2013 JUNO Awards Submission Info

Please Note: 2013 JUNO Awards submissions are now closed.

Review the 2013 JUNO Awards submission reference guide here.

Did you know?

• Artists, songwriters, producers, etc, can make their own submissions.
• To qualify for the JUNO Awards your product must be available for national retail sale either in store or online in Canada.
• The eligibility period for the 2013 JUNO Awards is between September 1, 2011 and November 13, 2012.  This means that your product must have been released nationally to the general public within this time frame.
• Submission forms are available as of OCTOBER 1, 2012 on the JUNO Awards Submission website (http://junosubmissions.ca) and the deadline for submissions is NOVEMBER 13, 2012.  The International Album of the Year and Album of the Year categories are due January 11, 2013.
• All submissions must be completed online.
• As long as the artist is born a Canadian or is a landed immigrant who has resided in Canada for the past 6 months, during the eligibility period, the product qualifies.

Submission Fees and Deadlines:

CARAS offers an early bird submission fee to those who submit between October 1, 2012 and October 22, 2012.  CARAS members receive a reduced submission fee applicable for both the early bird deadline as well as the final deadline.  If you are eligible to submit, you are eligible for membership.  Please visit www.carasonline.ca/members for more membership information.

The submission fee can be paid online with a credit card or by cheque.

October 1 – 22, 2012 (Early Bird Deadline)

$35 for CARAS Members

$60 for non-members

October 23 – November 13, 2012 (Final Deadline)

$70 for CARAS Members

$90 for non-members

January 11, 2013 (Deadline for Album and International Album of the Year)

$70 for CARAS Members

$90 for non-members

How it works:

• 350 Judges – Each year, judges are recruited for each of the 35 adjudicated categories to judge the material that is submitted. These individuals are responsible for listening to each of the submissions and voting for the best product in the genre. The judges change each year and are spread out in different facets of the music industry and different regions throughout Canada.
• 50 Nominating & Voting Committee Members – The Nominating & Voting Committee is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the JUNO Awards. It is their responsibility to monitor any changes within the industry as it relates to the awards. The committee brings any necessary changes to the attention of the Board of Directors.
• 190+ Music Advisory Committee Members - Each category has an associated advisory committee that is responsible for ensuring that each of the submissions in their specific genre meets the required qualifications for the JUNO Awards.

Common Questions:

I don’t have high sales so is there any point of me submitting?
YES! Only 9 out of 41 categories have any sales qualification. Most of the categories with sales qualifications still include a member or jury vote. There have been many examples of artists without high sales numbers that receive a nomination in categories such as New Artist of the Year, New Group of the Year, etc. Have a look at past nominees on our past winner/nominee history page.

What defines a release date?

“Release date” for CARAS eligibility purposes is defined as the date of the first shipment to retail, the date of first online transaction.   Albums shipped to retail not later than November 13, 2012 will qualify, provided the Album is available in store and online not later than November 27, 2012.   Albums available for pre-order online not later November 13, 2012 will also qualify.  Pre-ordered online albums (digital or physical copies) will need to be available no later than November 27.  Proof of transaction may be requested.  PLEASE NOTE: All product (2 CD copies per category) must still be received at the CARAS office by 5PM on the November 13 deadline day.

Can I submit to more than one category?
YES! You may only make one submission in any of the specific genre categories (Rock, Pop, Country, World Music, etc.) but you can also submit into the non-genre and technical categories (Artist of the Year, Group of the Year, Songwriter, Francophone, Aboriginal and Contemporary Christian/Gospel, Recording Engineer, Producer, Video, etc.) provided that the submission meets the category.

I submitted last year but did not get nominated. Can I submit again?
YES, as long as your album still falls within the correct release dates (Sept. 1, 2011 and Nov. 13, 2012). You may submit twice to the same category but only be nominated once.

If my album was nominated last year but still falls within the eligible release dates, can I submit it again?
You cannot be nominated for a genre category one year and be nominated for a different genre category the following year for the same album. (E.g. If you were nominated for Rock last year you cannot submit the same album into Pop this year). However, you can submit into other non-genre categories if you did not receive a nomination the previous year such as Group of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, etc.

