how are the Juno Award nominees chosen?
Updated Fri. Mar. 6 2009 3:50 PM ET Sheri Block, CTV.ca From Nickelback to Cline Dion to Bryan Adams – the Juno Awards always recognize the big acts in Canadian music but the not-so-obvious ones are also stepping into the spotlight. A change in the way Juno nominees are chosen – with sales only making up part of the criteria – has opened the door for many up-and-coming artists to break into the mainstream. “If you look at even the New Artist of the Year (category) you’ve got country artists in there, vocal jazz, Nikki Yanofsky (for example), it seems a lot more diverse this year,” says Brenna Knought, manager of awards and special events with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). The nominees in the New Artist category, along with New Group of the Year, Group of the Year and Artist of the Year, are now chosen half by sales and half by CARAS members who submit votes. Sales alone decides just three awards – Juno Fan Choice, Album of the Year and International Album
