The Juno Awards of 2021, honouring Canadian music achievements, were presented on 6 June 2021, observing the 50th anniversary of these awards. The main ceremonies were televised on CBC.
The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in March, but in December 2020 organizers announced that it was being pushed back to May,David Friend, "Juno Awards pushed back to May 16 due to COVID-19 pandemic". The Globe and Mail, 1 December 2020. before being pushed back to June, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.
The awards had initially been planned to take place as a conventional live gala in Toronto, Ontario, although due to the continued pandemic, these plans were cancelled; instead, the televised ceremony consisted of prerecorded or live performances by Canadian musicians at various venues throughout Canada, alongside acknowledgements of the already-announced winners and the presentation of just six top categories. Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe of CBC Music hosted the ceremony from Toronto's Rebel nightclub, although most award presenters and performances were broadcast from other remote locations.
The awards in most categories were presented in a pre-show event on June 4.Holly Gordon and Andrea Warner, "Here are the 2021 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, June 4, 2021. Before the main ceremony, Alessia Cara hosted a one-hour special called My Junos Moment, in which various Canadian artists were asked to share their reflections and reminiscences on their memorable moments at past Juno ceremonies.Breanne Doyle, "Star-studded 50th annual JUNO Awards is this weekend—until then, CBC has you covered for live music entertainment". The Georgia Straight, June 2, 2021.
Performers The full list of performers were announced on 27 May 2021. Performer(s) Song(s) Venue(s) Justin Bieber "Somebody" JP SaxeJulia Michaels "If the World Was Ending" Michie MeeMaestro Fresh WesKardinal OffishallJully BlackNavHaviah Mighty A 30th Anniversary Tribute to Rap at the Junos:"Let Your Backbone Slide""Ol' Time Killin'""Turks" Imperial Theatre, Saint John (Maestro Fresh Wes)Los Angeles (Nav) Jann Arden "Good Mother" National Music Centre Ali GatieTate McRae "What If I Told You That I Love You""Lie to Me" William PrinceSerena Ryder "The Spark" Church of the Holy Trinity Jessie Reyez "Do You Love Her""Before Love Came to Kill Us" The Tragically HipFeist "It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken" Massey Hall
Presenters The full list of presenters were announced on 27 May 2021, following the list of performers.
Susan Aglukark Will Arnett The Basement Gang Paul Brandt Michael Bublé Alessia Cara Jim Cuddy Steven Guilbeault Kaytranada Max Kerman Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush Gordon Lightfoot Sarah McLachlan Anne Murray Andrew Phung Ed Robertson Buffy Sainte-Marie Liberty Silver Shania Twain
Winners and nominees Nominees were announced on 9 March 2021.Holly Gordon, "The Weeknd, JP Saxe, Jessie Reyez and Justin Bieber lead 2021 Juno Award nominations". CBC Music, 9 March 2021.
The Tragically Hip were presented with the Juno Humanitarian Award."Tragically Hip to receive humanitarian award at this year's Juno Awards". CityNews, 24 February 2021. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 ceremony, singer-songwriter Jann Arden received her formal induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame following its announcement the previous year.Heather Cichowski and Zach Harper, "Watch Jann Arden's emotional performance and speech from her Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction at the JUNOs". Hello! Canada, June 7, 2021.
A segment of the television broadcast also profiled Mary Piercey-Lewis, a music teacher from Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit, Nunavut who was named Teacher of the Year by MusiCounts, CARAS' music education initiative.Trevor Wright, "Iqaluit’s Mary Piercey-Lewis named 2021 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year". Nunavut News, June 6, 2021.
