Canadian music was celebrated last night at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa with the 2012 JUNO Awards. Nickelback opened the show with a performance of their latest single "This Means War" while pyrotechnics lit up the stage. Then host William Shatner slang a guitar over his shoulder and sang a few songs himself.
The impressive performances continued throughout the night as rapper K'Naan joined pop-punk group Simple Plan, Leslie Feist sang alongside multiple percussionists, four trombone players and a string section, and Sarah McLachlan performed with Blue Rodeo. Plus, there were awards given out!
One of the surprising winners was for Album of the Year, which was awarded to Michael Bublé for his holiday album titled Christmas. He trumped Drake's Take Care, Avril Lavigne's Goodbye Lullabye and Nickelback's Here and Now, as well as Justin Bieber's own holiday entry, Under the Mistletoe. However, Drake did take home Rap Recording of the Year and Bieber bagged Fan Choice.
The Sheepdogs and Feist were the big winners, grabbing three Juno awards each. The Sheepdogs scored New Group of the Year, Single of the Year for "I Don't Know", and Rock Album of the Year for Learn & Burn, while Feist won Artist of the Year, Adult Alternative Album of the Year for Metals and Music DVD of the Year for Look At What the Light Did Now.
Here are more Juno Award winners!
- Juno Fan Choice Award - Justin Bieber
- Single of the Year - The Sheepdogs, "I Don't Know"
- International Album of the Year - Adele, 21
- Album of the Year - Michael Bublé, Christmas
- Artist of the Year - Feist
- Group of the Year - Arkells
- New Artist of the Year - Dan Mangan
- New Group of the Year - The Sheepdogs
- Songwriter of the Year - Dallas Green aka City and Colour
- Country Album of the Year - Terri Clark, Roots and Wings
- Adult Alternative of the Year - Feist
- Alternative Album of the Year - Dan Mangan
- Pop Album of the Year - Hedley
- Rock Album of the Year - The Sheepdogs, Learn & Burn
- Vocal Jazz Album of the Year - Sonia Johnson, Le carré de nos amours
- Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year - Phil Dwyer Orchestra f. Mark Fewer, Changing Seasons
- Traditional Jazz Album of the Year - David Braid, Verge
- Instrumental Album of the Year - Stretch Orchestra, Stretch Orchestra
- Rap Recording of the Year - Drake, "Take Care"
- Dance Recording of the Year - Martin Solveig & Dragonette, "Hello"
- R&B/Soul Recording of the Year - Melanie Fiona, "Gone And Never Coming Back"
- Reggae Recording of the Year - Exco Levi, "Bleaching Shop"