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First-ever SOCAN Polaris Song Prize reveals 20-song long list

Story by SOCAN Polaris Song Prize | June 24, 2025

The Polaris Music Prize, celebrating its 20th Anniversary, and SOCAN, celebrating its 100th Anniversary, have announced the new SOCAN Polaris Song Prize. The winning song will take home $10,000, courtesy of SOCAN, split between the song’s Canadian performer(s) and credited Canadian songwriter(s). The prize will honour the Canadian song of the year, based on artistic merit, without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity.

The 2025 SOCAN Polaris Song Prize Long List is:

  • Art d’Ecco – “The Traveller”
  • Backxwash – “History Of Violence”
  • Backxwash – “9th Heaven”
  • Caribou – “Honey”
  • Lou-Adriane Cassidy – “Dis-moi dis-moi dis-moi”
  • Marie Davidson – “Fun Times”
  • Yves Jarvis – “Gold Filagree”
  • Kaytranada ft. Lou Phelps – “Call U Up”
  • Richard Laviolette – “Constant Love”
  • Mustafa – “Gaza is Calling”
  • The OBGMs – “Changes” (featuring Sate)
  • Klô Pelgag – “Le goût des mangues”
  • Propagandhi – “At Peace”
  • Reuben and the Bullhorn Singers – “Powerful”
  • Ribbon Skirt – “Wrong Planet ”
  • Saya Gray – “Shell (Of A Man)”
  • Snotty Nose Rez Kids – “FREE” (featuring Aysanabee, Drezus, Rueben George)
  • Colin Stetson – “The love it took to leave you”
  • The Weather Station – “Neon Signs”
  • Rick White and The Sadies – “Fly Away”

The SOCAN Polaris Song Prize category is Polaris’ first new award since it introduced the hall of fame Heritage Prize in 2015. The inaugural 20-nominee song prize long list for 2025 will be followed by a five-nominee short list to be unveiled on July 29, 2025.

With Canadian musicians creating more and more single releases annually, an award in this segment provides more artists and songwriters with more opportunities to be acknowledged and supported by SOCAN, Polaris, its partners, and the music industry.

The winning song will be revealed during the Polaris Concert & Award Ceremony, taking place at Toronto’s Massey Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. Tickets to the ceremony are on sale now via the Massey Hall website. To celebrate the Song Prize Long List, Polaris is offering 15% off tickets with the code POLARIS15.