SOCAN will present both the songwriter and non-performing songwriter of the year honours at the 2026 JUNO Awards, slated March 28 for the gala dinner and March 29 for the nationally televised show, both at the Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton.
The nominees for the Songwriter of the Year Award, are
- Daniel Caesar
- Jessie Reyez
- Justin Bieber
- Tate McRae
- The Beaches (Jordan Miller, Kylie Miller, Leandra Earl, Eliza Enman-McDaniel)
The nominees for the Songwriter of the Year – Non-Performer Award, are:
- Lowell
- Mustafa
- Hayley Gene Penner
- Nate Ferraro
- Tobias Jesso Jr.
The non-performing songwriters work their magic behind the scenes, in writing rooms, and have had their songs performed, worldwide, on some of the best-selling recordings and biggest stages, where they resonate deeply with audiences.
Tate McRae and Justin Bieber are each nominated for a leading six JUNO Awards in 2026; The Weeknd and Cameron Whitcomb are up for five awards each; Josh Ross and Daniel Caesar have earned four nominations apiece, while Caesar will also be honoured with the International Achievement Award; and The Beaches and bbno$ have three apiece.
Comedian, screenwriter, director, singer-songwriter, and recording artist Mae Martin will host the televised 2026 JUNO Awards. There will be special live appearances by Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Joni Mitchell, and Canadian Music Hall of Fame Inductee Nelly Furtado.Billy Talent will receive the Humanitarian Award, while Alexander Mair, Sandy Pandya, and Vinny Cinquemani will be recognized with Walt Grealis Special Achievement Awards. Daniel Caesar will also perform on the show, to be televised on CBC and CBC Gem. Other performers include William Prince, Arkells, and The Beaches.
Francophone Album of the Year nominees are:
- Dogue by Ariane Roy
- On s’enverra des fleurs by Fredz
- Les amours de seconde main by JF Pauzé
- Journal d’un Loup-Garou by Lou-Adriane Cassidy
- Dix chansons démodées pour ceux qui ont le cœur abîmé by Pierre Lapointe
The nominations for Classical Composition of the Year are:
- Cloud Path by Amy Brandon
- The Laws of Nature by Andrew Staniland
- Kimiko’s Pearl by Kevin Lau
- The Complete Piano Solos (1989-2023) Vol. 1 – The Plains by Linda Catlin Smith Redshift
- Music for Body-Without-Organs by Nicole Lizée
In addition to presenting the songwriting awards, SOCAN is once again the co-presenting sponsor of the JUNO Songwriters Circle – widely known as “The Jewel of JUNO Week” – with host and performers TBD. The event will happen Friday, March 27, 2026, at FirstOntario Concert Hall, starting at 8:00 p.m. Past participants include Alex Cuba, Ria Mae, Randy Bachman, Shad, July Talk, Jann Arden, Johnny Reid, and Ron Sexsmith.
For a complete list of award nominees, access the JUNO Awards website.