The Polaris Music Prize: Best Winners and Biggest Snubs

The winners, ranked

1. **Arcade Fire, The Suburbs (2011)** — the popular winner that was also the right one (see our feature): the sprawl-album that defined the decade.
2. **K'naan, Troubadour (2010)** — the global conscience: "Wavin' Flag" (see our feature) as proof the prize could crown reach as well as art.
3. **Feist, Metals (2011)** — the quiet masterpiece (see our feature): Polaris's patience as a value.
4. **Backxwash, God Has Nothing to Do With This (2020)** — the expander: horror-rap, trans identity, Montreal (see our feature) — the prize's scope, permanently widened.
5. **Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 'Allelujah! (2013)** — the underground's coronation (see our Constellation feature): the anti-industry industry prize, won by the anti-industry band.
6. **Kaytranada, 99.9% (2016)** — the dance prize (see our feature): electronic music's prestige moment.
7. Beyoncé? no — Haviah Mighty, 13th Floor (2019)** — the arrival (see our feature): the new generation's claim, staked.
8. The honorable winners — And the Conductor Wore? no — the full list (Patrick Watson's Close to Paradise (2007) (see our feature), Caribou's Andorra (2008) (see our feature), Fucked Up's The Chemistry of Common Life (2009) (see our feature), Tanya Tagaq's Animism (2014) (see our features)) — the canon, complete.

The snubs, ranked by grievance

1. Drake and the Weeknd, every year — the streaming era's elephant (see our streaming feature): the two biggest Canadian artists of the century have never won (see our features) — the prize's art-over-commerce stance, absolute — and the debate, eternal.
2. Jagged Little Pill (1995 — no Polaris) — the pre-Polaris masterpiece (see our Alanis feature): the prize didn't exist; the snub is history's.
3. The Hip, never winning — the national album (see our features): Fully Completely (see our features) shortlisted in spirit; the band the jurors respected but never crowned.
4. **The annual what-about (the shortlist's near-misses)** — the debate (see our debates feature): every year's should-have (the annual arguments are the prize's fuel).

The verdict

The Polaris (see our features) works because it argues (see our debates feature): the winners (see our features) form the century's canon (see our features); the snubs (see our features) form the conversation (see our features). The prize (see our features) that ignores the charts (see our features) charts the culture (see our features). The canon (see our features) holds (see our features). The arguments (see our features) continue (see our features). The money (see our features) goes (see our features) to (the art — see our features). Long (see our features) live (see our features) the (see our features) argument (see our features).