Wikipedia / CASBY Awards
Wikipedia / CASBY Awards
The CASBY Awards were a Canadian awards ceremony for independent and alternative music, presented annually by Toronto, Ontario radio station CFNY, currently branded as 102.1 The Edge. CASBY is an acronym for Canadian Artists Selected By You.
The awards were first presented in 1981 under the name U-Knows, a pun on Canada's mainstream Juno Awards. The concept was developed by David Marsden, the program director at CFNY at the time, when he heard the Juno nominations announced on CBC Radio, and included was Long John Baldry— who was newly resident in Canada but had already been in the music business for almost 20 years— as most promising vocalist.
They were renamed the CASBYs in 1985, after a listener contest. The 1985 ceremony, hosted by Carole Pope and Paul Shaffer, also marked the first time that the awards were broadcast nationally by CBC Television. In the first year, voter ballots were distributed exclusively by the Canadian music magazine Graffiti. In later years the awards expanded the distribution, printing ballots in a number of major market daily newspapers across Canada.
The 1987 ceremony featured a rare public performance by XTC, although their performance was videotaped in advance of the ceremony. That year's awards were also marred by several organizational snafus, including the wrong winner being initially announced for Album of the Year.
The award's bid for national prominence faltered in the late 1980s, particularly after CFNY's short-lived shift to a more mainstream music format also affected public perception of the awards' identity. During that era, some alienated listeners even picketed the awards ceremony. Beginning in 1993 the awards were pared down to just three categories, and after 1996, amid a sense that the awards had effectively lost their purpose, the awards were discontinued.
They were then revived in 2002, and were presented each year until 2017.
Winners
1980s
1981
Album of the Year: Teenage Head, Frantic City
Single of the Year: Martha and the Muffins, "Echo Beach"
Group of the Year: Teenage Head
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
Male Vocalist of the Year: B.B. Gabor
1982
Album of the Year: Bruce Cockburn, Inner City Front
Single of the Year: Blue Peter, "Chinese Graffiti"
Group of the Year: Martha and the Muffins
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
Male Vocalist of the Year: B.B. Gabor
1983
Album of the Year: Rough Trade, Shaking the Foundations
Single of the Year: The Payolas, "Eyes of a Stranger"
Group of the Year: Spoons
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Leroy Sibbles
1984
Album of the Year: Parachute Club, Parachute Club
Single of the Year: Men Without Hats, "The Safety Dance"
Group of the Year: Parachute Club
Female Vocalist of the Year: Lorraine Segato (Parachute Club)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Paul Humphrey (Blue Peter)
1985
Album of the Year: Parachute Club, At the Feet of the Moon
Single of the Year: Spoons, "Tell No Lies"
Group of the Year: Parachute Club
Female Vocalist of the Year: Jane Siberry
Male Vocalist of the Year: Bruce Cockburn
Most Promising Male Vocalist: Gowan
Most Promising Non-Recording Group: Chalk Circle
Most Promising Group of the Year: Pukka Orchestra
Best International Album: U2, The Unforgettable Fire
1986
Album of the Year: Jane Siberry, The Speckless Sky
Single of the Year: Images in Vogue, "In the House"
Group of the Year: Images in Vogue
Female Vocalist of the Year: Luba
Male Vocalist of the Year: Bruce Cockburn
Most Promising Female Vocalist: Dianne Bos
Most Promising Group: Chalk Circle
International Album of the Year: Peter Gabriel, So
1987
Album of the Year: Parachute Club, Small Victories
Single of the Year: Luba, "How Many (Rivers To Cross)"
Group of the Year: Parachute Club
Female Vocalist of the Year: Luba
Male Vocalist of the Year: Corey Hart
Most Promising Artist: Colin James
Most Promising Group: The Pursuit of Happiness
Best Non-Recording Act: Basic English
International Album of the Year: Paul Simon, Graceland
1988
Album of the Year: Robbie Robertson, Robbie Robertson
Single of the Year: Blue Rodeo, "Try"
Group of the Year: Blue Rodeo
Female Vocalist of the Year: k.d. lang
Male Vocalist of the Year: Robbie Robertson
Most Promising Group: The Razorbacks (defeating The Tragically Hip)
Most Promising Artist: Andrew Cash
Best R&B/Reggae Recording: Sattalites
Best Jazz Recording: Manteca, Fire Me Up
Producer of the Year: Daniel Lanois, Robbie Robertson
Video of the Year: Blue Rodeo, "Try"
Best Independent Video: The Shuffle Demons - "Out of My House", "Roach"
Best Independent Artist: The Shuffle Demons
Best Album Art: The Grapes of Wrath, Treehouse
1989
Album of the Year: Jeff Healey, See the Light
Single of the Year: Jeff Healey, "Angel Eyes"
Group of the Year: Blue Rodeo
Female Vocalist of the Year: k.d. lang
Male Vocalist of the Year: Jeff Healey
Most Promising Group: Sons of Freedom
International Album of the Year: Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw & the Cooked
1990s
1990
Album of the Year: The Tragically Hip, Up to Here
Single of the Year: The Tragically Hip, "New Orleans Is Sinking"
Group of the Year: The Tragically Hip
Female Vocalist of the Year: Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip)
