2020 in Canadian music

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The following musical events and releases are expected to happen in 2020 in Canada.

Events

April 4 – 15th Canadian Folk Music Awards are announced online following the cancellation of the ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic
May – Prism Prize
June 15 – Preliminary longlist for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize is announced
June 29 – Juno Awards of 2020 are announced online following the cancellation of the original March 15 ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic
July – Shortlist for the Polaris Music Prize announced
August 5 – SOCAN Songwriting Prize winners announced
September – Winner of the Polaris Music Prize to be announced

Albums released

#

88Glam, New Mania - June 26

A

Austra, Hirudin - May 1^[1]

B

Backxwash, God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It^[2]
Tim Baker, Survivors - July 10^[3]
Laila Biali, Out of Dust
Justin Bieber, Changes - February 14^[4]
Billy Talent, TBA^[5]
Born Ruffians, JUICE - April 3
Braids, TBA^[4]
Bruce Peninsula, No Earthly Sound - April 17
Basia Bulat, Are You in Love? - March 27^[4]

C

Lou Canon, Audomatic Body
Caribou, Suddenly - February 28^[6]
Cindy Lee, What's Tonight to Eternity
Cindy Lee, Cat o' Nine Tails
Louis-Jean Cormier, Quand la nuit tombe
Rose Cousins, Bravado - February 21^[7]

D

The Dears, Lovers Rock - May 15
Destroyer, Have We Met - January 31^[4]
The Dirty Nil, TBA^[8]
Dizzy, The Sun and Her Scorch
Dog Day, Present
Drake, Dark Lane Demo Tapes - May 1
Dvsn, A Muse In Her Feelings - April 17

E

Kathleen Edwards, Total Freedom - August 14^[9]
Elephant Stone, Hollow - February 14^[10]
Evening Hymns, Heavy Nights - June 26

G

Hannah Georgas, All That Emotion
Matthew Good, Moving Walls - February 21
Great Lake Swimmers, When Last We Shook Hands: Cover Songs, Vol. 1
Great Lake Swimmers, Live in Ottawa at the 27 Club, October 3, 2019
Grimes, Miss Anthropocene - February 21^[4]
Matthew Grimson, Prize for Writing

H

Half Moon Run, Seasons of Change
Sarah Harmer, Are You Gone - February 21^[11]
Matt Holubowski, Weird Ones
Holy Fuck, Deleter - January 17^[4]

J

David James, If I Were You - March 13^[12]
Japandroids, Massey Fucking Hall - June 19^[13]
The Jerry Cans, Echoes - May 15^[14]
July Talk, Pray for It - July 10^[15]
Junia-T, Studio Monk

K

Brett Kissel, Now or Never - January 1^[16]
k-os, Boshido - May 29

L

Land of Talk, Indistinct Conversations
Jessy Lanza, TBA^[4]
Gordon Lightfoot, Solo - March 20
Loud Luxury, Nights Like This - March 27
Corb Lund, Agricultural Tragic

M

Catherine Major, Carte mère
Matthew Tavares & Leland Whitty, Visions - March 20
Alanis Morissette, Such Pretty Forks in the Road - May 1^[4]

O

Our Lady Peace, Spiritual Machines II^[17]

P

The Pack A.D., It Was Fun While It Lasted
PartyNextDoor, Partymobile - March 27
Orville Peck, Show Pony
Klô Pelgag, Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs
Philémon Cimon, Philédouche
Lido Pimienta, Miss Colombia
Plants and Animals, The Jungle
Joel Plaskett, 44 - April 17
William Prince, Reliever - February 7^[4]
Protest the Hero, TBA^[10]
P'tit Belliveau, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Purity Ring, Womb - April 3

R

Allan Rayman, Christian - April 3
Jessie Reyez, Before Love Came to Kill Us - March 27
Daniel Romano, Content to Point the Way
Daniel Romano, Dandelion
Daniel Romano, Forever Love's Fool
Daniel Romano, Okay Wow
Daniel Romano, Spider Bite
Daniel Romano, Super Pollen
Daniel Romano, Visions of the Higher Dream - March 17^[18]
Daniel Romano, Daniel Romano's Outfit Do (What Could Have Been) Infidels By Bob Dylan & the Plugz

