The rows of vinyl felt extra special on this day since they weren’t just being perused by typical music enthusiasts, but also buzzing emerging musicians and their families, artist managers, label reps, and music journalists. 

Adding to the anticipation, a DJ bopped around to his set at the back of the store, where a TV screen behind him promised to drop the official long list video at 6 p.m sharp. Five minutes to, you could look across any one of Sonic Boom’s several aisles and see an eager face peering up to make sure they weren’t missing anything. 

“It’s really amazing to see artists that don’t get as much backing in terms of not having a major label, artists like Myst Milano and DijahSB on the long list, who are really able to represent not just Toronto but Canada,” said music journalist and juror Kate Killet. “They’re really doing something different within their own genre and within our pocket, but also pushing to create something different.” 

Amber Moyle, the executive director of Polaris music prize promptly invited everyone to approach the DJ booth and incited applause for the 220 jury members and partners– Factor, Canada Council, Socan, Ontario Creates, Stingray, Serius XM and the Slaight Family Foundation who donates a $50,000 prize to the winner every year.

Without further delay, the long list was revealed as follows:

Allie X – Girl With No Face 

Bambii – Infinity Club

Big|Brave – A Chaos of Flowers

The Beaches – Blame My Ex

Haley Blais – Wisecrack

Charlotte Cardin – 99 Nights

Beverly Glenn-Copeland – The Ones Ahead

Corridor – Mimi

Helena Deland – Goodnight Summerland

DijahSB – The Flower That Knew

Jeremy Dutcher – Motewolonuwok

Elisapie – Inuktitut

Annie-Claude Deschênes – Les Manières de table

Devours – Homecoming Queen

Ducks Ltd. – Harm’s Way

Dominique Fils-Aimé – Our Roots Run Deep

Shane Ghostkeeper – Songs For My People

Karkwa – Dans la seconde

Kaytraminé – Kaytraminé

Ken Mode – Void

La Force – XO Skeleton

La Sécurité – Stay Safe!

Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee

Sean Leon – In Loving Memory

Terra Lightfoot – Healing Power

Loony – Loony

Jon Mckiel – Hex

Myst Milano – Beyond the Uncanny Valley

Nobro – Set Your Pussy Free

Nyssa – Shake Me Where I’m Foolish

Pelada – Ahora Más Que Nunca

Peter Peter – Éther

Population II – Électrons libres du québec

Allison Russell – The Returner

Arielle Soucy – Il n’y a rien que je ne suis pas

Super Duty Tough Work – Paradigm Shift

Talk – Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees

Teke::Teke – Hagata

Tobi – Panic

Tomb Mold – The Enduring Spirit

The artists on site — Myst Milano, Devours, DijahSB, Terra Lightfoot, and Sean Leon — were then rounded up for photos in front of a hidden installation of new releases by the nominees (concealed by a velvet curtain) before being asked to do the honours of revealing the albums. Naturally, they each took a turn posing for photos with their babies. 

“It’s just a great feeling to know that 200 some odd people sat down and listened to a whole bunch of albums and decided that mine was valuable enough to be able to deserve this prestige,” said DijahSB. “That kind of validation really helps me on my journey as an artist, just knowing that people are listening and really understanding.”

“I want to say exactly what Dijah just said,” laughed Terra Lightfoot, adding “It’s really important in the industry right now to have 220 music industry folks that are listening to this many records and telling us what they think are the best ones. And I think that the industry needs that little pick me up right now. I really needed this pick me up and I’m grateful for it.”

Many of the artists on the long list have never been nominated before, including Toronto’s The Beaches, and Bambii. The subsequent shortlist of 10 finalists will be announced on July 11. The winner, who will receive the $50,000 grand prize, will then be selected by a grand jury and revealed at a live gala event in on Sept. 17 at Toronto’s Massey Hall.