The Weeknd leads with four awards, who now ties with Bryan Adams as the second most decorated JUNO Award winner of all time – see complete list of winners

EDMONTON, March 12, 2023, – The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) paid tribute to the artists and industry veterans at the top of Canada’s music sceneon Saturday at the 2023 JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada, inside the Edmonton Convention Centre. Co-hosted by Alberta duo Andrew Phung (CBC’s Run the Burbs and Kim’s Convenience) and Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe (CBC Music’s The Block), the esteemed industry event included five knockout performances and the presentation of 41 JUNO Awards, along with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award and the MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award Presented by CST Foundation. 

Global entertainment icon and Canada’s starboy, The Weeknd, took the night’s top spot with four awards: Artist of the Year*, Single of the Year, Songwriter of the Year*, and Pop Album of the Year. The Weeknd has now amassed 21 wins in just a decade, surpassing the legendary Celine Dion and tying Bryan Adams as the second most decorated JUNO Award winner of all time. If he wins any of the awards he is nominated for on Monday night’s Broadcast (TikTok JUNO Fan Choice or Album of the Year*), he will push past Adams and take over the spot, second only to Canada’s songbird, Anne Murray, who is the JUNOS’ most decorated artist with 25 awards.

Ron Sakamoto, renowned country music manager and promoter, was awarded the prestigious Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for his significant contributions to music and the artists who create it. Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew was presented with the MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award Presented by CST Foundation for his instrumental role at the outset of the MusiCounts TD Community Music Program, which has awarded $3.9 million to community groups and not-for-profits since 2013.

The JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada put a spotlight not only on our nation’s veterans, but also its rising stars with 16 JUNO awards going to first-time winners: Akeel Henry (Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Presented by Audio-Technica), Angelique Francis (Blues Album of the Year), Banx & Ranx (Breakthrough Group of the Year Presented By FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters), Bekah Simms (Classical Composition of the Year), Florian Hoefner Trio (Jazz Album of the Year – Group), Greg Gow (Underground Dance Single of the Year), Jon Dore (Comedy Album of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada), Jordan St. Cyr (Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year) Kirk Diamond, Kairo Mclean and Finn (Reggae Recording of the Year), Lenka Lichtenberg (Global Music Album of the Year), Orchestre De L’Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis, soloist Marina Thibeault (Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble), Rêve (Dance Recording of the Year), Savannah Ré feat. Dylan Sinclair (Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year), The Bearhead Sisters (Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year) and Walk Off The Earth and Romeo Eats (Children’s Album of the Year).

Artists from the Wild Rose Country were also well applauded, including Calgary’s Caity Gyorgy (Vocal Jazz Album of the Year), Grande Prairie’s Tenille Townes (Country Album of the Year Presented by Edmonton’s Best Hotels) and Edmonton’s The Bearhead Sisters. Albertan icons Nickelback, Tate McRae and Tenille Townes still have highly-anticipated performances to come and will heat up the stage at Rogers Place Monday night in celebration of Canada’s biggest night in music.

Meanwhile, Hamilton’s Arkells received the 2023 JUNO Award for Group of the Year. It was their 8th JUNO, and Alexis on Fire won Rock Album of the Year for “Otherness.”

Five radiant performances elevated the evening: Alberta pop songstress and 2023 nominee for Breakthrough Artist of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters Devon Cole; this year’s co-winner for Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year Presented by CBC Music, Dylan Sinclair; Instrumental Album of the Year nominee Jean-Michel Blais; and 2023 winners of Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year, The Bearhead Sisters. Corb Lund along with The Sadies, who took home the JUNO for Adult Alternative Album of the Year* and Shannon Johnson from The McDades, who were nominees for Traditional Roots Album of the Year, took the stage performing the late Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds, during the moving In Memoriam tribute.

Looking ahead to future JUNO Awards ceremonies, CBC announced tonight the renewal of their JUNO Awards exclusive broadcast partnership. The renewed five-year relationship kicks off with The 2024 JUNO Awards in Halifax, through to 2028.  The 2023 JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada are available to rewatch on-demand via CBC Gem or CBCMusic.ca/junos.

