The Juno Awards of 2011 honoured Canadian music industry achievements in the latter part of 2009 and in most of 2010. The awards were presented in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during the weekend of 26 and 27 March 2011. A week of related events began on 21 March 2011. This occasion marked 40 years since the 1971 Juno Awards, the first year the ceremonies were conducted by that name.
The primary ceremony on 27 March was televised nationally by CTV. Deane Cameron, president of EMI Music Canada since 1988, was designated the 2011 recipient of the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award. Shania Twain was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Neil Young was presented with the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his work in such causes as Farm Aid.
Drake received six nominations. Arcade Fire earned five nods. Broken Social Scene, Justin Bieber and Hedley each received four nominations. Johnny Reid and Sarah McLachlan each earned two nods. Die Mannequin and Neil Young received two nominations.
Events Most awards were announced at a private gala dinner on 26 March 2011 at Exhibition Place's Allstream Centre. Rap musician and actor Drake hosted the primary awards ceremony from the Air Canada Centre the next evening.
A new trophy design was introduced for the 2011 awards, consisting of a laser engraving of Shirley Elford's Juno spiral figure encased within a transparent block. Elford had created individual trophies since the 2000 awards, but was unable to continue this work due to cancer.
Other events during the Juno week include:
20–25 March: various presentations and workshops at the Ontario Science Centre 20–26 March: various films related to Canadian musicians at TIFF Bell Lightbox 21 March: Juno Hoops basketball game at Kerr Hall, Ryerson University, featuring musicians, sportspeople and other personalities as players 22 March: Ovation classical concert at Roy Thomson Hall 23 March: Songwriters Circle at Massey Hall, hosted by Johnny Reid, featuring Luke Doucet, Lynn Miles, Sylvia Tyson, Royal Wood; 24 March: Juno Block Party at Pecaut Square, a concert in which selected Juno nominees perform; 25 March: Juno Cup ice hockey game between NHL veterans and musicians at CNE Coliseum 25–26 March: JunoFest series of concerts at multiple venues 26 March: Juno Fan Fare at the MuchMusic location
Main ceremony performers The complete list of performances at the main ceremony:
Down With Webster - "Time to Win/Your Man/Woah Is Me" medley Sarah McLachlan - "Loving You is Easy" Hedley - "Perfect" Tribute to Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, and The Band for the Juno's 40th anniversary Sarah Slean - "Carey" Jim Cuddy & Sarah Harmer - "If You Could Read My Mind" City and Colour - "Old Man" Kevin Hearn - "The Genetic Method" Greg Keelor, Derek Miller, Justin Rutledge, Serena Ryder, The Sadies - "The Shape I'm In" Tokyo Police Club - Bambi Johnny Reid - "Today I'm Gonna Try and Change the World" Broken Social Scene - World Sick Arcade Fire - "Rococo" Chromeo - "Hot Mess" Chilly Gonzales also played piano during Drake's monologue.
Nominees and winners Nominations for the various award categories were announced on 1 February 2011. Most awards were announced at the private 26 March gala, with eight categories announced the following day on the main televised ceremony.
