stepp 1981 Carole Pope Dianne Heatherington Laura Vinson Michaele Jordana Shari Ulrich Graham Shaw B. B. Gabor Bryan Adams Long John Baldry Wayne Rostad 1982 Shari Ulrich Karen Silver Rita Johns Salome Bey Terry Crawford Eddie Schwartz B. B. Gabor Gary O' Jim Byrnes Peter Pringle 1983 Lydia Taylor Lee Aaron Luba Mary Lu Zahalan Terry Crawford Kim Mitchell David Roberts David Wilcox Lawrence Gowan Leroy Sibbles 1984 Sherry Kean Ann Mortifee Diane Tell Jane Siberry Veronique Beliveau Zappacosta Johnnie Lovesin LaBarge Nash the Slash Tim Ryan 1985 k.d. lang Belinda Metz Connie Kaldor Liberty Silver Vanity Paul Janz Claude Dubois Daniel Lavoie Johnnie Lovesin Johnny MacLeod 1986 Kim Richardson Chantal Condor Francesca Gagnon Sheree Jeacocke Siobhan Crawley Billy Newton-Davis Doug Cameron Michel Lemieux Scott Merritt Stan Meissner 1987 Rita MacNeil Céline Dion Debbie Johnson Heather Bishop Nancy Martinez Tim Feehan Christopher Ward Daniel Lavoie David Gibson Mark Korven No award ceremony was held in 1988 1989 Sass Jordan Candi Patti Jannetta Lisa Lougheed Michelle Wright Colin James Andrew Cash Art Bergmann Jeff Healey Michael Breen 1990 Alannah Myles Anita Perras Annette Ducharme Mary Margaret O'Hara Mitsou Daniel Lanois Neil Harnett Ray Lyell Roch Voisine Rufus Wainwright 1991 Sue Medley Holly Cole Jane Child Lorraine Segato Mae Moore Patricia Conroy Andy Curran Bob Wiseman Danny Brooks Francis Martin John James Kenny MacLean 1992 Alanis Morissette Chrissy Steele Darby Mills Kerri Anderson Meryn Cadell Keven Jordan Glen Stace Lennie Gallant Stephen Fearing Wild T 1993 Julie Masse Lisa Brokop Priscilla Wright Sofia Shinas Sue Foley John Bottomley Devon Don Neilson John McDermott Steve Fox
Best New Solo Artist (1994–2002)
Year Winner Nominees Refs. 1994 Jann Arden Charlie Major Jim Witter Mario Pelchat Meryn Cadell 1995 Susan Aglukark Andrew Matheson David Gogo Éric Lapointe Sara Craig 1996 Ashley MacIsaac Amanda Marshall Kim Stockwood Lara Fabian Laura Smith 1997 Terri Clark Chantal Kreviazuk Damhnait Doyle Duane Steele Wendy Lands 1998 Holly McNarland Amy Sky Dayna Manning Lhasa de Sela Tariq 1999 Melanie Doane Bruce Guthro Emm Gryner Hayden Tamia 2000 Tal Bachman Ivana Santilli Jorane Tara Lyn Hart Tory Cassis 2001 Nelly Furtado Adam Gregory Amanda Stott j. englishman Sarah Harmer 2002 Hawksley Workman Gabrielle Destroismaisons Jelleestone Maren Ord Thrust
New Artist of the Year (2003–2012)
Year Winner Nominees Refs. 2003 Avril Lavigne k-os Sam Roberts Sarah Slean Shawn Desman 2004 Michael Bublé Barlow Danny Michel Kazzer Kinnie Starr 2005 Feist Fefe Dobson Keshia Chanté Matt Dusk Matt Mays 2006 Daniel Powter Divine Brown Jonas Martha Wainwright Skye Sweetnam 2007 Tomi Swick Eva Avila Melissa O'Neil Neverending White Lights Patrick Watson 2008 Serena Ryder Belly Jeremy Fisher Jill Barber Justin Nozuka 2009 Lights Crystal Shawanda Jessie Farrell Kreesha Turner Nikki Yanofsky 2010 Drake Carly Rae Jepsen Danny Fernandes Justin Bieber Shiloh 2011 Meaghan Smith Basia Bulat Bobby Bazini Caribou Hannah Georgas 2012 Dan Mangan Alyssa Reid Diamond Rings JRDN Lindi Ortega
Breakthrough Artist of the Year (2013–2024)
Year Winner Nominees Refs. 2013 The WeekndCold Specks Grimes Kira Isabella Shawn Hook 2014 Brett KisselFlorence K Tim Hicks Tyler Shaw Wake Owl 2015 KieszaGlenn Morrison Jess Moskaluke Mac DeMarco Shawn Mendes 2016 Alessia CaraColeman Hell Francesco Yates Scott Helman Tobias Jesso Jr. 2017 Ruth BAndy Shauf Kaytranada Jazz Cartier Tory Lanez 2018 Jessie ReyezAllan Rayman Charlotte Cardin NAV Virginia to Vegas 2019 bülowGrandson Killy Johnny Orlando Meghan Patrick"Shawn Mendes and the Weeknd lead the 2019 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 29, 2019.2020 Lennon Stellabbno$ Ali Gatie Alexandra Stréliski Tenille TownesMelody Lau, "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 28, 2019.2021 JP SaxeRyland James Tate McRae Powfu Curtis WatersHolly Gordon, "The Weeknd, JP Saxe, Jessie Reyez and Justin Bieber lead 2021 Juno Award nominations". CBC Music, March 9, 2021.2022 Jessia347aidan Faouzia Pressa TesherJackson Weaver, "Charlotte Cardin, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber lead 2022 Juno Award nominees". CBC News, March 1, 2022.2023 Preston PabloDax Devon Cole RealestK Rêve "Junos 2023: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 13, 2023.2024 TalkKaran Aujla Connor Price Lu Kala Shubh "Here are all the 2024 Juno nominees". CBC Music, February 6, 2024.
See also
Music of Canada
References