CBC presents the 2025 Polaris Music Prize has revealed its 40 nominated album Long List. The organization, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, also announced the launch of two major new initiatives, the SOCAN Polaris Song Prize and 2025 Polaris Festival.
The album Long List, presented by Canada Council for the Arts, is where Polaris reveals the 40 nominated records that will be considered for a given year’s Prize.
The 2025 Polaris Music Prize Album Long List is:
- Art d’Ecco – Serene Demon
- Backxwash – Only Dust Remains
- Quinton Barnes – CODE NOIR
- Bibi Club – Feu de garde
- Basia Bulat – Basia’s Palace
- Caribou – Honey
- Lou-Adriane Cassidy – Journal d’un Loup-Garou
- Choses Sauvages – Choses Sauvages III
- Cold Specks – Light For The Midnight
- Antoine Corriveau – Oiseau de Nuit
- Marie Davidson – City Of Clowns
- Destroyer – Dan’s Boogie
- Myriam Gendron – Mayday
- Gloin – All of your anger is actually shame (and I bet that makes you angry)
- Saya Gray – SAYA
- Hildegard – Jour 1596
- Yves Jarvis – All Cylinders
- Kaia Kater – Strange Medicine
- Bells Larsen – Blurring Time
- Richard Laviolette – All Wild Things Are Shy
- Wyatt C. Louis – Chandler
- Kelly McMichael – After The Sting Of It
- Men I Trust – Equus Asinus
- Mustafa – Dunya
- N NAO – Nouveau langage
- Nemahsis – Verbathim
- Eliza Niemi – Progress Bakery
- The OBGMs – SORRY, IT’S OVER
- Dorothea Paas – Think Of Mist
- Klô Pelgag – Abracadabra
- Population II – Maintenant Jamais
- Ribbon Skirt – Bite Down
- Ariane Roy – Dogue
- Mike Shabb – Sewaside III
- Sister Ray – Believer
- Snotty Nose Rez Kids – RED FUTURE
- The Weather Station – Humanhood
- Rick White and The Sadies – Rick White and The Sadies
- Donovan Woods – Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now
- Yoo Doo Right – From the Heights of Our Pastureland
The Long List includes 16 first-time nominees as well as two past winners (Backxwash, Caribou) and one past Polaris Heritage Prize recipient (Rick White, as part of Eric’s Trip). In total, 189 albums were considered for the Long List by the 205 member jury this season.
The Polaris Music Prize awards $30,000 courtesy of the Slaight Family Foundation to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales. The Polaris Prize album winner is determined by an 11-member Polaris Grand Jury selected from the greater Polaris juror pool.
The 2025 Long List was unveiled during a reveal event at Paradise Wine Bar in Toronto’s downtown west end which featured an art installation by Polaris Community Partner Oasis Skateboard Factory. The album Long List reveal event also featured a number of previous winners and current nominees in attendance.
The Polaris Music Prize Short List, presented by FACTOR, will reveal the 10 finalist albums being considered on July 10. More details on this will be announced in the coming weeks.