Breaking down the top 2025 Juno nominees
Pop sensation Tate McRae and country powerhouse Josh Ross have earned five nods apiece
Canadian pop superstar Tate McRae received five Juno nominations. (Patrick Cristiano/Wikimedia Commons)
The biggest night in Canadian music is almost here.
The 2025 Juno Awards in Vancouver later this month will be more than just a night celebrating the best in Canadian music — they have the power to unite communities through the powerful language of music.
Superstars Tate McRae and Josh Ross are leading the nominations for this year’s Junos, earning five each.
Calgary’s very own McRae is a global icon who has taken the music scene by storm. With hit singles “you broke me first” and “greedy” both amassing more than a billion streams on Spotify, it is no wonder that McRae has become one of the biggest names in Canadian music in the last couple of years.
In 2023, McRae released her highly anticipated second album THINK LATER, which earned her the fourth spot on the US Billboard 200. Her hit single from the album, “greedy,” quickly became a worldwide hit, going on to reach the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 by January 2024.
Last year, McRae won two Juno Awards: Artist of the Year and Single of the Year for “greedy.” With five nominations this year, will McRae keep adding to her Juno Award collection? McRae’s global superstardom is a great accomplishment, regardless of whether she takes home any Junos this year.
As McRae makes her mark in pop, Ontario’s Ross is making his name known in the Canadian country music scene. In 2022, Ross became a household name, with his hit single “First Taste of Gone” earning him a top-five position on Billboard’s Canada Country chart.
With the success of “First Taste of Gone” under Ross’s belt, the hits kept rolling out. In 2023, his new catchy single “Trouble” earned him a number-one spot on the Billboard Canada Country chart, and, in 2024, Ross won five Canadian Country Music Awards, including Single of the Year for “Trouble.”
Five seems to be Ross’s lucky number. Will he be fortunate again and take home all five Junos this year? Ross’s dynamic and hard-hitting songwriting over the last few years has certainly made him a standout contender at the Junos.
The Junos not only celebrate the best in pop and country but also highlight the craft and talent of Canadian Indigenous artists like Tia Wood and Adrian Sutherland, who are both nominated for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year.
Wood and Sutherland both have used the art of music to raise awareness and tell a story about their Indigenous identity. Wood’s and Sutherland’s Juno-nominated albums — Pretty Red Bird and Precious Diamonds respectively — demonstrate powerful and beautiful talent and songwriting, highlighting the importance of Indigenous heritage and culture in Canada.
These singers are just two of the Indigenous artists the Junos are celebrating this year. By recognizing these talented nominees, this year’s Junos are sending a message of inclusivity and community.
It’s also worth mentioning notable Canadian artists like The Weeknd and Shawn Mendes also secured Juno nominations, including the coveted Artist of the Year.
Overall, the 2025 Juno Awards will be a special night of artistry, bringing together the best of all genres in Canadian music on March 30 at Rogers Arena.
