Arcade Fire, Drake, Owen Pallett make the Polaris Music Prize long list

TORONTO – Past winners Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett have been named to the long list for this year’s Polaris Music Prize.

The 40 contenders for the annual $30,000 award were announced Thursday at Calgary’s National Music Centre.

Many other previous Polaris contenders made the cut, including Calgary singer/songwriter Chad VanGaalen, Toronto hip-hop artist Drake, Vancouver-based rapper Shad and Toronto multi-instrumentalist Basia Bulat.

First-timers vying for the Polaris include Hamilton singer/producer Jessy Lanza, Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq and Halifax rock duo Cousins.

The annual prize is awarded to the best Canadian album of the prior year as selected by a broad swath of journalists, bloggers and broadcasters, without regard for genre or sales.

Last year’s prize was claimed by experimental Montreal collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor, while other winners have included Feist, Caribou and Patrick Watson.

The short list of 10 contenders will be announced July 15 in Toronto, while a winner will be crowned Sept. 22 during a gala at the Carlu.