# 2012 in Canadian music

This is a summary of the year 2012 in the Canadian music industry.

## Events

* February 13 – The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation launches CBC Music, a digital music service which offers streaming audio broadcasts of 40 different music genre channels, in addition to the existing CBC Radio 2 and CBC Radio 3 services, on both the Internet and iOS devices.
* April 1 – Juno Awards of 2012
* June 14 – Prelimimary longlist for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize is announced.
* July 17 – Shortlist for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize is announced.
* September 24 – Feist's album Metals is announced as the winner of the Polaris Music Prize.

## Bands on hiatus

* Karkwa

## Albums released
### A

* Amos the Transparent, Goodnight My Dear, I'm Falling Apart (February 14)
* Amylie, Le Royaume
* Androgynous Mind, Nightstalker
* Apollo Ghosts, Landmark
* Marie-Pierre Arthur, Aux alentours
* Azari & III, Azari & III

### B

* Baby Eagle and the Proud Mothers, Bone Soldier (March 6)
* Bahamas, Barchords (February 7)
* Del Barber, Headwaters
* Bidiniband, In the Rock Hall (January 24)
* Justin Bieber, Believe
* Big Brave, An Understanding Between People
* Billy Talent, Dead Silence, September 9, 2012
* The Birthday Massacre, Hide and Seek (October 9)
* Blue Moon Marquee, Stainless Steel Heart
* Boxer the Horse, French Residency
* Brasstronaut, Mean Sun (May 15)

### C

* Cadence Weapon, Hope in Dirt City (May 29)
* Cancer Bats, Dead Set on Living
* Caracol, Shiver
* Paul Cargnello, Papa Paul
* Change of Heart, There You Go '82 – '97 (September 18, 2012)
* Tim Chaisson, The Other Side (September 25)
* The City Streets, White Lightning (spring)
* The City Streets, Sawdust & Rum (spring)
* Leonard Cohen, Old Ideas (January 31)
* Cold Specks, I Predict a Graceful Expulsion (May 21)
* Cookie Duster, When Flying Was Easy (June)
* Ève Cournoyer, Le labeur d'une fleur
* Rose Cousins, We Have Made a Spark
* Cuff the Duke, In Our Time (April 12)
* Cuff the Duke, Union (October 2)
* Amelia Curran, Spectators (October 2)

### D

* Daphni, Jiaolong
* Diamond Rings, Free Dimensional
* Digawolf, Naka De
* Céline Dion, Sans attendre
* Julie Doiron, So Many Days (October 23)
* Dumas, L'Heure et l'endroit
* Durham County Poets, Where the River Flows
* Dusted, Dusted

### E

* Kathleen Edwards, Voyageur (January 17)
* Coral Egan, The Year He Drove Me Crazy
* The Elwins, And I Thank You (February 21)
* Quique Escamilla, Quique Escamilla
* Esthero, Everything Is Expensive (October 30)
* Evening Hymns, Spectral Dusk

### F

* Jeremy Fisher, Mint Juleps
* Front Line Assembly, AirMech (November 13)
* Nelly Furtado, The Spirit Indestructible (September 18)

### G

* Gentleman Reg, Leisure Life
* Hannah Georgas, Hannah Georgas
* Ghostkeeper, Horse Chief! War Thief!
* Jenn Grant, The Beautiful Wild (September 25)
* Great Lake Swimmers, New Wild Everywhere (April 3)
* Grey Kingdom, The Weeping Suns; Light, I'll Call Your Name Out "Darkness"
* Grimes, Visions (February 21)
* Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (October 1)

### H

* Hot Panda, Go Outside
* Joshua Hyslop, Where the Mountain Meets the Valley

### I

* Islands, A Sleep & a Forgetting (February 14)

### J

* JBM, Stray Ashes
* Japandroids, Celebration Rock
* Carly Rae Jepsen, Curiosity
* Carly Rae Jepsen, Kiss
* July Talk, July Talk

### K

* Kalle Mattson, Lives in Between
* Karkwa, Karkwa Live
* Peter Katz, Still Mind Still
* Mo Kenney, Mo Kenney
* Kid Koala, 12 Bit Blues, (September 18)
* Keith Kouna, Du plaisir et des bombes
* K'naan, Country, God or the Girl, (October 16)
* K'naan, More Beautiful Than Silence (January 31)
* Kristina Maria, Tell the World

### L

* Zachary Lucky, Saskatchewan

### M

* Madison Violet, The Good in Goodbye
* Maestro Fresh Wes, Black Tuxedo EP (September 18)
* Maïa, Héritage
* Mares of Thrace, The Pilgrimage
* Carolyn Mark, The Queen of Vancouver Island
* Masia One, Bootleg Culture (June 19)
* Matt Mays, Coyote
* Eamon McGrath, Young Canadians
* Loreena McKennitt, Troubadours on the Rhine
* Holly McNarland, Run Body Run
* Memoryhouse, The Slideshow Effect (February 28)
* Metric, Synthetica (June 12)
* METZ, METZ
* Millimetrik, Read Between the Rhymes
* Ariane Moffatt, MA
* Mother Mother, The Sticks

