Everything You Need to Know About Submitting to The 2025 JUNO Awards

It’s that time of year again, music creators! The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has officially opened submissions for the 2025 JUNO Awards Presented by TD. Whether you’re a veteran in the industry or a fresh face on the scene, here’s your guide to everything you need to know about submitting your work for the JUNO Awards this year.

What’s New for 2025?

This year, CARAS is introducing exciting changes to make the JUNO Awards more inclusive and reflective of the Canadian music landscape. Two brand-new categories are making their debut:

• South Asian Music Recording of the Year: Canada has become a major hub for South Asian music, and this new category aims to celebrate the diverse talent within this vibrant community.
• Songwriter of the Year (Non-Performer) Presented by SOCAN: Songwriters who create magic behind the scenes now have their own space. This category will recognize those who pen iconic songs for artists other than themselves.

Additionally, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Group of the Year are being combined into a single category called Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year with 10 nominees, giving more emerging artists a chance to shine. However, the International Album of the Year category is being retired for 2025.

Key Submission Dates

Mark your calendars! Here are the important dates for submitting to the 2025 JUNO Awards:

• October 15, 2024: Submissions open at junosubmissions.ca.
• October 22, 2024: Early bird deadline – submit early to save on entry fees.
• November 7, 2024: Final submissions deadline at 11:59 PM ET.

All submissions must meet the eligibility requirements, which means your music must have been released between September 1, 2023, and November 1, 2024.

Who Can Submit?

To be eligible, all music must be available on at least one Digital Service Provider (DSP), with the exception of submissions for Album Artwork of the Year. If your music is available online and falls within the eligibility period, you’re good to go!

Updated Voting and Nominating Criteria

CARAS has made some key changes to how nominees are selected for certain categories:

• For Rap Album/EP of the Year and Rap Single of the Year, nominees will now be determined by 50% consumption data and 50% judge vote, ensuring both popularity and critical acclaim are considered.
• Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year and Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year will now be Recording categories, allowing artists to submit both Albums/EPs and Singles in either category.
• For major categories like Artist of the Year and Group of the Year, nominees will be determined by a mix of radio audience data (12.5%), social media data (12.5%), global consumption data (50%), and CARAS Academy Delegate vote (25%).

Calling All Judges and Academy Delegates

The JUNO Awards wouldn’t be possible without the help of dedicated music industry professionals who serve as judges. If you’re interested in being part of the decision-making process, now’s your chance to get involved. CARAS Academy Delegate applications are open at staging.junoawards.ca/join, and CARAS is also calling for judges to help determine the winners across categories. You can apply to be a judge at junosubmissions.ca

Where and When Are the 2025 JUNO Awards?

The 54th Annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week will take place in Vancouver, BC, from March 27 to March 30, 2025. The celebration will culminate with the awards ceremony on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at Rogers Arena. The show will be broadcast live on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos.

Get Ready to Submit!

Whether you’re an artist, songwriter, producer, or designer, the JUNO Awards offer an incredible opportunity to gain national recognition for your work. With new categories and refreshed nominating and voting processes, this year’s awards promise to reflect the diversity and creativity of Canada’s music scene more than ever.

Head over to junosubmissions.ca starting October 15, 2024, to submit your work. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of Canadian music history!