People
Juno Fan Choice Award Winner: Justin Bieber
Other nominees:
Michael Bublé Drake Hedley Johnny Reid
Artist of the Year Winner: Neil Young
Other nominees:
Justin Bieber Drake Sarah McLachlan Johnny Reid
Group of the Year Winner: Arcade Fire
Other nominees:
Broken Social Scene Down with Webster Great Big Sea Three Days Grace
New Artist of the Year Winner: Meaghan Smith
Other nominees:
Bobby Bazini Basia Bulat Caribou Hannah Georgas
New Group of the Year Winner: Said the Whale
Other nominees:
Die Mannequin Hollerado Misteur Valaire My Darkest Days
Jack Richardson Producer of the Year
Winner: Daniel Lanois, "Hitchhiker" (Neil Young, Le Noise); "I Believe in You" (Black Dub, Black Dub)
Other nominees:
Arcade Fire (with Markus Dravs), "Ready To Start", "We Used To Wait" (Arcade Fire, The Suburbs) Gavin Brown and Sarah Harmer, "Captive", "New Loneliness" (Sarah Harmer, Oh Little Fire) David Foster, "Bring Me To Life" (Katherine Jenkins, Believe); "Secret" (Seal, Commitment) Brian Howes, "Cha-Ching", "Perfect" (Hedley, The Show Must Go)
Recording Engineer of the Year Winner: Kevin Churko, "Let It Die", "Life Won’t Wait" (Ozzy Osbourne, Scream)
Other nominees:
Lenny De Rose, "Captive", "Late Bloomer" (Sarah Harmer, Oh Little Fire) Mike Plotnikoff, "What Do You Got?" (Bon Jovi, Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection); "Break" (Three Days Grace, Life Starts Now) David Travers-Smith, "Cold Outside" (Ruth Moody, The Garden); "Vinicius" (Jayme Stone, Room of Wonders) Jeff Wolpert, "On A Bright May Morning" (Loreena McKennitt, The Wind That Shakes the Barley); "Midnight Train to Georgia" (David Clayton-Thomas, Soul Ballads)
Songwriter of the Year Winner: Arcade Fire, "Ready To Start", "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", "We Used To Wait"; all from The Suburbs
Other nominees:
Drake, "Fireworks" (written with M. Samuels), "Over" (written with N. Shebib, M. Samuels, C. Kalla, A.Cook), "Show Me A Good Time" (written with K. West, J. Bhasker, E. Wilson); all from Thank Me Later Hannah Georgas, "Chit Chat", "The Deep End" (written with Robbie Driscoll), "Lovers Breakdown"; all from This Is Good Sarah McLachlan, "Forgiveness" (written with Pierre Marchand), "Illusions of Bliss", "Loving You Is Easy"; all from Laws of Illusion Royal Wood, "On Top of Your Love", "Tonight I Will Be Your Guide", "Waiting"; all from The Waiting
Albums
Album of the Year Winner: The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
Other nominees:
My World 2.0, Justin Bieber A Place Called Love, Johnny Reid The Show Must Go, Hedley Thank Me Later, Drake
Aboriginal Album of the Year Winner: CerAmony, CerAmony
Other nominees:
The Black Star, Joey Stylez Derek Miller with Double Trouble, Derek Miller The Great Unknown, Eagle & Hawk Vigilance, Little Hawk
Adult Alternative Album of the Year Winner: Le Noise, Neil Young
Other nominees:
Black Dub, Black Dub Oh Little Fire, Sarah Harmer Steel City Trawler. Luke Doucet and the White Falcon You I Wind Land and Sea, Justin Nozuka
Alternative Album of the Year Winner: The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
Other nominees:
Champ, Tokyo Police Club Les Chemins de verre, Karkwa Forgiveness Rock Record, Broken Social Scene Heartland, Owen Pallett
Blues Album of the Year
Winner: Everywhere West, Jim Byrnes
Other nominees:
Bread and Buddha, Harry Manx It's a Long Road, The Johnny Max Band The Sojourners, The Sojourners Where's the Blues Taking Me, Fathead
Children's Album of the Year Winner: Proud Like a Mountain, Peter Lenton
Other nominees:
Encore, Gregg LeRock The Little Blue Doggy, Michelle Campagne Number 3 (album)|Number 3, The Kerplunks Power to the Little People, The Monkey Bunch
Classical Album of the Year (solo or chamber ensemble) Winner: Beethoven: Piano Trios Op. 70 No. 1, Ghost & No. 2: Op 11, Gryphon Trio
Other nominees:
Anton Kuerti Schumann, Anton Kuerti Armenian Chamber Music, Amici Ensemble Bach: Six Suites for Solo Cello, Winona Zelenka Marc-André Hamelin - Études, Marc-André Hamelin
Classical Album of the Year (large ensemble) Winner: Mozart: Scott and Lara St. John/The Knights, Scott and Lara St. John
Other nominees:
Arvo Pärt: Portrait, Angèle Dubeau and La Pietà Bonbons (album)|Bonbons, Les Violons du Roy under Bernard Labadie Chopin Piano Concertos, Janina Fialkowska and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under Bramwell Tovey James Ehnes Plays Mendelssohn, James Ehnes
