The Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC will reveal the 2025 Polaris Music Album Short List on July 10 on CBC Music and CBC Listen, followed by the return of the signature Short List Summer programming.
Listeners will be the first to find out which 10 albums make the Polaris Album Short List live on Thursday, July 10 as part of a two-hour radio special hosted by Odario Williams, starting at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. AT, 4:30 NT) and available across Canada on CBC Music and CBC Listen . The special will reveal each of the albums nominated for the grand prize with commentary from Polaris jurors and CBC Music experts. The Short List comes a month after the reveal of the 40-album 2025 Polaris Album Long List , which was announced June 10 in Toronto and was determined by members of the Polaris jury.
Following the Album Short List reveal, CBC Music will bring back THE TEN radio series, featuring a separate Polaris album every Sunday, each episode taking an in-depth look at each of this year’s Short List nominees, all leading up to the 2025 Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony, taking place on Tuesday, September 16 at the historic Massey Hall in Toronto.
CBC Music’s THE TEN radio specials will be hosted by Odario Williams, broadcasting each Sunday on CBC Music and CBC Listen at 6 p.m. (6:30 NT) starting July 13 and running until September 14. Each one-of-a-kind episode of THE TEN will feature a discussion about the shortlisted album with music writers and Polaris jurors from across the country, along with a deep album listening session.
CBC Music will also kick into high gear with Polaris Album Short List coverage on cbcmusic.ca/polaris, diving into the 10 nominated albums on July 10. Leading up to the Polaris Music Prize Concert & Award Ceremony, CBC Music will be digging into Polaris history through archives, an oral history and more. Follow CBC Music on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for all your Polaris Music Prize content.
The Polaris Music Prize awards $30,000 courtesy ofSlaight Family Foundation, to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales.
POLARIS ALBUM PRIZE WINNERS
The past winners are Jeremy Dutcher (2024), Debby Friday (2023), Pierre Kwenders (2022), Cadence Weapon (2021), Backxwash (2020), Haviah Mighty (2019), Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).
2025 POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE KEY DATES
June 10 - Album Long List. Polaris reveals the 40 nominees for the year’s Album Prize.
June 24 - Song Long List. Polaris reveals the 20 nominees for the year’s Song Prize.
July 10 - Album Short List. Polaris reveals the 10 finalist nominees for the year’s Album Prize.
July 29 - Song Short List. Polaris reveals the 5 finalist nominees for the year’s Song Prize.
July 29 - Heritage Prize Short List. Polaris reveals the 12 nominee albums for the Heritage Prize and opens its related public voting campaign.
September 16 - Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony. Our prestige winner reveal event, this concert features performances by nominated acts as well as the announcement of the year’s Album Prize, Song Prize and Heritage Prize honourees.
ABOUT POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE
The Polaris Music Prize is a registered charity organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity.
ABOUT CBC/RADIO-CANADA
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Dëne Sųłıné, Dene Kǝdǝ́, Dene Zhatıé, Eastern Cree, Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun and Tłı̨chǫ. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
ABOUT CBC MUSIC
CBC Music is the leading curator of emerging and diverse Canadian music talent across platforms, playing the most Canadian artists and genres on radio, CBC Listen andcbcmusic.ca. We prioritize Canadian artists in a wide variety of genres on over 200 playlists available on CBC Listen, and publish daily national music coverage. CBC Music Live features live music recordings from across the country. Our music partnerships and events include The JUNO Awards, the Polaris Music Prize, CBC Music Presents: Live at Massey Hall and The Canadian Music Class Challenge.
MEDIA CONTACTS
CBC:
Polaris Music Prize media:
Aaron Brophy
aaron.brophy@polarismusicprize.ca
