It is Polaris Music Prize season and I am anxiously waiting to hear who makes it on to the Long List. The 2022 Polaris Event Season will kick-off with the Prize’s 40 album Long List on June 14, followed by the 10 album Short List on July 14. This year’s winning album reveal will once again take place during the Polaris Gala presented by long-time partner CBC Music, happening September 19 at The Carlu in Toronto, Ontario.

While we wait we can listen to some tracks off of albums that I am hoping to see land on the list. This is in no way a prediction but only my personal long list wish list. The tracks on DarBar’s Polaris Long List playlist represent the 40 albums that I wish end up on the official list. There are many more albums that I enjoy but these are the ones I am hoping for as of today.

The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity. All genres of music are considered for the Polaris Music Prize and no entry fee is required. Artists or their representatives do not submit to Polaris. A Long List of 40 nominated Albums of the Year will be selected by an independent jury made up of music journalists, broadcasters and music filterers from across Canada. This same jury will vote for a Short List of 10 titles that will be announced to the media in July. A second panel of 11 members of that jury will decide on the final winner.

Polaris Music Prize nominees and winners will be selected solely on artistic merit without regard to genre, sales history or professional affiliation. An album is defined as one release of at least 20 minutes of music, or at least 5 songs. To qualify, albums must have been released in full between May 1, 2021 and May 31, 2022. (from Polaris Music Prize website.)

The playlist is in no particular order but my top picks are at the start. Saskatoon’s The Garrys are again at the top of the list with their album Get Thee To A Nunnery. It was produced by Dallas Good and you can hear it throughout the album. Megan Nash, Royal Canoe, Trampoline, and Sarah Neufeld are some of my other favs I am rooting for. There was lots of music created in the past year and much I haven’t had a chance to give a proper listening to yet. I have had some new discoveries again this year and hope to make some more. Maybe you too will find a new favourite. What albums are you hoping will be on the long list?