Does the whole band have to be Canadian?

Canadian is defined by CARAS to be:  50% or more of group members hold Canadian birth certificates, passports or are Canadian Landed Immigrant(s) with residency in Canada during the last six months of the eligibility period;

OR

The group is deemed by CARAS, in it sole discretion, to be Canadian as a result of:

• the Canadian member(s) receiving the majority of royalties, touring profits and other proceeds earned by the group; and
• the Canadian member(s) being the creative force behind the group and/or the principal songwriters for the group.

I don’t have an album out. Can I submit my Single?
Yes you can submit singles into certain categories if you do not have an album available. Categories that accept singles are Rap Recording of the Year, Reggae Recording of the Year, R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, and Dance Recording of the Year.

I have an EP. Can I submit it?
You cannot submit your EP into any categories that have “Album” in the title (e.g. Alternative Album of the Year, etc.) as an album is defined as having a minimum run time of 25:00 minutes. You may submit your EP into other categories provided it meets criteria.

Are cover songs eligible?

Covers of songs by other artists are eligible – provided the artist who is submitting has not recorded the songs previously.

Are Seasonal/Christmas albums eligible?

Yes, seasonal or Christmas CDs are eligible as long as they still fit into a particular genre.

Can I be nominated in New Artist or New Group even though this is not my first album?

Yes.  As long as you have not received a nomination previously with the JUNO Awards you will qualify for the New Artist/Group categories.

Are live albums eligible?

Live albums are eligible only if 50% or greater of the selections are new (not previously released or newly arranged). “Live” refers to albums that are recorded live with an audience in attendance in a concert setting and not a so-called “live in the studio” recording.  Exception: Live albums submitted in the JAZZ & BLUES categories need only have 25% new material to qualify.

Are compilations albums eligible?

Multi-artist compilation projects are NOT eligible.  Tribute albums by multiple artists (various artists) are NOT eligible; however tribute albums by a single artist or multiple artists acting as a group or band are eligible.

Can I submit previously released material?  No.  Albums containing over 50% of previously released cuts are not eligible.  If an album has been previously released and then re-released in a different language with the same musical arrangement it will not qualify.

What about newly arranged material?

New arrangements of previously released material are eligible provided the music has been re-recorded with a new partner or accompaniment.   Live recordings or stripped down versions or previously released songs are NOT eligible.

I have made my submission. Now what?
From here CARAS will review each submission for completeness. If for some reason your submission is not complete or in the wrong genre we will get in touch with you. If complete and in the correct genre it will be sent out electronically to either a panel of judges or to the CARAS membership for voting.

What if I submit into the wrong genre?
Not to worry! We have an advisory committee for each genre that reviews every submission to make sure it’s in the correct category. If the committee feels your album would be better suited in a different genre we will be in touch to relay the committee suggestion. If you agree we will move it into a different category for you.

What happens if I get a nomination?
There will be a press conference held in Toronto in February to announce the nominations. At this time the list of nominees will also be posted on our website. A CARAS representative will be in contact with you via email to inform you of what is involved. It is very important to provide us with accurate information when you submit as we will make contact with whomever we have on file.

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences is currently in the process of reviewing our Nominating & Voting guidelines.  If you have any questions regarding the process and eligibility please feel free to send us an email at submissions@junoawards.ca or call us at 1-888-440-5866.

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DO YOU OWN YOUR OWN MASTERS?
HAVE YOU RELEASED AN INDEPENDENT ALBUM?
ARE YOU AN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL?

If so, you may be interested in becoming a member of AVLA.

AVLA is a non-exclusive copyright collective that administers licensing in Canada for the vast majority of the owners of master sound recordings and music videos.

AVLA pays out Neighbouring Rights and Private Copying royalties to the master rights owner as well as licensing royalties.

Joining AVLA is easy.  The application can be found on the AVLA website at http://www.avla.ca/members/membership-application.aspx

For more information about AVLA please visit the AVLA website at www.avla.ca