Love Canada? Love music? Love Canadian music? Then prepare yourself, patriotic listeners. The 2016 Polaris Music Prize shortlist is finally here.

Whittling 40 long-list artists down to a mere 10, today brings us one step closer to finding out just who—according to an independent jury of music journalists, broadcasters and music bloggers—has created the best album of the year.

The shortlist brings some great news. Four Vancouver artists—Black Mountain, White Lung, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Grimes (yes, we’re still counting Grimes as local)—are still in the running for the coveted $50,000 prize. And, even better, Justin Bieber and Purpose have been struck from the list.

Toronto natives will be disappointed that Drake’s VIEWS were not insightful enough for the shortlist, and that music critics have finally realized that The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness is more mad than beautiful. (And let's be honest—neither of them needed the money anyway.)

Sadly out of the contest are SUUNS’s powerful Hold/Still, Jean-Michel Blais’s Il,and local hero Veda Hille’s Love Waves. Better luck next year, guys.

The overall winner will be decided on September 19 at the Polaris Gala. Watch this space.

Polaris Music Prize shortlist nominees:

Black Mountain – IV

Basia Bulat – Good Advice

Grimes – Art Angels

Carly Rae Jepsen – E•MO•TION

Kaytranada – 99.9%

Jessy Lanza – Oh No

PUP – The Dream Is Over

Andy Shauf – The Party

U.S. Girls – Half Free

White Lung – Paradise

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