The 50th Annual JUNO Awards took place this weekend to recognize and celebrate the amazing accomplishments of Canadian artists and the country’s music industry as a whole. The award ceremony was one to watch; filled with stunning performances from legendary band The Tragically Hip, Canadian heartthrob Justin Bieber, powerhouse Jessie Reyez and many more! If you missed this star studded event or just want to relive the magic, we’ve got you covered.
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (or tofu, depending on your preferences)
Taking place over the course of two nights, the awards highlighted the phenomenal music and artistry of Canada. Before we dive into who won what, let’s take a moment to congratulate and thank all the nominees. It’s been a unique year, full of highs and lows, and we want to thank all the artists for sharing their music with us. Without music, there’s no doubt that this year would have been a lot harder, so thank you!
The Weeknd sweeps the JUNOS with 5 Wins
The Weeknd took the world by storm in 2020 with the release of his album ‘After Hours’ and single, “Blinding Lights.” The Weeknd was the top winner at this year’s JUNO Awards, claiming an impressive 5 awards including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Single of the Year. Here’s to the continuation of sharing his groundbreaking work, inspiring generations to come! Congratulations to The Weeknd on this massive achievement!
Jann Arden is inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame
The legend herself, Jann Arden, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, honouring her impressive, awe-inspiring career. Jann gave a heartfelt speech with moments of reflection and humour sprinkled in, in classic Jann fashion. The audience was treated to a beautiful rendition of her hit, “Good Mother,” proving exactly what she meant when she said, “music is magic.” Grab your tissues and check it out here.
The Tragically Hip wins the Humanitarian Award
The 15-time JUNO Award-winning band and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees, The Tragically Hip, received the 2021 Humanitarian Award Presented by Music Canada! The Tragically Hip’s timeless music and philanthropic pursuits have touched millions of lives across the globe and across generations. The band closed the award show with a rare must-see performance featuring Feist. Watch it here!
Shawn Mendes wins JUNO Fan Choice with the support of the Mendes Army
Shawn Mendes was declared the winner of the JUNO Fan Choice Award! This is the only award that is determined by fan votes and you can be sure the Mendes Army played a key role in securing the win. Congrats to Shawn and the Mendes Army!
Justin Bieber’s ‘Changes’ wins Pop Album of the Year
Justin Bieber took home the award for Pop Album of the Year for his album ‘Changes.’ The Canadian superstar opened Sunday’s show with an energetic performance of “Somebody,” kicking off the show in hype-fashion. Check out the show stopping performance below!
And the Music Video of the Year goes to…Jessie Reyez!
Director Emma Higgins and Jessie Reyez won the Music Video of the Year award for the stunning masterpiece that is “NO ONE’S IN THE ROOM.” Jessie also shared a visually stunning performance that has to be seen to be believed. Watch it here!
Arkells win Group of the Year
Arkells won Group of the Year on Sunday night, marking the third time they’ve received this honour. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the Hamilton boys!
Crown Lands win Breakthrough Group of the Year
Hot off of their self-titled debut album, the group reigned victorious winning the Breakthrough Group of the Year for 2021. Crown Lands also performed on Friday night’s livestream of the award ceremony, bringing us to our feet with their electric energy – living room or not. You can check it out, along with their important message below.
Savannah Ré wins Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Rising star, Savannah Ré, scores with a swish as the first artist ever to take home the JUNO for Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for her single, “Solid.” The hit song was released in October of 2020 and if you haven’t already heard it, now’s the time to change that.
Window Cracking, Blast the A/C Performances
JP Saxe and Julia Michaels perform “If the World Was Ending” and “Like That”
“If The World Was Ending” has had the world whipped since release, check out the iconic and emotional performance here! (The way they look into each others’ eyes is everything).
30th Anniversary Tribute to Rap at the JUNOS
Kardinal Offishall kicked off the 30th Anniversary Tribute to Rap at the JUNOS, featuring the likes of Nav, Michie Mee, Maestro Fresh Wes, Jully Black and Haviah Mighty to perform the tracks, “Let Your Backbone Slide,” “Ol’ Time Killin’” and “Turks.” This was a once-in-a-lifetime performance and we have already rewatched it like 5 times.
From all of us at UMUSIC, we want to congratulate all the winners and nominees of the 2021 JUNO Awards. Thank you for the memories and the music, we appreciate everything you do! Check out the full list of winners and nominees at the link below. Stay up to date with us by following our Instagram and Twitter for all things music!
Full list of JUNO winners
Unsure of what to do next? We got you covered!
A) Get to know Olivia Lunny!
B) Discover Some New Music!
C) Listen to this album we chose!