### N

* Northern Haze, Sinaaktuq

### O

* Mike O'Neill, Wild Lines
* Octoberman, Waiting in the Well
* Ohbijou, Metal Meets
* Karim Ouellet, Fox
* Our Lady Peace, Curve (April 3)

### P

* Dorothea Paas, Same Sun
* Doug Paisley, Golden Embers
* Parlovr, Kook Soul
* Pascale Picard Band, Trauma: Chansons de la série télé Saison 3
* Dany Placard, Démon vert
* Plants and Animals, The End of That (February 28)
* Joel Plaskett, Scrappy Happiness (March 27)
* Chad Price, In This Dream
* PS I Love You, Death Dreams
* Purity Ring, Shrines

### R

* Radio Radio, Havre de Grace (April 17)
* Rah Rah, The Poet's Dead
* Johnny Reid, Fire It Up
* Rush, Clockwork Angels

### S

* Julien Sagot, Piano mal
* Said the Whale, Little Mountain (March 6)
* John K. Samson, Provincial (January 24)
* Saukrates, Season One (April 24)
* Crystal Shawanda, Just Like You
* Shout Out Out Out Out, Spanish Moss and Total Loss (June 19)
* Zal Sissokho, Le Partage
* Skydiggers, Northern Shore (April 17)
* The Slakadeliqs, The Other Side of Tomorrow
* Smash Brovas, Think It's a Game?
* Dallas Smith, Jumped Right In - May 22
* Rae Spoon, I Can't Keep All of Our Secrets (January 10)
* Stars, The North
* Jeffery Straker, Vagabond – October 2
* Serena Ryder, Harmony

### T

* The Tragically Hip, Now for Plan A
* A Tribe Called Red, A Tribe Called Red

### V

* Chad VanGaalen, The Green Corridor
* Various Artists, Have Not Been the Same – November 13

### W

* Martha Wainwright, Come Home to Mama
* Rufus Wainwright, Out of the Game
* Patrick Watson, Adventures in Your Own Backyard (April 17)
* Wax Mannequin, No Safe Home
* Whitehorse, The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss
* Wintersleep, Hello Hum
* Royal Wood, We Were Born to Glory
* The Wooden Sky, Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun (February 28)
* Woodpigeon, For Paolo
* Wool on Wolves, Measures of Progress

### Y

* Neil Young, Americana
* Yukon Blonde, Tiger Talk – March 20

### Z

* Zeus, Busting Visions

## Top hits on record

The lists are updated weekly through Jam! and Nielsen Soundscan.

### Top 10 Canadian albums

| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak position | Sales | Certification |
| 1 | Celine Dion | Sans attendre | 1 | 209,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 2 | Justin Bieber | Believe | 1 | 179,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 3 | Various Artists | Star Académie 2012 | 1 | 156,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 4 | Leonard Cohen | Old Ideas | 1 | 132,000 | Platinum |
| 5 | Johnny Reid | Fire It Up | 2 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 5 | Marie-Mai | Miroir | 2 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 5 | Serena Ryder | Harmony | 11 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 5 | The Sheepdogs | The Sheepdogs | 1 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 5 | The Tenors | Lead With Your Heart | 3 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 5 | Various Artists | Star Académie Noël | TBA | 80,000 | Platinum |

### Top 10 American albums

| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak position | Sales | Certification |
| 1 | Taylor Swift | Red | 1 | 320,000 | 4× Platinum |
| 2 | Bruno Mars | Unorthodox Jukebox | 2 | 240,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 3 | Imagine Dragons | Night Visions | 4 | 240,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 4 | Pink | The Truth About Love | 1 | 240,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 5 | Lana Del Rey | Born to Die | 3 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 6 | The Lumineers | The Lumineers | 5 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 7 | Carrie Underwood | Blown Away | 1 | 80,000 | Platinum{ |
| 8 | Florida Georgia Line | Here's to the Good Times | 8 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 9 | fun. | Some Nights | 5 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 10 | Jack White | Blunderbuss | 1 | 80,000 | Platinum |

### Top 10 British albums

| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak position | Sales | Certification |
| 1 | Mumford & Sons | Babel | 1 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 2 | One Direction | Take Me Home | 1 | 240,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 3 | Rod Stewart | Merry Christmas, Baby | 1 | 240,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 4 | One Direction | Up All Night | 1 | 234,000 | 3× Platinum |
| 5 | Ed Sheeran | + | 5 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 6 | Led Zeppelin | Celebration Day | 4 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 7 | Muse | The 2nd Law | 2 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 8 | One Direction | Up All Night: The Live Tour | 1 | 60,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 9 | Alt-J | An Awesome Wave | TBA | 40,000 | Gold |
| 9 | Calvin Harris | 18 Months | 8 | 40,000 | Gold |

