Taking a look through 50 years of history, music, and awards

2021

The JUNOS celebrate 50 years of Canada's Biggest Night in Music

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The JUNOS return to Toronto in 2021 to celebrate their 50th Anniversary with three brand new JUNO statuettes.

2020

The JUNO Awards were cancelled for the first time in history

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The JUNOS were one of the first music award shows cancelled due to COVID-19 and the first to mount a fully virtual celebration 106 days following its cancellation.

2018

Canada pays tribute to the late Gord Downie

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Kevin Drew and Pearl Wenjack introduced a heartfelt tribute performance by Downie’s longtime friends Sarah Harmer, Kevin Hearn, and City and Colour.

2017

The JUNOS were held in Ottawa in honour of Canada's 150th Anniversary of Confederation

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau delivered a moving speech on Leonard Cohen’s legacy.

2016

The Weeknd wins five JUNO Awards

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International superstar, The Weeknd won five JUNO Awards including Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, Single of the Year and, Songwriter of the Year.

2014

Bachman-Turner Overdrive reunited on the JUNOS stage

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Legendary rockers, Bachman-Turner Overdrive performed onstage for the first time in years while being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by Col. Chris Hadfield.

2011

Neil Young took home three JUNO Awards

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Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Neil Young won three awards; Adult Alternative Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and the Humanitarian Award.

2010

The JUNOS had an impressive 94 first-time nominees

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The JUNO Awards saw 94 first-time nominees including Justin Bieber, Drake, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Arkells.

2007

Nelly Furtado won every award she was nominated for

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Nelly Furtado made JUNO history by being the first nominee with multiple nominations to win every award for which she was nominated.

2003

Host Shania Twain dazzled in six custom-made gowns

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Shania Twain wore six custom-designed outfits emblazoned with different Canadian hockey team logos throughout the evening and took home the first-ever JUNO Fan Choice award.

1999

The Best Album category was split into genres for the first time

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The Barenaked Ladies took home Pop, The Tragically Hip took home Rock, and Céline Dion walked away with the overall Best Album award.

1996

Alanis Morissette dominated the JUNOS 25th Anniversary

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Alanis Morissette took home five JUNO Awards for her album "Jagged Little Pill" including Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year.

1995

The JUNOS open tickets to the public for the first time

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Fans were able to attend the JUNOS for the first time ever with about 7,000 tickets sold for the show in Hamilton.

1994

The Best Music of Aboriginal Canada category was introduced

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The legendary, Buffy Sainte-Marie, participated in handing out the first Best Music of Aboriginal Canada JUNO Award to Lawrence Martin.

1991

Maestro Fresh-Wes won the first JUNO Award for Rap Recording of the Year

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The success of Maestro Fresh-Wes's debut album "Symphony in Effect" inspired the introduction of the Rap Recording of the Year Award which he took home that year.

1988

The JUNO Awards were postponed

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After four years of hosting the show in the fall, CARAS decided to move the JUNO Awards back to the spring of 1989.

1987

k.d. lang ended Anne Murray's seven-year winning streak

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k.d. lang accepted her first Country Female Vocalist of the Year award, ending Anne Murray’s consecutive seven wins in that category.

1984

MuchMusic inspired the introduction of the Best Video award

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Rob Quartly won the first Best Video award for Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night" and was nominated 4x in the category that year - a record number of nominations in a single category.

1982

Loverboy won six awards in one evening

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Calgary's Loverboy took home Group of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Composer of the Year, Producer of the Year, and Engineer of the Year

1980

Rough Trade shocked audiences

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Rough Trade took to the JUNO stage with a then-controversial performance of their hit "High School Confidential," leaving an impression on the likes of k.d. lang and Anne Murray.

1979

Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau praised the Canadian music industry

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The Prime Minister delivered a speech on the grandiosity of cultural industries in Canada before inducting Hank Snow into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

1978

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame was introduced

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Jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, and bandleader Guy Lombardo (posthumously) became the first artists to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

1976

Walt Grealis was celebrated for his contributions

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Randy Bachman presented a maple leaf plaque to Walt Grealis, creator of the RPM Gold Leaf Awards (now known as The JUNO Awards), resulting in a standing ovation for Grealis.

1975

The JUNO Awards were televised for the first time

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The JUNOS came to television for the first time on CBC with superstar host Paul Anka serenading the crowd between awards.

1972

Anne Murray won her second Female Vocalist award

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Anne Murray brought home the Female Vocalist award for the second year in a row in 1972. She'd go on to become the most decorated JUNO Award-winner ever with 25 total wins.

1971

The first official JUNO Awards

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The Gold Leaf Awards were renamed The JUNO Awards in 1971 in honour of CRTC chairman Pierre Juneau and his work improving Canadian content regulations which put Canadian artists at the forefront of the industry.