Canada’s Juno Award have announced this year’s nominees, and it may be the only time you see Justin Bieber on a list with two bands that have the “f” word in their name.
Indie darling Feist was nominated for four trophies, including artist of the year, as did chart-topper Drake (including album of the year). Less well-known in the U.S., The City and the Colour (“colour”? What is this, Canada?), also earned four nominations. And, it may surprise you that that magic number was also reached by earnest hard rockers Nickelback, They were nominated in the categories including group and single (“When We Stand Together”).
The Junos also added a new category this year, honoring the best in Metal/Hard Rock Music. The inaugural nominees are Anvil, Cauldron, Fuck the Facts, Devin Townsend Project and KEN mode.
Nickelback, City and Colour, deadmau5, Hedley, Feist and 2012 Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees Blue Rodeo will perform on the show, airing April 1. “Star Trek” legend/butcher of classic songs Willaim Shatner is hosting.
Here’s a partial list of the nominees:
Artist of the year: Drake, Feist, Michael Bublé, City and Colour, Deadmau5.
Album: Goodbye Lullabye, Avril Lavigne; Take Care, Drake; Under the Mistletoe, Justin Bieber; Christmas, Michael Bublé; Here and Now, Nickleback.
Single: Fragile Bird, City and Colour; Invincible, Hedley; Let’s Go Higher, Johnny Reid; When We Stand Together, Nickelback; I Don’t Know, The Sheepdogs.
Group: The Arkells, Down With Webster, Hedley, Nickelback, Sam Roberts Band.
International album: 21, Adele; Mylo Zyloto, Coldplay; Born This Way, Lady Gaga; Sorry for Party Rocking, LMFAO; Loud, Rihanna.
Country album: 16 & 1, Doc Walker; High Valley, High Valley; Everything, Jason McCoy; Forget About the World, Jimmy Rankin; Roots and Wings, Terri Clark.
Adult alternative album: Morning Comes, Cuff The Duke; Metals, Feist; Honeymoon Punch, Jenn Grant; Skyscraper Soul, Jim Cuddy; Long Player Late Bloomer, Ron Sexsmith.
Pop album: Goodbye Lullaby, Avril Lavigne; Time To Win Vol. II, Down With Webster; Storms, Hedley; Siberia, Lights; Ever After, Marianas Trench.
Alternative album: David Comes to Life, Fucked Up; Kaputt, Destroyer; Dan Mangan, Oh Fortune; Braids, Native Speaker; Creep On Creepin’ On, Timber Timbre
New artist: Alyssa Reid, Dan Mangan, Diamond Rings, JRDN and Lindi Ortega.
New group: Braids, Hey Rosetta, Mother Mother, The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Sheepdogs.
Juno fan choice: Arcade Fire, Avril Lavigne, City and Colour, Deadmau5, Drake, Ginette Reno, Hedley, Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé, Nickelback.
Songwriter: Dallas Green, Dan Mangan, Feist, Jim Cuddy, Ron Sexsmith.
For the rest of the nominations and more info, head to the official Junos site here.