It's that time of year again, when Canada's most commercially successful artists get together to pat each other on the back to give their already well-selling albums another boost. That's right, it's Juno season! The 2008 nominees have been announced to the surprise of just about nobody. All the usual suspects lead the pack: Celine Dion has six nominations and Avril Lavigne, Michael Buble and Feist trail closely with five a piece. Some variation or another of these four make up most of the top prize nominations, including Album of the Year (where Celine has TWO nominations), Artist of the Year and Pop Album of the Year.
Predictably, the Arcade Fire is the industry's safety net of credibility, snapping up three nominations, including Group of the Year, which they share with Blue Rodeo, Finger Eleven, Hedley and Drancophone folksters Kain, and Alternative Album of the Year in the mostly safe company of Patrick Watson, Wintersleep, Tegan and Sara, and Holy Fuck (guess which potential winner won't be named on television).
There are some exciting and sensible nominations among the rest of the categories, like a nod to Chromeo for best Dance Recording, Tafelmusik for Classical Album with a large ensemble, Amon Tobin for Instrumental Album, the Sadies for Roots Group, Corb Lund and Jill Barber for Solo Roots artist, Shad and Classified for Rap, Pride Tiger and the Saint Alvia Cartel for Rock Album, Joel Plaskett for best Songwriter, and Autorickshaw for best World Music album.
Tokyo Police Club received only one nomination for Best Music Video, being passed over in the New Group category in favour of Dragonette, illScarlet, a couple of Chad Kroeger clones and... Wintersleep? Apparently seven years and three full-length albums is barely the blink of an eye in terms of Juno recognition.
Get ready for some frustrated hair-pulling and deep belly laughs when the 2008 Juno Awards air April 6 on CTV.
Predictably, the Arcade Fire is the industry's safety net of credibility, snapping up three nominations, including Group of the Year, which they share with Blue Rodeo, Finger Eleven, Hedley and Drancophone folksters Kain, and Alternative Album of the Year in the mostly safe company of Patrick Watson, Wintersleep, Tegan and Sara, and Holy Fuck (guess which potential winner won't be named on television).
There are some exciting and sensible nominations among the rest of the categories, like a nod to Chromeo for best Dance Recording, Tafelmusik for Classical Album with a large ensemble, Amon Tobin for Instrumental Album, the Sadies for Roots Group, Corb Lund and Jill Barber for Solo Roots artist, Shad and Classified for Rap, Pride Tiger and the Saint Alvia Cartel for Rock Album, Joel Plaskett for best Songwriter, and Autorickshaw for best World Music album.
Tokyo Police Club received only one nomination for Best Music Video, being passed over in the New Group category in favour of Dragonette, illScarlet, a couple of Chad Kroeger clones and... Wintersleep? Apparently seven years and three full-length albums is barely the blink of an eye in terms of Juno recognition.
Get ready for some frustrated hair-pulling and deep belly laughs when the 2008 Juno Awards air April 6 on CTV.