People Artist of the Year Group of the Year The Weeknd Ali Gatie Céline Dion Jessie Reyez Justin Bieber Arkells Half Moon Run Loud Luxury The Glorious Sons The Reklaws Breakthrough Artist of the Year Breakthrough Group of the Year JP Saxe Ryland James Tate McRae Powfu Curtis Waters Crown Lands 2Frères Manila Grey Peach Pit Young Bombs Fan Choice Award Songwriter of the Year Shawn Mendes Justin Bieber Les Cowboys Fringants Ali Gatie Tate McRae NAV JP Saxe Lennon Stella Curtis Waters The Weeknd Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville: "After Hours", "Blinding Lights", "Save Your Tears" Alanis Morissette: "Ablaze", "Reasons I Drink", "Smiling" Alessia Cara: "Hell and High Water", "I Choose", "Welcome Back" Jessie Reyez: "Coffin", "Far Away", "No One's in the Room" JP Saxe: "A Little Bit Yours", "Golf on TV", "If the World was Ending" Producer of the Year Recording Engineer of the Year WondaGurl: "Aim for the Moon" (Pop Smoke feat. Quavo); "Gang Gang" (JackBoys and Sheck Wes) Akeel Henry: "Rain" (Trey Songz feat. Swae Lee); "Spell My Name" (Toni Braxton) Jordon Manswell: "Fallin'" (Toni Braxton); "Home" (Dylan Sinclair) Kaytranada: "10%" (Kaytranada feat. Kali Uchis); "Frontstreet (Freestyle)" (Mick Jenkins) Murda Beatz: "Motive" (Ariana Grande with Doja Cat); "Say You Love Me" (Chris Brown & Young Thug) Serban Ghenea: "Blinding Lights" (The Weeknd); "Positions" (Ariana Grande) George Seara: "Good Love" and "Take Me Home" (Shawn Hook) Jason Dufour: "All of the Feelings" (Kiesza) and "Whiskey Tonight" (Jade Eagleson) Johann Deterville: "Home" (Dylan Sinclair) and "La Memoria" (Jessie Reyez) John "Beetle" Bailey: "The End of a Love Affair" (Micah Barnes) and "The Grand Bazaar" (Sultans of String feat. Béla Fleck and Robi Botos)
Albums Album of the Year Adult Alternative Album of the Year The Weeknd, After Hours Justin Bieber, Changes Leonard Cohen, Thanks for the Dance Céline Dion, Courage Ali Gatie, You Bahamas, Sad Hunk Begonia, Fear Basia Bulat, Are You in Love? Sarah Harmer, Are You Gone Rufus Wainwright, Unfollow the Rules Adult Contemporary Album of the Year Alternative Album of the Year Alanis Morissette, Such Pretty Forks in the Road Céline Dion, Courage Pierre Lapointe, Pour déjouer l'ennui Craig Stickland, Starlit Afternoon Storry, CH III: The Come Up July Talk, Pray for It Dizzy, The Sun and Her Scorch PUP, This Place Sucks Ass U.S. Girls, Heavy Light Curtis Waters, Pity Party Blues Album of the Year Children's Album of the Year Crystal Shawanda, Church House Blues Rick Fines, Solar Powered Too Angel Forrest, Hell Bent With Grace Dione Taylor, Spirits in the Water Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, The Reckless One Splash'N Boots, Heart Parade ABC Singsong, Letters and Numbers Njacko Backo and Kalimbas at Work, J'aime mon école Ginalina, Small But Mighty Charlie Hope, Goodnight to you All: Traditional Lullabies from Ireland & the UK Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment Ensemble Made in Canada, Mosaïque James Ehnes, Jon Kimura Parker and Jens Lindemann, Bach & Brahms Reimagined James Ehnes with Andrew Armstrong, Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 4, 5 & 8 Les Barocudas, La Peste Quatuor Bozzini, Ana Sokolović: Short Stories Montreal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano feat. Andrew Wan, Ginastera - Bernstein - Moussa: Œuvres pour violon et orchestre/Works for Violin and Orchestra Les Violons du Roy conducted by Jonathan Cohen feat. Charles Richard-Hamelin, Mozart: Concertos pour piano/Piano Concertos Nos. 22 & 24 Louis Lortie with BBC Philharmonic conducted by Edward Gardner, Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Nos. 3, 5, & Other Works Laval Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alain Trudel feat. Jean-Philippe Sylvestre, Jacques Hétu: Concertos Montreal Symphony Orchestra with Kraków Philharmonic Choir and Warsaw Boys' Choir conducted by Kent Nagano, Penderecki: St. Luke Passion Classical Album of the Year – Vocal or Choral