Starting with the JUNO Opening Night Awards and Gala on Saturday night and concluding with the eventful live broadcast Monday, the biggest names in Canadian music gathered at the Edmonton Convention Centre and at Rogers Place to strut the Red Carpet and celebrate the year in music.
The biggest winner of the weekend by far, with his four major wins including Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Album of the Year, and Single of the Year, The Weeknd becomes the second most awarded JUNO winner in history. With 22 wins in just a decade, he breaks his tie with Bryan Adams, while Anne Murray still holds the title of JUNOS’ most decorated artist with 25 awards.
Other big winners of the 2023 JUNO Awards included EDM superstars Banx & Ranx, who took home Breakthrough Group of the Year, legendary rockers Alexisonfire, who won Rock Album of the Year for their album Otherness, while Grand Prairie, AB’s, Tenille Townes, took home Country Album of the Year. Pop-punk icon, Avril Lavigne, was also on hand to receive her fourth TikTok JUNO Fan Choice Award.
Performances throughout the two nights of awards presentations ranged everywhere from the newest pop-sensation, Rêve, to the best of Canadian rock from Alexisonfire, to a celebration of the history of Canadian hip-hop featuring performances by pioneers and superstars Michie Mee, Maestro Fresh Wes, Dream Warriors, Choclair, Kardinal Offishall, Haviah Mighty, and TOBi.
Although the main event, the presentation of the 2023 JUNO Awards, capped off a weekend of pure Canadiana. Across the city, exclusive performances from bands and artists from across the country took place at some of the city’s most celebrated venues, including an absolutely legendary performance by east coast rockers Sloan, at Edmonton’s Starlite Theatre that blew the minds of everyone that was present.
Fan favourite events that also returned to the JUNOFest included the beloved JUNO Cup. Played for the first time since 2019 at Edmonton’s Downtown Community Arena at Rogers Place on Saturday, the JUNO Cup pits musicians against professional athletes as they raise money for MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity. Led by JUNO Cup founder and legendary Blue Rodeo singer Jim Cuddy, this year’s JUNO Cup went to the musicians in a 4 to 3 victory.
Also, on Saturday, the JUNO Songwriter’s Circle brought together some of Canada’s favourite songwriters from across the spectrum in thoughtful retrospection. Hosted by singer and broadcaster Damhnait Doyle and featuring performances by rising R&B star Adria Kain, celebrated singer-songwriter and Side Door co-founder Dan Mangan, American Idol finalist Lauren Spencer Smith, pop superstar Tyler Shaw, Breakthrough Group of the Year nominees, Wild Rivers, alt-country and folk group, The Bros Landreth, and country stars, Tenille Townes and The Reklaws, the show began with a live taping of CBC’s q, in which host Tom Power, interviewed actor and 2023 JUNO host, Simu Liu about his hosting duties, and his recent memoir, We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story.
By the end of the weekend, music fans and the people of Edmonton were left in awe of the great diverse musical talent Canada has to offer everyone. With the closure of another successful JUNO Awards weekend, the Canadian music industry now sets its sights on Halifax, when the Nova Scotia capital will play host to the 2024 JUNO Awards.
YOUR 2023 JUNO AWARD WINNERS ARE…
TikTok JUNO Fan Choice
Avril Lavigne
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“Sacrifice” The Weeknd
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Harry’s House Harry Styles
ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY MUSIC CANADA
Dawn FM The Weeknd
ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA
The Weeknd
GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA
Arkells
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY FACTOR, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS
Preston Pablo
BREAKTHROUGH GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY FACTOR, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS
Banx & Ranx
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SOCAN
Abel Tesfaye
“Less Than Zero” (co-songwriters Tomoko Yamaguch, Hamada Tetsuro, Daniel Lopatin)
“Out Of Time” (co-songwriters Max Martin, Fragogian Josefsson, Axel Hedfors, Oscar Holter, Sebastian Ingrosso, Carl Nordstrom, Kevin Duane McCord)
“Sacrifice” (co-songwriters Max Martin, Fragogian Josefsson, Axel Hedfors, Oscar Holter, Sebastian Ingrosso, Carl Nordstrom, Kevin Duane McCord)
COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY EDMONTON’S BEST HOTELS
Masquerades Tenille Townes
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Colder Streams The Sadies
ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Blue Rev Alvvays
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM POP DE L’ANNÉE
Dawn FM The Weeknd
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY AMII – ALBERTA MACHINE INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE
Otherness Alexisonfire
VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Featuring Caity Gyorgy
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO)
Kinds of Love Renee Rosnes
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP)
Desert Bloom Florian Hoefner Trio
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More Esmerine
ALBUM FRANCOPHONE DE L’ANNÉE
Crash Les Louanges
CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Walk off the Earth & Romeo Eats, Vol. 2 Walk off the Earth and Romeo Eats
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST)
Fables Philip Chiu
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE)
Viola Borealis Orchestre de l’Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis, featuring Marina Thibeault
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE)
Early Italian Cello Concertos Elinor Frey and Rosa Barocca, conducted by Claude Lapalme
CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
Bestiary I & II Bekah Simms
RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR
Shall I Continue? TOBi
DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
CTRL + ALT + DEL Rêve
CONTEMPORARY R&B RECORDING OF THE YEAR
YESSIE Jessie Reyez
REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Reggae Party (feat. Kairo McLean & Finn) Kirk Diamond, Kairo McLean and Finn
CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR (PRESENTED BY DESTINATION INDIGENOUS)
Zhawenim Digging Roots
CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Come Morning The Bros. Landreth
TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Tell ‘Em You Were Gold Pharis & Jason Romero
BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Long River Angelique Francis
CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Jordan St. Cyr Jordan St. Cyr
GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Thieves of Dreams Lenka Lichtenberg
JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY AUDIO-TECHNICA
Akeel Henry
“For Tonight” (co-producer Sevn Thomas, Jahaan Sweet) (Giveon)
“Splash” (co-producer Tone, Kevin Ekofo) (John Legend)
RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Serban Ghenea
“THAT’S WHAT I WANT” (Lil Nas X)
“Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)” (Sam Smith)
ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR
Everything Was Forever Until It Was No MoreI (Esmerine) Ian Ilavsky (Art Director & Designer), Maciek Szczerbowski (Illustrator)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE
“Unholy feat. Kim Petras” (Sam Smith and Kim Petras) Floria Sigismondi
ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Interior Teen Daze
METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Synchro Anarchy VOIVOD
ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Higher Michael Bublé
COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA
A Person Who Is Gingerbread Jon Dore
TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Last One feat. Dylan Sinclair” Savannah Ré
RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“Twin Flame” KAYTRANADA and Anderson .Paak
UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“I Knew Techno” Greg Gow
TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Unbreakable The Bearhead Sisters
MUSICOUNTS TEACHER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY CST FOUNDATION
Jewel Casselman (Lakewood School, Winnipeg, MB)