S

Andy Shauf, The Neon Skyline - January 24^[19]
Silverstein, A Beautiful Place to Drown - March 6
Gord Sinclair, Taxi Dancers - February 28^[20]

T

Julian Taylor, The Ridge - June 19
Theory of a Deadman, Say Nothing - January 31

U

U.S. Girls, Heavy Light - March 6

V

Rosie Valland, Blue

W

Rufus Wainwright, TBA^[10]
We Are the City, RIP - January 24^[10]
Weaves, TBA^[10]
The Weeknd, After Hours - March 20^[4]
JJ Wilde, Ruthless
Wolf Parade, Thin Mind - January 24^[21]
Roy Woods, Dem Times - May 15

Y

Nikki Yanofsky, Turn Down the Sound - July 10

Z

Zen Bamboo, Glu

Deaths

January 7 - Neil Peart, 67, drummer for Rush^[22]
February 1 - George Blondheim, 63, pianist and composer^[23]
March 7 - Laura Smith, 67, folk singer-songwriter
June 26 - Graeme Williamson, rock singer (Pukka Orchestra).^[24]
August 10 - Salome Bey, 86, blues singer^[25]

References

^ Allie Gregory, "Hear Austra Join Forces with a Toronto Children's Choir on 'Mountain Baby'". Exclaim!, April 16, 2020.
^ Scott Simpson, "Backxwash Turns Hip-Hop on Its Head with Masterful 'God Has Nothing to Do with This Leave Him Out of It'". Exclaim!, May 28, 2020.
^ Allie Gregory (May 20, 2020). "Tim Baker Unveils 'Survivors' EP". Exclaim!.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "25 Canadian albums to look forward to in 2020". CBC Music, December 30, 2019.
^ Billy Talent release new single I Beg to Differ (This Will Get Better)
^ Minsker, Evan (December 4, 2019). "Caribou Announces New Album Suddenly, Shares New Song "You and I": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
^ Sarah Murphy, "Rose Cousins Reveals New Album 'Bravado'". Exclaim!, November 7, 2019.
^ THE DIRTY NIL release massive new track 'Done with Drugs'
^ Jonathan Bernstein, "Kathleen Edwards Left Behind Roots-Music Stardom to Sell Coffee. Now She’s Back". Rolling Stone, May 19, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Alex Hudson, "Exclaim!'s 31 Most Anticipated Canadian Albums of 2020". Exclaim!, January 6, 2020.
^ Brock Thiessen, "Sarah Harmer Returns with Her First New Album in a Decade". Exclaim!, November 14, 2019.
^ "CANADIAN COUNTRY ARTIST DAVID JAMES DELIVERS NEW EP "IF I WERE YOU", AVAILABLE TODAY (3/13)". MDM Recordings Inc. March 13, 2020.
^ Matt Bobkin, "Japandroids Announce New Live Album 'Massey Fucking Hall'". Exclaim!, May 27, 2020.
^ Allie Gregory, "Jerry Cans Unveil New Album 'Echoes,' Plot North American Tour". Exclaim!, January 22, 2020.
^ Allie Gregory, "July Talk Announce New Record 'Pray for It'". Exclaim!, April 2, 2020.
^ Parton, Chris (December 24, 2019). "Brett Kissel Plots New Year's Release of 'Now Or Never' Album". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
^ https://twitter.com/OurLadyPeace/status/1290769511998787584
^ Matt Bobkin, "Daniel Romano Enters Self-Quarantine, Surprise-Releases New Album". Exclaim!, March 17, 2020.
^ Allie Gregory, "Andy Shauf Announces New Album 'The Neon Skyline,' Hits Canada on World Tour". Exclaim!, October 23, 2019.
^ David Friend, "Former Tragically Hip bassist Gord Sinclair announces debut solo album Taxi Dancers". The Globe and Mail, January 10, 2020.
^ David Renshaw, "Wolf Parade announce Thin Mind, share new song “Forest Green”". The Fader, November 11, 2019.
^ Jessica Wong, "Neil Peart, drummer and primary lyricist for Rush, dead at 67". CBC News, January 10, 2020.
^ Cam Tait, "Remembering the brilliant talent of George Blondheim". Edmonton Sun, February 5, 2020.
^ Calum Slingerland, "R.I.P. Graeme Williamson of Toronto's Pukka Orchestra". Exclaim!, June 26, 2020.
^ "Singer Salome Bey, known as Canada's first lady of the blues, dies at age 86". CTV News, August 10, 2020.