Most Promising Group: Skydiggers
Dance/Rap Song of the Year: Maestro Fresh Wes, "Let Your Backbone Slide"
International Album of the Year: Sinéad O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
1991
Favourite Album: Crash Test Dummies, The Ghosts That Haunt Me
Favourite Song: Crash Test Dummies, "Superman's Song"
Favourite Group/Artist: Barenaked Ladies
Most Promising Female Vocalist: Sarah McLachlan
Most Promising Male Vocalist: Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies)
Next Big Thing: Bourbon Tabernacle Choir
Most Outstanding Musician: Bruce Cockburn
1992
Favourite Album: The Grapes of Wrath, These Days
Favourite Song: The Grapes of Wrath, "I Am Here"
Favourite Group/Artist: Barenaked Ladies
Favourite Female Vocalist: Sarah McLachlan
Favourite Male Vocalist: Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip)
Favourite Debut Album: Barenaked Ladies, Gordon
Favourite Live Act: Barenaked Ladies
Favourite Writer/Lyricists: Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Blue Rodeo
Favourite New Group/Artist from Central Canada: Moxy Früvous
Favourite New Group/Artist from Eastern Canada: Sloan
Favourite New Group/Artist from Western Canada: Pure
Favourite Reggae/Ska Group/Artist: King Apparatus
Favourite Music Producer: Michael Phillip Wojewoda, Gordon
Special Achievement Award: Teenage Head
1993
Favourite Song: 13 Engines, "More"
Favourite New Artist/Group: Universal Honey
1994
Single of the Year: Doughboys, Shine
Favourite New Album:
Favourite New Song:
Favourite New Artist: Treble Charger
1995
Favourite New Album: Our Lady Peace, Naveed
Favourite New Song: Our Lady Peace, "Naveed"
Favourite New Artist: Our Lady Peace
1996
Favourite New Release: I Mother Earth, Scenery and Fish
Favourite New Song: I Mother Earth, "One More Astronaut"
Favourite New Artist: Limblifter
2000s
2002
Favourite New Artist: Sam Roberts
Favourite New Single: Treble Charger, "Hundred Million"
Favourite New Album: Our Lady Peace, Gravity
Favourite New Video: Simple Plan, I'm Just a Kid
Favourite New Indie Release: Not By Choice — Maybe One Day
Lifetime Achievement Award: Rheostatics
2003
Favourite New Artist: Three Days Grace
Favourite New Single: Billy Talent, "Try Honesty"
Favourite New Album: Sam Roberts, We Were Born in a Flame
Favourite New Indie Release: The Salads, Fold A to B
Lifetime Achievement Award: The Pursuit of Happiness
2004
Favourite New Artist: The Trews
Favourite New Single: Billy Talent, "River Below"
Favourite New Album: Billy Talent, Billy Talent
NXNE Favourite Indie Band: Alexisonfire
2005
Favourite New Artist: Arcade Fire
Favourite New Single: Bedouin Soundclash, "When the Night Feels My Song"
Favourite New Album: Arcade Fire, Funeral
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: BOY, Every Page You Turn
2006
Favourite New Artist: City and Colour
Favourite New Single: Billy Talent, "Devil in a Midnight Mass"
Favourite New Album: Billy Talent, Billy Talent II
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: Alexisonfire, Crisis
2007
Favourite New Artist: Attack in Black
Favourite New Single: Alexisonfire, "Boiled Frogs"
Favourite New Album: Finger Eleven, Them vs. You vs. Me
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: Attack in Black, Marriage
2008
Favourite New Artist: Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker
Favourite New Single: Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker, "Hollow Point Sniper Hyperbole"
Favourite New Album: Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: City and Colour, Bring Me Your Love
2009
Favourite New Artist: Arkells
Favourite New Single: City and Colour, "Sleeping Sickness"
2010
Favourite New Album: Three Days Grace, Life Starts Now
Favourite New Artist: Hollerado
Favourite New Single: Alexisonfire, "The Northern"
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: Tokyo Police Club, Champ
Favourite Edge Session: Silversun Pickups
2011
Favourite New Album: The Sheepdogs, Learn & Burn
Favourite New Artist: The Sheepdogs
Favourite New Single: City and Colour, "Fragile Bird"
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: The Sheepdogs, Learn & Burn
Favourite Edge Session: Mumford & Sons
2012
Favourite New Artist: Monster Truck
NXNE Favourite New Indie Release: Metric, Synthetica
Favourite Edge Session: Metric
2013
Favourite New Album: Mother Mother, The Sticks
Favourite New Artist: Walk Off the Earth
Favourite New Single: City and Colour, "Thirst"
Favourite Sugar Beach Session: Hollerado
2014
Favourite New Artist: July Talk
Favourite New Single: Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker, "Advanced Basics"
Favourite Sugar Beach Session: City and Colour
2015
Favourite New Record: Mother Mother, Very Good Bad Thing
Molson Canadian Favourite New Artist: Coleman Hell
Favourite New Song: Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker, "Shipwreck"
Favourite Sugar Beach Session: Metric
2016
Favourite New Record: Billy Talent, Afraid of Heights
Molson Canadian Favourite New Artist: Banners
Favourite New Song: July Talk, "Push + Pull"
Favourite Sugar Beach Session: Arkells
2017
Favourite New Record: Mother Mother, No Culture
Molson Canadian Favourite New Artist: Ascot Royals
Favourite New Song: Arkells, "Knocking at the Door"
Favourite Sugar Beach Session: Hollerado
References
External links