The 52nd Annual JUNO Awards Broadcast will air live across the country from Rogers Place in Edmonton on Monday, March 13 at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT on CBC Gem, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos, and CBC Music’s Facebook, Twitter and Youtube pages.

2023 Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada Winners List

COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY EDMONTON’S BEST HOTELS | ALBUM COUNTRY DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR EDMONTON’S BEST HOTELS

Masquerades Tenille Townes RCA*Sony

UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR | SINGLE DANCE UNDERGROUND DE L’ANNÉE 

I Knew Techno Greg Gow Restructured*The Orchard

JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO) | ALBUM JAZZ DE L’ANNÉE (SOLO)

Kinds of Love Renee Rosnes Smoke Sessions*The Orchard

ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS | ALBUM ADULTE ALTERNATIF DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Colder Streams The Sadies Dine Alone*The Orchard

DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR | ENREGISTREMENT DANCE DE L’ANNÉE

CTRL + ALT + DEL Rêve 31 East*Universal

CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM ROOTS CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE

Come Morning The Bros. Landreth Birthday Cake*The Orchard

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM INTERNATIONAL DE L’ANNÉE

Harry’s House Harry Styles Columbia*Sony

CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY DESTINATION INDIGENOUS | ARTISTE OU GROUPE AUTOCHTONE CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR DESTINATION AUTOCHTONE

Zhawenim Digging Roots Ishkōdé*Universal 

BREAKTHROUGH GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY FACTOR, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS  | RÉVÉLATION DE L’ANNÉE (GROUPE) PRÉSENTÉ PAR FACTOR, LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA ET L’ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES RADIODIFFUSEURS

Banx & Ranx  Universal

TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR | ARTISTE OU GROUPE AUTOCHTONE TRADITIONNEL DE L’ANNÉE

Unbreakable The Bearhead Sisters Independent

ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM ADULTE CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE

Higher Michael Bublé Warner

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE) | ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (PETIT ENSEMBLE)

Early Italian Cello Concertos Elinor Frey and Rosa Barocca, conducted by Claude Lapalme Analekta*F.A.B./The Orchard

REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR | ENREGISTREMENT REGGAE DE L’ANNÉE

Reggae Party feat. Kairo McLean & Finn Kirk Diamond, Kairo McLean and Finn Independent

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST) | ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (SOLO)

Fables Philip Chiu ATMA*Universal

TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM ROOTS TRADITIONNEL DE L’ANNÉE

Tell ‘Em You Were Gold Pharis & Jason Romero Smithsonian Folkways*AMPED/The Orchard

COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA | ALBUM D’HUMOUR DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR SIRIUSXM CANADA

A Person Who Is Gingerbread Jon Dore Howl & Roar*Independent

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM INSTRUMENTAL DE L’ANNÉE

Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More Esmerine Constellation*Secretly

RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR | INGÉNIEUR DU SON DE L’ANNÉE

Serban Ghenea
“THAT’S WHAT I WANT”
MONTERO – Lil Nas X Columbia*Sony
“Unholy” feat. Kim Petras
UNHOLY FEAT. KIM PETRAS – Sam Smith Capitol/EMI*Universal

CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM JEUNESSE DE L’ANNÉE

Walk off the Earth & Romeo Eats, Vol. 2 Walk off the Earth and Romeo Eats Golden Carrot*The Orchard

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR I COMPOSITION CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE

Bestiary I & II Bekah Simms Centrediscs*Naxos

ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA | ARTISTE DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR SIRIUSXM CANADA

The Weeknd XO*Universal

ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR | GRAPHISME D’ALBUM DE L’ANNÉE

Ian Ilavsky (Art Director & Designer), Maciek Szczerbowski (Illustrator)
EVERYTHING WAS FOREVER UNTIL IT WAS NO MORE – Esmerine Constellation*Secretly

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM CHRÉTIEN/GOSPEL CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE

Jordan St. Cyr Jordan St. Cyr BEC*The Orchard

VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM DE JAZZ VOCAL DE L’ANNÉE

Featuring Caity Gyorgy La Reserve*The Orchard

BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM DE BLUES DE L’ANNÉE 

Long River Angelique Francis Independent

METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM DE MUSIQUE MÉTAL/HARD DE L’ANNÉE

Synchro Anarchy VOIVOD Century*Sony

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE) | ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (GRAND ENSEMBLE)

Clara – Robert – Johannes: Lyrical Echoes Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, conducted 
Viola Borealis Orchestre de l’Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis, soloist Marina Thibeault ATMA*Universal

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SOCAN | AUTEUR-COMPOSITEUR DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR SOCAN

Abel Tesfaye
Publisher: XO Music Publishing/Kobalt Music Publishing
“Less Than Zero” DAWN FM – co-songwriters Tomoko Yamaguch, Hamada Tetsuro, Daniel Lopatin –The Weeknd XO*Universal
“Out Of Time” DAWN FM – co-songwriters Max Martin, Fragogian Josefsson, Axel Hedfors, Oscar Holter, Sebastian Ingrosso, Carl Nordstrom, Kevin Duane McCord – The Weeknd XO*Universal
“Sacrifice” – DAWN FM – co-songwriters Max Martin, Fragogian Josefsson, Axel Hedfors, Oscar Holter, Sebastian Ingrosso, Carl Nordstrom, Kevin Duane McCord – The Weeknd XO*Universal

JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP) | ALBUM JAZZ DE L’ANNÉE (GROUPE) 

Desert Bloom Florian Hoefner Trio Alma*Universal

ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM ALTERNATIF DE L’ANNÉE 

Blue Rev Alvvays Celsius Girls*Universal

JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY AUDIO-TECHNICA | PRIX JACK RICHARDSON DU RÉALISATEUR DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR AUDIO-TECHNICA

Akeel Henry
“For Tonight” (co-producer Sevn Thomas, Jahaan Sweet)
GIVE OR TAKE – Giveon Epic
“Splash” (co-producer Tone, Kevin Ekofo)
LEGEND – John Legend Republic*Universal

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY AMII – ALBERTA MACHINE INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE | ALBUM ROCK DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR AMII – INSTITUT D’INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIELLE DE L’ALBERTA

Otherness Alexisonfire Dine Alone*The Orchard

GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM DE MUSIQUE GLOBALE DE L’ANNÉE

Thieves of Dreams Lenka Lichtenberg Sunflower*Independent

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM POP DE L’ANNÉE
Dawn FM The Weeknd XO*Universal

ALBUM FRANCOPHONE DE L’ANNÉE I FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Crash Les Louanges Bonsound*Sony/The Orchard

GROUP OF THE YEAR I GROUPE DE L’ANNÉE

Arkells Arkells Music*Universal

RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR | SINGLE RAP DE L’ANNÉE

Twin Flame KAYTRANADA and Anderson .Paak RCA*Sony

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE | VIDÉOCLIP DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR YOUTUBE

Unholy feat. Kim Petras Floria Sigismondi Sam Smith and Kim Petras Capitol*Universal

ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR | ALBUM ÉLECTRONIQUE DE L’ANNÉE

Interior Teen Daze Independent*Believe

SINGLE OF THE YEAR | SINGLE DE L’ANNÉE

Sacrifice The Weeknd XO*Universal

TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR | ENREGISTREMENT R&B/SOUL TRADITIONNEL DE L’ANNÉE

Last One feat. Dylan Sinclair Savannah Ré Universal

JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada – Award Partners: Adult Alternative Album of the Year Presented by Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, Artist of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada, Breakthrough Group of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, Comedy Album of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada, Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year Presented by Destination Indigenous, Country Album of the Year Presented by Edmonton’s Best Hotels, Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Presented by Audio-Technica, Music Video of the Year Presented by YouTube, Rock Album of the Year Presented by Amii – The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute and Songwriter of the Year Presented by SOCAN.

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