[1] Allie Gregory, "Hear Austra Join Forces with a Toronto Children's Choir on 'Mountain Baby'". Exclaim!, April 16, 2020.

[2] Scott Simpson, "Backxwash Turns Hip-Hop on Its Head with Masterful 'God Has Nothing to Do with This Leave Him Out of It'". Exclaim!, May 28, 2020.

[3] Allie Gregory (May 20, 2020). "Tim Baker Unveils 'Survivors' EP". Exclaim!.

[cbc-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "25 Canadian albums to look forward to in 2020". CBC Music, December 30, 2019.

[5] Billy Talent release new single I Beg to Differ (This Will Get Better)

[6] Minsker, Evan (December 4, 2019). "Caribou Announces New Album Suddenly, Shares New Song "You and I": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 4, 2019.

[7] Sarah Murphy, "Rose Cousins Reveals New Album 'Bravado'". Exclaim!, November 7, 2019.

[8] THE DIRTY NIL release massive new track 'Done with Drugs'

[9] Jonathan Bernstein, "Kathleen Edwards Left Behind Roots-Music Stardom to Sell Coffee. Now She’s Back". Rolling Stone, May 19, 2020.

[exclaim31-10] Alex Hudson, "Exclaim!'s 31 Most Anticipated Canadian Albums of 2020". Exclaim!, January 6, 2020.

[11] Brock Thiessen, "Sarah Harmer Returns with Her First New Album in a Decade". Exclaim!, November 14, 2019.

[12] "CANADIAN COUNTRY ARTIST DAVID JAMES DELIVERS NEW EP "IF I WERE YOU", AVAILABLE TODAY (3/13)". MDM Recordings Inc. March 13, 2020.

[13] Matt Bobkin, "Japandroids Announce New Live Album 'Massey Fucking Hall'". Exclaim!, May 27, 2020.

[14] Allie Gregory, "Jerry Cans Unveil New Album 'Echoes,' Plot North American Tour". Exclaim!, January 22, 2020.

[15] Allie Gregory, "July Talk Announce New Record 'Pray for It'". Exclaim!, April 2, 2020.

[16] Parton, Chris (December 24, 2019). "Brett Kissel Plots New Year's Release of 'Now Or Never' Album". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved April 29, 2020.

[17] ttps://twitter.com/OurLadyPeace/status/1290769511998787584

[18] Matt Bobkin, "Daniel Romano Enters Self-Quarantine, Surprise-Releases New Album". Exclaim!, March 17, 2020.

[19] Allie Gregory, "Andy Shauf Announces New Album 'The Neon Skyline,' Hits Canada on World Tour". Exclaim!, October 23, 2019.

[20] David Friend, "Former Tragically Hip bassist Gord Sinclair announces debut solo album Taxi Dancers". The Globe and Mail, January 10, 2020.

[21] David Renshaw, "Wolf Parade announce Thin Mind, share new song “Forest Green”". The Fader, November 11, 2019.

[22] Jessica Wong, "Neil Peart, drummer and primary lyricist for Rush, dead at 67". CBC News, January 10, 2020.

[23] Cam Tait, "Remembering the brilliant talent of George Blondheim". Edmonton Sun, February 5, 2020.

[24] Calum Slingerland, "R.I.P. Graeme Williamson of Toronto's Pukka Orchestra". Exclaim!, June 26, 2020.

[25] "Singer Salome Bey, known as Canada's first lady of the blues, dies at age 86". CTV News, August 10, 2020.

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