How to Win a JUNO Award: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Dreaming of winning a JUNO Award? While it may seem challenging, success is achievable if you fully understand the process. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate each step, from submitting your music to ultimately winning the award.

Step 1: Submit Your Music

The first step toward a JUNO Award is submitting your music. Select the category that best aligns with your musical style. There are numerous categories, each with specific eligibility requirements, so it is crucial to choose carefully. If you are unsure, detailed criteria for each category are available on the official JUNO Awards website.

Keep in mind that certain categories, like JUNO Fan Choice and Single of the Year, do not accept direct submissions. Instead, they are determined based on streaming metrics and social media data.

Step 2: Eligibility Check

After submitting your music, it undergoes an eligibility review conducted by the CARAS (Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) team. This step ensures that your submission meets all the requirements for the category you selected.

Step 3: Music Advisory Committee Review

Once your submission passes the eligibility check, it is forwarded to the Music Advisory Committees. These committees consist of industry experts who review the submissions to ensure they are categorized correctly. If they believe your music would be more appropriate in a different category, they may suggest a change—but the final decision remains with you.

Step 4: Round 1 Voting

If your submission is approved by the committees, it advances to Round 1 voting. During this phase, CARAS Academy Delegates and Judges evaluate each entry to determine the official nominees.

In Round 1:

• CARAS Academy Delegates vote for Single of the Year, Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year, Artist of the Year and Group of the Year.
• Judges vote in all other categories, except JUNO Fan Choice which is fan-voted.

Step 5: Nominee Announcement

If your music advances past Round 1, congratulations—you are officially a JUNO nominee! The nominees in each category will be announced in February.

Step 6: Final Voting

The final round of voting (Round 2) determines the winners. Academy Delegates and Judges cast their votes again, and the results are revealed during JUNO Week, either at the JUNO Awards Gala or during the live broadcast of The JUNO Awards on CBC.

• Academy Delegates vote in 16 categories, including Pop, Rap, Rock, and Songwriter.
• Judges vote in the remaining categories, which cover a diverse range of genres, from Classical to Metal.
• JUNO Fan Choice is unique because the public selects the winner through an online voting process.

Tips for Standing Out

• Submit Early and Avoid the Rush: Submit your music early to take advantage of Early Bird pricing, available from October 15 until October 22, 2024, at 5:00 pm ET. The early bird fee for CARAS Academy Delegates is $55.00 per submission, while the standard fee is $75.00 per submission.
• Pick the Right Category: Selecting the right category is key to your success. Carefully consider where your music fits best. If you are uncertain, refer to the guidelines at staging.junoawards.ca/submission-guidelines/criteria-by-category/.
• Pay Attention to Details: Ensure you have all the required information when you submit. Double-check that you meet the criteria, and provide current project information, including promo shots, project details, and contact information.

Winning a JUNO Award involves more than just creating great music—it requires dedication and a thorough understanding of the submission and voting process. The steps are designed to be straightforward to help make the journey as smooth as possible. For detailed information on the submission process, please visit staging.junoawards.ca/submissions. 

Featured image: Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year Winner, The Beaches, in the exclusive JUNOS x FUZE Reps 2024 portrait studio at the Broadcast Awards Night – Sunday, March 24, 2024. CARAS/FUZE Reps/O’shane Howard