Classical Album of the Year (vocal or choral performance) Winner: Great Operatic Arias, Gerald Finley
Other nominees:
Britten - Les Illuminations, Karina Gauvin Into Light, Musica intima Night and Dreams, Measha Brueggergosman Salsa baroque, Ensemble Caprice
Gospel Album of the Year|Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Winner: Love & the Lack Thereof, Greg Sczebel
Other nominees:
Clarity, Article One The Chase, Manafest Newworldson, Newworldson The Saving One, Starfield
Country Album of the Year Winner: A Place Called Love, Johnny Reid
Other nominees:
Day Job, Gord Bamford Love Rules, Carolyn Dawn Johnson Sunshine, Deric Ruttan Trail in Life, Dean Brody
Electronic Album of the Year Winner: Swim, Caribou
Other nominees:
Crystal Castles II, Crystal Castles Ivory Tower, Chilly Gonzales Latin, Holy Fuck Running High, Poirier
Francophone Album of the Year Winner: Les Chemins de verre, Karkwa
Other nominees:
Belmundo Regal, Radio Radio Brun, Bernard Adamus Nous, Daniel Bélanger Silence, Fred Pellerin
Instrumental Album of the Year Winner: Continent & Western, Fond of Tigers
Other nominees:
Rising Sun, The Souljazz Orchestra Room of Wonders, Jayme Stone Spirit Dance, David Braid and Canadian Brass Sundogs, Creaking Tree String Quartet
International Album of the Year Winner: Teenage Dream, Katy Perry
Other nominees:
Animal, Ke$ha Need You Now, Lady Antebellum Recovery, Eminem Speak Now, Taylor Swift
Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year Winner: Treelines, Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra
Other nominees:
Big Sky, Chet Doxas Jerusalem Trilogy, Matt Herskowitz Next Exit, Kelly Jefferson Quartet Ricochet, Adrean Farrugia
Traditional Jazz Album of the Year Winner: Our First Set, John MacLeod's Rex Hotel Orchestra
Other nominees:
Drum Lore, Owen Howard Hieronymus, Félix Stüssi 5 and Ray Anderson Re: Visions, Works for Jazz Orchestra, Earl MacDonald Songbook Vol. 2, Kirk MacDonald Quartet
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year Winner: Nina, Kellylee Evans
Other nominees:
The Beat Goes On, Emilie-Claire Barlow Last Call, Jeff Healey Nikki, Nikki Yanofsky Tracing Light, Laila Biali
Pop Album of the Year Winner: My World 2.0, Justin Bieber
Other nominees:
Better in Time, Bobby Bazini Can't Keep a Secret, Faber Drive Laws of Illusion, Sarah McLachlan Time to Win, Vol. 1, Down with Webster
Rap Recording of the Year Winner: TSOL, Shad
Other nominees:
At Last, Eternia and MoSS Thank Me Later, Drake Treat of the Day, Ghettosocks Vaudeville, D-Sisive
Rock Album of the Year Winner: Vancouver, Matthew Good
Other nominees:
Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones, Cancer Bats Fino + Bleed, Die Mannequin Life Turns Electric, Finger Eleven Population: Declining, Hail the Villain
Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (solo) Winner: My Hands Are on Fire and Other Love Songs, Old Man Luedecke
Other nominees:
The Early Widows, Justin Rutledge Fall For Beauty, Lynn Miles The Garden, Ruth Moody Love Songs for the Last Twenty, Del Barber
Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (group) Winner: La part du feu, Le Vent du Nord
Other nominees:
City City, Chic Gamine Girls from the North Country- Dala Live in Concert, Dala Sundogs, Creaking Tree String Quartet That's the State I'm In, The Marigolds
World Music Album of the Year (solo) Winner: Aksil, Élage Diouf
Other nominees:
Gakondo, Mighty Popo The Rumba Foundation, Jesse Cook Soy Panamericano, Roberto López Project Supermagique, Pacifika
Songs
Single of the Year Winner: "Wavin' Flag", Young Artists for Haiti
Other nominees:
"Find Your Love", Drake "Hallelujah (Vancouver Winter 2010)", k.d. lang "Oh...Canada", Classified "Perfect", Hedley
Classical Composition of the Year Winner: "Duo For Violin And Piano", R. Murray Schafer (album, Wild Bird)
Other nominees:
"Exaudi", Jocelyn Morlock (album, Into Light) "Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae", Peter-Anthony Togni (album, Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae) "Last Dance", Clark Ross (album, Piano Atlantica) "Piano Concerto, 3", Larysa Kuzmenko (album, Concerti)
Dance Recording of the Year Winner: "Sofi Needs a Ladder", Deadmau5
Other nominees:
Business Casual, Chromeo