Three JUNO nominations for Hamilton artists
Josh Ross, Counterparts and Daniel Lanois are up for awards at the March 29 awards ceremony in Hamilton. Justin Bieber, Tate McRae lead the pack with six nominations each.
While Justin Bieber and Tate McRae racked up a career-high six nominations and The Weeknd and breakout country star Cameron Whitcomb each earned five, host city Hamilton will be well represented at the JUNO Awards with nominations for Waterdown native Josh Ross, veteran hardcore band Counterparts, and Hamilton musical legend Daniel Lanois.
A Hamilton teacher has also earned a nod as MusicCounts Teacher of the Year Award.
The JUNOS, Canada’s Biggest Night in Music, will be broadcast live on CBC from TD Coliseum on March 29. The show will feature a performance by the beloved Arkells, a rock band that formed in Hamilton and is named after a Westdale street.
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) unveiled the nominees Tuesday for the 55th Annual JUNO Awards, “marking a defining year that spans global superstardom, breakthrough success, and a historic recognition of Canada's dynamic and diverse music ecosystem.”
In total, this year’s cohort of nominees includes 248 nominations across 47 categories, including 65 artists being nominated for JUNOS for the first time.
Another highlight for Hamilton is teacher Raquel McIntosh from Adelaide Hoodless Elementary School being named among five educators nominated for a MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award.
Bieber, an eight-time JUNO winner adds to his 32 career nominations, with his six nods this year, including Single of the Year for “Daisies.” McRae adds to her 17 JUNO nominations and builds on last year’s multiple wins.
Following his two wins at the Canadian Country Music Awards, Whitcomb, who hails from Nanaimo, B.C., will make his JUNOS debut with five nominations, including Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year, and Country Album of the Year.
The Weeknd, who has won 22 JUNOS and been nomination 46 times, is already one of the most celebrated artists in JUNOS history.
Daniel Caesar earns four nominations this year, and will take The JUNO Awards stage as both a performer and the recipient of The International Achievement Award, recognizing his global impact and continued international success. He is joined on the broadcast by The Beaches, five-time JUNO Award winners and nominees, whose momentum continues to build following their 2025 Group of the Year win.
Six-time JUNO Award winner Jessie Reyez, also earns three nominations this year.
This year marks a milestone in JUNOS history with the introduction of Latin Music Recording of the Year, recognizing the growing influence and creative excellence of Latin music in Canada.
The inaugural nominees – two-time winner and seven-time JUNO nominee Alex Cuba, two-time nominee Lido Pimienta, and first-time nominees Andy Rubal, Isabella Lovestory, and Mario Puglia – represent a range of sounds and voices shaping the genre today, capturing a distinctly Canadian perspective that sets them apart within the global Latin Music landscape.
Country star Josh Ross earned four nominations following a breakout year in 2025 that included a JUNOS win for Country Album of the Year and a broadcast performance.
Lanois, an eight-time JUNO Award winner, 17-time nominee, and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, is nominated for Album Artwork of the Year. Counterparts, which formed in Hamilton in 2007 and is made up of singer Brendan Murphy, drummer Kyle Brownlee, bassist Tyler Williams, and guitarist Jesse Doreen, are first-time nominees, earning a nod for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year.
CARAS previously announced that 10-time JUNO winner Nelly Furtado is being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and she’s also nominated in Pop Album of the Year for her 11th album, 7.
This year’s awards ceremony, hosted by comedian Mae Martin, will also recognize Joni Mitchell with a Lifetime Achievement.
