In Canada: Angine de Poitrine, Peaches & More Make the Polaris Music Prize 2026 Short List

The Polaris Music Prize has unveiled its 10-nominee album short list for 2026.

After announcing the 40-album long list at this year’s NXNE, the short list was voted on by a 205-person voting pool of music critics, journalists, academics, broadcasters and curators. The albums are based solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales.

Powered by FACTOR, the winner of the Polaris Music Prize will receive $30,000, revealed at the concert and award ceremony at Massey Hall on Sept. 22 — the fourth year that Polaris has taken over the iconic Toronto venue.

Here is this year’s short list:

For the first time, this year’s winning album will be selected by the full jury voting pool, following a series of presentations and debate sessions. It’s a major change from the 11-person grand jury that had previously decided each winner.

This year’s short list marks first-time nominations for Angine de Poitrine, Aquakultre, Charlotte Cornfield and Rochelle Jordan. Notably, Angine de Poitrine is on a hot streak, following their viral KEXP performance in February. Since then, the buzzy Quebec math rock duo has drawn massive festival crowds, hit the charts in multiple countries and amassed blockbuster CD and vinyl releases for their two recent albums, including Vol. II. It’s not a far stretch to consider them the frontrunner, but the Polaris Prize is always unpredictable.

Meanwhile, Peaches and Beverly Glenn-Copeland, both artists with a long legacy and influence in Canadian music, are first-time nominees for the album prize, but it’s not the first time the organization has acknowledged them. Peaches’ The Teaches of Peaches (2000) and Glenn-Copeland’s Keyboard Fantasies (1986) have received the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, designed for albums released before the organization was introduced in 2006.

Read more here. — Heather Taylor-Singh

Nominations Open for Billboard Canada Women in Music 2026

One of Canada’s biggest celebrations is music is back for a third year — and bigger than ever.

Billboard Canada Women in Music is a star-studded celebration of the powerful women of the music industry, shining a light on trailblazing musicians and executives and their stories.

This year’s honourees will join an acclaimed roster of alumni including 2025’s Women of the Year, The Beaches, Trailblazer Cœur de pirate, Visionary Lights and many more. Charlotte Cardin, Alanis Morissette and Jessie Reyez were among the major honourees from the inaugural 2024 edition. They will also join a talented list of leaders from throughout every sector of Canadian music on the Billboard Canada Women in Music Industry Spotlight list.

“Billboard Canada Women in Music spotlights the driving forces pushing music forward,” says Elizabeth Crisante, Chief Commercial Officer of Billboard Canada. “This celebration is integral to our industry as we celebrate the executives and musicians who inspire us every day.”

After receiving the top honour last year at Billboard Canada Women in Music, The Beaches went on to win the Global Force Award presented by Billboard Canada and FACTOR at this year’s Billboard Women in Music ceremony in Los Angeles, becoming the first band to receive the honour. With tributes from Elton John, Kid Cudi and Greta Van Fleet, the moment was described as a “dream come true” for the breakout rock band.

Applicants are encouraged to fill out the form for themselves, for their peers, for employees at their organization, or for anyone they think is worthy of recognition. Nominations are open now here.

Read more here. — Billboard Canada

Rogers Becomes the Sole Owner of MLSE After $4.3 Billion Buyout

Rogers officially has full ownership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).

The telecommunications company has announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase the remaining 25% ownership stake of MLSE from Kilmer Sports Inc., becoming the company’s sole stakeholder in a $4.35 billion deal.

Last year, Rogers purchased BCE Inc (Bell)’s 37.5% stake in MLSE in a similar, major $4.7 billion buyout. Until then, both telcos shared equal stakes, with the remaining quarter owned by Kilmer, which is owned by Larry Tanenbaum. (Tanenbaum, notably, leads the ownership group for the new WNBA team Toronto Tempo, which is not owned by MLSE).

Now, Rogers has taken full control. The move grants Rogers a decisive hand in Toronto’s sports and entertainment scene, as it takes control of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts. That joins the company’s existing roster, which includes the Toronto Blue Jays, Sportsnet and Rogers Centre, home to multiple major stadium concerts a year. Last year, Rogers Centre was named the top Canadian concert stadium by Billboard Boxscore, with the venue notably hosting The Weeknd’s record-breaking tour.

MLSE is already an entertainment powerhouse within Toronto, owning seven sports teams and two of the biggest concert venues in the city, Scotiabank Arena and Coca-Cola Coliseum, running more than 145 live events and 100 concerts annually. Tricia Silliphant and Neil Claydon, MLSE’s respective managing director of music & live entertainment and vice president of music & live entertainment, also ranked at No. 3 in the Live section of the Billboard Canada Power Players 2026 list. The company drives over $145 million in box office revenue yearly.

Rogers expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Read more here. — Stefano Rebuli