The 2017 Juno Awards in Ottawa honoured and celebrated the biggest names in Canadian music.
The show started with a skit that had Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling in to request “Summer of ’69” by this year’s co-host, Bryan Adams.
Trudeau got what he wished for as the show closed with a performance of the hit song that included new Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Sarah McLachlan, as well as Alessia Cara, members of Billy Talent, and Arkells.
In between the awards there were all-star performances as well as playful banter between co-hosts comedian Russell Peters and rocker Bryan Adams, who took over for Michael Buble who is focusing on the health of his young son battling cancer.
There were tributes to two of this year’s biggest winners, Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie and the late Leonard Cohen.
Cohen’s “You Want It Darker” beat out international chart-toppers by Celine Dion, Drake, Shawn Mendes and the Weeknd for album of the year.
Cohen’s son was there to accept the award on his behalf saying “my father said that he saw a Juno in my future. Of course, it was his.”
.@ThisIsAdamCohen accepts Album of the Year Sponsored by @MusicCanada on behalf of his father, Leonard Cohen. pic.twitter.com/3rGgiZtGTB
— The JUNO Awards (@TheJUNOAwards) April 3, 2017
