The year's shape
The breakthroughs
The new names (see our breakout feature) — the artists (see our features) who arrived (see our features) — the songs (see our chart features) that defined (see our features) the year (see our features).
The peaks
The records (see our vinyl feature) that mattered (see our features) — the albums (see our Polaris feature) that will last (see our features).
The farewells
The goodbyes (see our farewell feature) — the retirements (see our Rush features), the losses (see our features), the endings (see our features) that marked (see our features) the year (see our features).
The review's verdict
The verdict (see our features): the year (see our features) in Canadian music (see our features) is (see our features) the argument (see our debates feature) continuing (see our features) — the canon (see our features) growing (see our features), the future (see our breakout feature) arriving (see our features), the past (see our features) honored (see our anthem feature). The year ends (see our features). The music (see our features) continues (see our features). The annual (see our features) review (see our features) repeats (see our features).
Frequently asked questions
What was the year in Canadian music?
The breakthroughs, the peaks, and the farewells — the annual report card.
What albums defined the year?
The records that will last — the Polaris and Juno consensus.
What are the biggest farewells?
The retirements and losses that marked the year.