The Juno Awards will eliminate four categories from next year’s event as part of a comprehensive review of Canada’s premier music awards show.
In a letter obtained by The Canadian Press, organizers informed committee members last week of the decision to place the Reggae Recording, Children’s Album, Christian/Gospel Album, and International Album of the Year categories on “hiatus.”
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) indicated that this move is part of a broader set of updates, with more changes to be announced later.
First introduced as the RPM Gold Leaf Awards, the Juno Awards were initially announced in RPM Magazine ahead of the first ceremony on February 23, 1970, honoring recordings from 1969.
Notably, the Reggae Recording of the Year award has been part of the Junos since 1985. No reggae award was presented in 1992 or 1993 but it has been presented consistently since 1994, the year when Snow won for his album Informer.
In recent years, the four categories now being placed on hiatus were presented during an industry ceremony the night before the televised Junos broadcast.
The Juno Awards, often regarded as Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys, are presented by CARAS to recognize outstanding achievements in the country’s music industry. Major reggae acts like Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Buju Banton, Sizzla or others have never won an award despite their popularity in Canada.
The 2025 Juno Awards will take place in Vancouver on March 30.
Here’s a list of the winners of the Juno Awards in the Reggae category:
- 1985: Liberty Silver and Otis Gayle – Heaven Must Have Sent You
- 1986: Lillian Allen – Revolutionary Tea Party
- 1987: Leroy Sibbles – Mean While
- 1989: Lillian Allen – Conditions Critical
- 1990: Sattalites – Too Late to Turn Back Now
- 1991: Jayson & Friends – Soldiers We Are All
- 1994: Snow – Informer
- 1995: Carla Marshall – Class and Credential
- 1996: Sattalites – Now and Forever
- 1997: Nana McLean – Nana McLean
- 1998: Messenjah – Catch De Vibe
- 1999: Frankie Wilmot – Vision
- 2000: Lazo – Heart & Soul
- 2001: Lenn Hammond – Lenn Hammond
- 2002: Blessed – Love (African Woman)
- 2003: Sonia Collymore – You Won’t See Me Cry
- 2004: Leroy Brown – Rent A Tile
- 2005: Sonia Collymore – WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
- 2006: Blessed – Reggae Time
- 2007: Korexion – X-Rated
- 2008: Mikey Dangerous – Don’t Go Pretending
- 2009: Humble – Everything
- 2010: Dubmatix feat. Prince Blanco – Gonna Be Alright
- 2011: Elaine Lil’Bit Shepherd – Likkle But Mi Tallawah
- 2012: Exco Levi – Bleaching Shop
- 2013: Exco Levi – Storms of Life
- 2014: Exco Levi – Strive
- 2015: Exco Levi – Welcome the King
- 2016: Kafinal feat. Daddy U Roy – Nah Complain
- 2017: Exco Levi – Siren
- 2018: Kirk Diamond – Greater
- 2019: Dubmatix – Sly & Robbie Meet Dubmatix — Overdubbed
- 2020: Lyndon John X – The Warning Track
- 2021: Töme and Sean Kingston – I Pray
- 2022: Kairo McLean – Easy Now
- 2023: Kirk Diamond feat. Kairo McLean and Finn – Reggae Party
- 2024: Kirk Diamond feat. Finn – Dread
