CMW 2016 Preview: The Indies

Now in its 16th year, Canadian Music Week’s Annual Independent Music Awards is one of the biggest nights of the festival. Recognizing artistry in 14 categories, The Indies bring together the best of Canadian indie music for the recognition they deserve.

This year’s gala is being presented by Indie88 on Wednesday, May 4th at The Phoenix Concert Theatre and will be hosted by one of our favourite Indie88 on air personalities, Raina Douris. The Indies are supported by the Ontario Media Development Corporation through the Ontario Music fund and with the lineup in 2016, we’re not surprised it’s a sold out show.

The show will feature performances by nominees including, Wintersleep (Single of the Year), The Strumbellas (Single and Group of the Year), The Zolas (Alternative Group of the Year) and Alberta Cross. You can bet this is going to be a hot night!

Tickets are SOLD OUT. Only limited passes and CMW wristbands will be accepted.

Wristbands and passes can be purchased here: CMW Wristbands

See the full list of nominations below. You can log in and vote for your favourite now!

2016 INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion (604 Records)
Grimes – Art Angels (4AD / Crystal Math)
Majical Cloudz – Are You Alone? (Arts and Crafts)
Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon (Arts and Crafts)
Viet Cong – Viet Cong (Flemish Eye)

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Arkells – Leather Jacket (Arkells Music Inc. / Universal Music Canada)
Coleman Hell – 2 Heads (604 Records)
Jocelyn Alice – Jackpot (Disruptor Records / Sony Music Canada)
The Strumbellas – Spirits (Six Shooter Records)
Wintersleep – Amerika (Dine Alone Records)

GROUP OF THE YEAR
BADBADNOTGOOD (Innovative Leisure)
Metric (Metric Music International Inc. / Universal Music Canada)
The Strumbellas (Six Shooter Records)
Whitehorse (Six Shooter Records)
Young Empires (Pirates Blend Records / Sony Music Canada)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Carly Rae Jepsen (604 Records)
City and Colour (Dine Alone Records)
Grimes (4AD / Crystal Math)
Lights (LIGHTS Music Inc. / Universal Music Canada)
YOAN (Productions J)

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
City and Colour (Dine Alone Records)
Hayden (Arts and Crafts)
Tobias Jesso Jr. (Arts and Crafts)
Whitehorse (Six Shooter Records)
Young Empires (Pirates Blend Records / Sony Music Canada)

ABORIGINAL ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
A Tribe Called Red (Pirates Blend Records / Sony Music Canada)
Buffy Sainte-Marie (True North Records)
City Natives (Unsigned)
Drezus (Drezus Music)
Tanya Tagaq (Six Shooter Records)

ALTERNATIVE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Destroyer (Merge)
Half Moon Run (Indica Records / Glassnote Music)
Mac DeMarco (Captured Tracks)
The Zolas (Light Organ Records)
Yukon Blonde (Dine Alone Records)

ELECTRONIC/DANCE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
A-Trak (Last Gang Records)
Braids (Flemish Eye)
Keys N Krates (Dim Mak)
Pomo (HW&W / Ultra Music Canada)
Purity Ring (Last Gang Records)

FRANCOPHONE ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Chocolat (Grosse Boite)
Galaxie (La Meute)
La Bronze (Kartel Musik)
Louis-Jean Cormier (Simone Records)
Marie-Pierre Arthur (Simone Records)

POP ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Coleman Hell (604 Records)
Dan Talevski (eOne Music Canada)
Jocelyn Alice (Disruptor Records / Sony Music Canada)
Ria Mae (Ria Mae Media / Sony Music Canada)
Tyler Shaw (Tyler Ip / Sony Music Canada)

RAP/R&B ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Daniel Caesar (Independent)
Jazz Cartier (Safe & Sound)
John River (Independent)
SonReal (Black Box)
Spek Won (Independent)

ROCK ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Dilly Dally (Buzz Records)
Hey Rosetta! (HR Music Inc. / Sonic Records)
Monster Truck (Dine Alone Records)
The Elwins (Hidden Pony Records)
The Glorious Sons (Black Box)

SINGER-SONGWRITER ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Basia Bulat (Secret City Records)
Dan Mangan (Arts and Crafts)
Lindi Ortega (Grand Tour Records / Last Gang)
Patrick Watson (Secret City Records)
The Weather Station (Outside Music)

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alabama Shakes (Cadence Music / ATO Records)
Courtney Barnett (Mom + Pop)
Major Lazer (Mad Decent)
Mumford & Sons (Glassnote Music)
Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats (Bottleneck Music / Concord Music Group) 

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Trish Cassling

Writer/Photographer/Editor

Toronto Music Blogger