Do you ever look at those nominee lists from awards shows and think, “Wait. Who’s that?” 

Yeah.  Us too. 

It doesn’t matter how many years we’ve worked in the roots music milieu, it’s just darned hard to keep up with all the great new records coming out.  

That’s why we here at Roots Music Canada have decided to provide you with this handy guide to this year’s Juno nominees in the roots and world categories (they were announced yesterday).

We’ve grabbed one song from each nominated album and created five-song Spotify playlists for each category.  

Got 20 minutes?  Throw one on and become an instant expert in some of this year’s greatest roots albums.

Reggae Recording of the Year

• Money Don’t Grow Pon Trees – Blessed
• Genesis – Chelsea Stewart
• Sly & Robbie meet Dubmatix – Overdubbed – Dubmatix
• Narrative – Exco Levi –
• Talk Or No Talk – Kafinal ft. Queen Ifrica

Indigenous Music Album of the Year

• The Ballad of the Runaway Girl – Elisapie
• Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa – Jeremy Dutcher
• Standing in the Light – Leonard Sumner
• Nitisanak – Brothers and Sister – Northern Cree
• The Average Savage – Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Contemporary Roots Album of the Year

• In Our Time – AHI
• Both Ways – Donovan Woods
• Grenades – Kaia Kater
• Seeker – Megan Nash
• Yarrow – The Deep Dark Woods

Traditional Roots Album of the Year

• The Broken Heart of Everything – David Francey
• Sweet Old Religion – Pharis and Jason Romero
• Queen City Jubilee – The Slocan Ramblers
• Fifteen – The Wailin’ Jennys
• Horizons -Vishtèn

Blues Album of the Year

• Miles To Go – Colin James
• Checkmate – Jack de Keyzer
• Myles Goodwyn and Friends of the Blues – Myles Goodwyn
• Run To Me – Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar
• The Ice Queen – Sue Foley

World Music Album of the Year

• Zoubida – Ayrad
• San Cristóbal Baile Inn – Boogát
• Naath – Emmanuel Jal and Nyaruach
• Fuerza Arara – Telmary y Habana Sana
• Rapadou Kreyol – Wesli

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