British Columbia is making waves at the 2025 Juno Awards, with the western province not only hosting the event but also boasting a strong presence among nominees. B.C. artists account for 13.5% of this year’s nominations, an increase from last year and a notable feat in a music landscape typically led by Ontario and Quebec.
A surprising standout category for B.C. is metal, where the province has secured three of the five nominations for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year. A fourth nominee hails from Edmonton, challenging Montreal’s long-held status as Canada’s metal capital—a title the city even declared for itself in 2019.
Joey Hawkin, organizer of two annual metal festivals in B.C., sees the recognition as well-deserved. “B.C. has an incredible metal scene,” he said. “There’s always local shows and hardworking bands pushing to the next level.” He also praised the Juno judges for their expertise, noting that the metal award is decided by true metalheads.
Vancouver’s Anciients, who won Metal Album of the Year in 2018, are nominated again for Beyond the Reach of the Sun. “It’s always a surprise to be recognized on a national level,” said vocalist and guitarist Kenny Cook. “We’re very honored.”
Victoria-based Spiritbox, also nominated for Group of the Year, earned a nod for The Fear of Fear. Guitarist Mike Stringer reflected on the significance of the moment: “Some of our favorite Canadian bands were Juno nominees, and it was always a huge deal. I was even voted most likely to win a Juno in high school—let’s see if they were right.” Vocalist Courtney LaPlante added, “It’s exciting to see non-mainstream music getting recognized.”
New Westminster’s Devin Townsend rounds out B.C.’s presence in the category with his album PowerNerd. A veteran of the scene, Townsend previously won the award in 2015.
Beyond B.C., Edmonton’s Kittie and London, Ontario’s Striker complete the list of nominees for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year.
Source: Swifteradio.com