Performance Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year Toronto Mendelssohn Choir with Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, Massenet: Thaïs, Erin Wall, Joshua Hopkins, Andrew Staples Barbara Hannigan with Ludwig Orchestra, La passione Karina Gauvin with Pacific Baroque Orchestra conducted by Alexander Weimann, Nuits blanches: Airs d'opéra à la cour de Russie au XVIIe siècle/Opera Arias at the Russian Court of the 18th Century Luminous Voices conducted by Timothy Shantz, Sea Dreams Sarah Slean with Symphony Nova Scotia conducted by Bernhard Gueller, Sarah Slean and Symphony Nova Scotia Shawna Cain, The Way Steve Bell, Wouldn't You Love to Know? Allen Froese, All Things New K-Anthony, The Cure Matt Maher, Alive & Breathing Country Album of the Year Electronic Album of the Year Tenille Townes, The Lemonade Stand Jade Eagleson, Jade Eagleson Lindsay Ell, Heart Theory Mackenzie Porter, Drinkin' Songs: The Collection Dallas Smith, Timeless Caribou, Suddenly Attlas, Lavender God Bob Moses, Desire CRi, Juvenile Jessy Lanza, All the Time Francophone Album of the Year Indigenous Music Album of the Year Louis-Jean Cormier, Quand la nuit tombe 2Frères, À tous les vents Les Cowboys Fringants, Les antipodes Pierre Lapointe, Pour déjouer l'ennui Klô Pelgag, Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Leela Gilday, North Star Calling Burnstick, Kîyânaw Crystal Shawanda, Church House Blues Julian Taylor, The Ridge Terry Uyarak, Nunarjua Isulinginniani Instrumental Album of the Year International Album of the Year Blitz//Berlin, Movements III Bruce Cockburn, Crowing Ignites David Foster, Eleven Words Flore Laurentienne, Volume 1 Gordon Grdina, Prior Street Harry Styles, Fine Line Luke Combs, What You See Is What You Get Eminem, Music to Be Murdered By Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon Taylor Swift, Folklore Jazz Album of the Year – Solo Jazz Album of the Year – Group Jocelyn Gould, Elegant Traveler Elmer Ferrer, Básico, No Básico y Dirigido Junior Santos, Conpambiche Rachel Therrien, Vena Andrés Vial, Gang of Three Andy Milne and Unison, The reMission Brandi Disterheft Trio with George Coleman, Surfboard Emie R Roussel Trio, Rythme de passage Florian Hoefner Trio, First Spring Pat LaBarbera and Kirk MacDonald, Trane of Thought, Live at the Rex Vocal Jazz Album of the Year Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year Sammy Jackson, With You Laila Biali, Out of Dust Sophie Day, Clémence Matt Dusk, Sinatra Diana Krall, This Dream of You Unleash the Archers, Abyss Annihilator, Ballistic, Sadistic Kataklysm, Unconquered Protest the Hero, Palimpsest Vile Creature, Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! Pop Album of the Year Rock Album of the Year Justin Bieber, Changes Ryland James, Ryland James Johnny Orlando, It's Never Really Over JP Saxe, Hold It Together Lennon Stella, Three. Two. One. JJ Wilde, Ruthless Crown Lands, Crown Lands Sam Roberts Band, All of Us Silverstein, A Beautiful Place to Drown Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Colorado Contemporary Roots Album of the Year Traditional Roots Album of the Year Rose Cousins, Bravado Leela Gilday, North Star Calling Tami Neilson, Chickaboom! William Prince, Reliever Julian Taylor, The Ridge Pharis and Jason Romero, Bet on Love Beòlach, All Hands Le Diable à Cinq, Debout! Nick Hornbuckle, 13 or So Rum Ragged, The Thing About Fish World Music Album of the Year Comedy Album of the Year Okan, Espiral Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra, VelkomBak Lengaïa Salsa Brava, The Gold Diggers Mazacote, Patria Zal Sissokho, Kora Flamenca Jacob Samuel, Horse Power Shirley Gnome, Decoxification Nick Nemeroff, The Pursuit of Comedy Has Ruined My Life Derek Seguin, PanDerek (1st Wave!) Matt Wright, Existing Is Exhausting
Songs and recordings Single of the Year Classical Composition of the Year The Weeknd, "Blinding Lights" Brett Kissel, "Drink About Me" JP Saxe feat. Julia Michaels, "If the World Was Ending" Justin Bieber feat. Quavo, "Intentions"