Throng

THE 2009 JUNO AWARDS on CTV rocked Vancouver tonight during one of the most star-studded events in Canadian music. Nickelback cranked up the show with an incredibly pyrotechnic opening number;

and it was clear from the start that it would be a night to remember for the 6X platinum-selling rock group.  With a #1 selling album, Dark Horse, Nickelback received the JUNO Award for Album of the Year (sponsored by Canadian Recording Industry Association), Group of the Year and the Juno Fan Choice Award (presented by Pepsi).

Highlights from the broadcast are now available on demand on The CTV Broadband Network at junos.CTV.ca. As well, MuchMoreMusic presents an encore broadcast of THE 2009 JUNO AWARDS on Thursday, April 2 at 8 p.m. ET.

The CTV broadcast was hosted for the second year in a row by comedian Russell Peters, who first appeared in a Bollywood/Breakdancing number and then went on to skewer musicians in the audience, from Loverboy and Sarah McLachlan to Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé.

One after another, Canada’s biggest names and most exciting recording artists graced The JUNO Awards stage to the delight of a packed audience at Vancouver’s General Motors Place. Presenters included Aaron Pritchett, Feist, Hedley, k.d lang and Kreesha Turner as well as a rare appearance by music’s power-couple Elvis Costello and Diana Krall, who together presented the last JUNO Award of the evening.

Seven JUNO Award statuettes were bestowed throughout the night including a win for indie-pop sensation Lights for New Artist of the Year (sponsored by FACTOR and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters), and rap/reggae chameleon Kardinal Offishall for Rap Recoding of the Year, taking home a second award after a previous win for Single of the Year at yesterday’s JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards.

The house erupted with applause when surprise guest Gordon Downie of The Tragically Hip joined newly minted Songwriter of the Year (sponsored by SIRIUS Satellite Radio) Dallas Green for an unforgettable performance of “Sleeping Sickness.”

The night was full of unique collaborations counting a triple threat segment by three of Canada’s hottest young stars Crystal Shawanda, Divine Brown and Serena Ryder who each performed their smash singles.  Music icon Bryan Adams sang “Walk On By” with the help of JUNO Award nominee Kathleen Edwards on violin.  As well, Canadian folk-rockers Great Big Sea teamed up with Hawksley Workman and world music group Eccodek for a show-stopping closing number and one of a kind musical experience.

Other electrifying performances came from Sam Roberts who tonight received the JUNO Award for Artist of the Year and yesterday for Rock Album of the Year, Sarah McLachlan, Simple Plan and The Stills, who won two JUNO Awards last night for

New Group of the Year (sponsored by FACTOR and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters) and Alternative Album of the Year.

Famed music producer Bob Rock honoured 80s rock icon Loverboy during a special presentation.  Members Mike Reno, Paul Dean, Doug Johnson, Matt Frenette, the late Scott Smith and Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve are the newest inductees to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.  Alongside multiple hit albums and more than 20 million records sold worldwide, Loverboy is perhaps best known for the resonating party anthem “Everybody’s Working For The Weekend.”

And what a weekend it was in Vancouver!  Tonight’s CTV broadcast of THE 2009 JUNO AWARDS was the fantastical culmination of a four-day celebration of Canadian music that was packed with musical highlights, festivities, concerts and events.

And the winners were:

JUNO FAN CHOICE AWARD (PRESENTED BY PEPSI)
Nickelback EMI

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Dangerous Kardinal Offishall Kon Live Universal

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Viva La Vida Coldplay Capitol EMI

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CANADIAN RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION)
Dark Horse Nickelback EMI

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Sam Roberts Universal

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Nickelback EMI

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY FACTOR AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS)
Lights Underground Operations Universal

NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY FACTOR AND CANADA’S PRIVATE RADIO BROADCASTERS)
The Stills Arts & Crafts EMI

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO)
Dallas Green
“Waiting…” | “Sleeping Sickness” | “The Girl”
BRING ME YOUR LOVE – City and Colour Dine Alone Universal

COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Beautiful Life Doc Walker Open Road Universal

ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY GALAXIE, RISING STARS PROGRAM OF THE CBC)
is it o.k Serena Ryder EMI

ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Oceans Will Rise The Stills Arts & Crafts EMI

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY 91.7 THE BOUNCE)
Flavors of Entanglement Alanis Morissette Maverick Warner

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Love At The End Of The World Sam Roberts Universal

VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Lucky Molly Johnson A440 Universal

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Embracing Voices Jane Bunnett EMI

TRADITIONAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Second Time Around Oliver Jones Justin Time Fusion III

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Nostomania DJ Brace presents The Electric Nosehair Orchestra Balanced Records

FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Tous les sens Ariane Moffatt Audiogram Select

CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Snacktime! Barenaked Ladies Desperation Warner

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SOLO OR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Homage James Ehnes ONYX SRI

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: LARGE ENSEMBLE OR SOLOIST(S) WITH LARGE ENSEMBLE ACCOMPANIMENT
Beethoven: Ideals Of The French Revolution Orchestre symphonique de Montréal/Kent Nagano Analekta Select

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: VOCAL OR CHORAL PERFORMANCE
Gloria! Vivaldi’s Angels Ensemble Caprice Analekta Select

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
Flanders Fields Reflections John Burge FLANDERS FIELDS REFLECTIONS Marquis EMI

RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Not 4 Sale Kardinal Offishall Kon Live Universal

DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY ENERGY 101.5)
Random Album Title Deadmau5 Ultra EMI

R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
The Love Chronicles Divine Brown WEA Warner

REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Everything Humble Palm of Gold Records

ABORIGINAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK)
Running For The Drum Buffy Sainte-Marie Gypsy Boy EMI

ROOTS & TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SOLO
Proof Of Love Old Man Luedecke Black Hen Fontana North

ROOTS & TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: GROUP
Chic Gamine Chic Gamine Independent

BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ramblin’ Son Julian Fauth Electro-Fi Outside

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ending Is Beginning Downhere Centricity David C. Cook

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS)
Africa To Appalachia Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko Independent Outside

JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Daniel Lanois “Here Is What Is” | “Not Fighting Anymore” HERE IS WHAT IS – Daniel Lanois Red Floor  Fontana North

RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Churko “Disappearing” | “The Big Bang” U-CATASTROPHE – Simon Collins Razor & Tie Sony

CD/DVD ARTWORK DESIGN OF THE YEAR
Anouk Pennel (Director/Designer); Stéphane Poirier (Illustrator)
En concert dans la forêt des mal-aimés avec l’Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal PIERRE LAPOINTE Independent Select

VIDEO OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY VIDEOFACT)
Honey Honey Anthony Seck FEIST Arts & Crafts EMI

MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR
Blue Road Christopher Mills, Geoff McLean BLUE RODEO WEA Warner