Quebec dominates Polaris Music Prize shortlist with 12 albums
Angine de Poitrine emerges as frontrunner in Canada's top music award as Quebec claims nearly a third of the 40 nominees.
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Quebec's music scene has again asserted its dominance in Canada's most prestigious album award. Twelve Quebec albums were selected in the 40-album preseleciton for the Polaris Music Prize, unveiled Thursday evening—making the province a heavyweight contender once more.
The Quebec presence is slightly less commanding than in 2025, when half the shortlist came from the province, but it remains formidable. Notable nominees include Les Louanges (Alouette !), Lou-Adriane Cassidy (Triste animal), Kaytranada (Ain't No Damn Way!), and Men I Trust (Equus Caballus).
But the real story is Angine de Poitrine, the Montreal rock phenomenon that has become a global sensation. Their album Vol. II has emerged as the likely frontrunner. The band has "made waves" across the planet in a way few Canadian acts have—packing stadiums and filling festival lineups internationally. The question hanging over this year's prize: can any other artist actually beat them?
The Polaris Prize, now in its 21st year, awards $30,000 to the winner. Quebec has claimed the prize 10 times in two decades, though only once—Karkwa in 2010—from a francophone artist. Most recently, Yves Jarvis won last year for All Cylinders.
The full finalist list of 10 albums will be revealed July 9. The ceremony takes place September 22 at Massey Hall in Toronto.