exploremusic

Before we get to tonight’s Juno Awards, let’s be clear about something.  This prime time event, like every other awards show on the planet, is about creating a highly-rated TV show.  Sure, it’s being produced under the guise of celebrating Canadian music–and, to be sure, there will be some of that.  But the overriding goal is to score high ratings for CTV and its sponsors.

That means a mainstream show aimed at a mainstream audience with lots of safe, mainstream performances.  In other words, if you’re looking for much-deserved recognition in, say, the fields of jazz or classical or world music or blues or roots, then you’re going to be disappointed when none of that shows up on TV tonight.

Those categories–and a couple dozen like them–were address last night at the pre-Junos Juno dinner.  Here’s who won what:

Rock Album of the Year:  Vancouver/Matthew Good That’s right:  Rock Album of the Year is considered to be a category unworthy of the national broadcast.  What the f*ck?  What the f*ckin’ f*ck?

Alternative Album of the Year:  The Suburbs/Arcade Fire Seriously?  The biggest act to come out of Canada in a decade and they ghetto this award to non-televised status?  See what I mean about the TV show being all about mainstream appeal (i.e. pop artists)?

Adult Alternative Album of the Year:  Le Noize/Neil Young Why does this make me think Neil will win for Artist of the Year tonight over Drake, Johnny Reid, Bieber and Sarah McLachlan.  I think that’s a safe bet.

New Group of the Year:  Said the Whale Granted, most Juno watchers have no idea who these guys are.  But in a perfect world, the Junos would be used as an opportunity to educate and promote.

International Album of the Year:  Teenage Dream/Katy Perry You can bet that if Katie and Russell had agreed to show up to accept this award, it would have made the broadcast.  Don’t thing the producers didn’t try, either.

Metal Album of the Year: Er, the Junos don’t have a metal category.  WTF, dude?

Video of the Year: Kyle Davidson for “Perfect” by Hedley.  Well, at least Hedley finally won something.

Music DVD of the Year:  Rush:  Beyond the Lighted Stage Damn right.  Best music doc released anywhere in the year in 2010.

Recording Package of the Year:  Forgiveness Rock Record Vinyl Box Set It is really, really nice.

Electronic Album of the Year: Swim/Caribou Can’t argue too strenuously, although I would have liked to have seen either Crystal Castles or Holy Fuck win.

Country Album of the Year:  A Place Called Love/Johnny Reid What does this about the state of country music in Canada if this award didn’t make the national TV broadcast?  I guess no one figured their viewership would make any dent in the ratings.

Producer of the Year: Daniel Lanois for “Hitchhiker” from Le Noize by Neil Young.  Easy win, especially since he did it after that bad motorcycle accident.

Recording Engineer of the Year: Kevin Churko for “Let It Die” and “Life Won’t Wait” from Ozzy Osbourne’s Scream.

Rap Recording of the Year:  TSOL/Shad Yup.  Despite the importance of hip-hop culture, this award didn’t make the TV show.  Shame.

R&B/Soul Recording of the Year:  Stars/Quanteisha Again, this shouldn’t be a back room award.

Reggae Recording of the Year:  Likkle But Mi Tallawah I thought Canada had an official multicultural policy?

Aboriginal Album of the Year: CerAmony/CerAmony I guess not.

World Music Album of the Year:  Aksil/Elage Diouf Definitely not.

Roots and Traditional Album of the Year:  Solo:  My Hands Are On Fire and Other Love Songs/Old Man Luedecke So much for promoting Canadiana.

Roots and Traditional Album of the Year:  Group:  La part du feu/Le Vent du Nord See?

Dance Recording of the Year:  Sofi Needs a Ladder/Deadmau5 I would have loved to seen what kind of mouse head he would have prepared for the occasion.

Blues Album of the Year:  Everywhere West/Jim Byrnes

Vocal Jazz Album of the Year:  Nina/Kellylee Evans I got nothin’.

Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year:  Treelines/Christen Jensen Jazz Orchestra Nope.  Nothin’ either.

Traditional Jazz Album of the Year:  Our First Set/John MacLeod’s Rex Hotel Orchestra Do you have to ask?

Instrumental Album of the Year:  Continent & Western/Fond of Tigers I keep forgetting that this category even exists.

Francophone Album of the Year:  Les chemins de verre/Karkwa That this award isn’t on the national broadcast is inexcusable, even if just from a national unity point of view.  And this goddam album already won the Polaris!

Children’s Album of the Year:  Proud Like a Mountain/Peter Lenton Don’t ask me.  I don’t have kids.

Classical Album of the Year, Solo or Chamber Ensemble:  Beethoven:  Piano Trios Op. 70 No. 1, Ghost & No. 2 Op. 11: I’m sure it’s very good.

Classical Album of the Year, Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment:  Lara St. John/Mozart/Scott and Lara St. John/The Knights

Classical Album of the Year, Vocal or Choral Performance:  Great Operatic Arias/Gerald Finley

Classical Composition of the Year:  Duo for Violin and Piano, Wild Bird/R. Murray Schager