### Top 10 International albums

| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak position | Sales | Certification |
| 1 | Of Monsters and Men | My Head Is an Animal | 5 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 2 | Rihanna | Unapologetic | 1 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 2 | Various Artists | 2012 Grammy Nominees | TBA | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 4 | Gotye | Making Mirrors | 5 | 40,000 | Gold |
| 4 | Various Artists | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | TBA | 40,000 | Gold |
| 4 | Various Artists | Rock of Ages: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | TBA | 40,000 | Gold |
| 7 | Nicki Minaj | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded | 1 | 17,300 | TBA |
| 8 | The Cranberries | Roses | 6 | 3,100 | TBA |
| 9 | Various Artists | Now! 20 | 2 | TBA | TBA |
| 10 | Sigur Rós | Valtari | 4 | TBA | TBA |

### Top 10 Singles

| Rank | Artist | Song | Album | Peak position | Sales | Certification |
| 1 | Carly Rae Jepsen | "Call Me Maybe" | Curiosity & Kiss | 1 | 640,000 | 8× Platinum |
| 2 | Imagine Dragons | "Radioactive" | Night Visions | 5 | 560,000 | 7× Platinum |
| 3 | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis | "Thrift Shop" | The Heist | 1 | 560,000 | 7× Platinum |
| 4 | Maroon 5 | "One More Night" | Overexposed | 2 | 480,000 | 6× Platinum |
| 5 | Bruno Mars | "Locked Out of Heaven" | Unorthodox Jukebox | 1 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 6 | Flo Rida | "Whistle" | Wild Ones | 1 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 7 | fun. | "Some Nights" | Some Nights | 4 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 8 | The Lumineers | "Ho Hey" | The Lumineers | 2 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 9 | Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa | "Payphone" | Overexposed | 1 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |
| 10 | Mumford & Sons | "I Will Wait" | Babel | 9 | 400,000 | 5× Platinum |

### Canadian Hot 100 Year-End List

| No. | Artist(s) | Title |
| 1 | Gotye featuring Kimbra | "Somebody That I Used to Know" |
| 2 | Carly Rae Jepsen | "Call Me Maybe" |
| 3 | fun. featuring Janelle Monáe | "We Are Young" |
| 4 | Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa | "Payphone" |
| 5 | The Wanted | "Glad You Came" |
| 6 | Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris | "We Found Love" |
| 7 | LMFAO | "Sexy and I Know It" |
| 8 | Flo Rida featuring Sia | "Wild Ones" |
| 9 | Nicki Minaj | "Starships" |
| 10 | Kelly Clarkson | "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" |
| 11 | Flo Rida | "Good Feeling" |
| 12 | Adele | "Set Fire to the Rain" |
| 13 | One Direction | "What Makes You Beautiful" |
| 14 | Flo Rida | "Whistle" |
| 15 | Train | "Drive By" |
| 16 | Katy Perry | "Wide Awake" |
| 17 | Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera | "Moves like Jagger" |
| 18 | Katy Perry | "Part of Me" |
| 19 | Hedley | "Kiss You Inside Out" |
| 20 | Katy Perry | "The One That Got Away" |
| 21 | David Guetta featuring Usher | "Without You" |
| 22 | Simple Plan | "Summer Paradise" |
| 23 | David Guetta featuring Sia | "Titanium" |
| 24 | Calvin Harris | "Feel So Close" |
| 25 | Maroon 5 | "One More Night" |
| 26 | Rihanna | "Where Have You Been" |
| 27 | fun. | "Some Nights" |
| 28 | Bruno Mars | "It Will Rain" |
| 29 | David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj | "Turn Me On" |
| 30 | Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen | "Good Time" |
| 31 | Jessie J | "Domino" |
| 32 | Pitbull | "Back in Time" |
| 33 | Pink | "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" |
| 34 | Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull | "Dance Again" |
| 35 | Justin Bieber | "Boyfriend" |
| 36 | Drake featuring Rihanna | "Take Care" |
| 37 | Psy | "Gangnam Style" |
| 38 | Usher | "Scream" |
| 39 | Taylor Swift | "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" |
| 40 | Pitbull featuring Chris Brown | "International Love" |
| 41 | Ellie Goulding | "Lights" |
| 42 | Adele | "Someone like You" |
| 43 | Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars | "Young, Wild & Free" |
| 44 | Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine | "Stereo Hearts" |
| 45 | LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock | "Party Rock Anthem" |
| 46 | Selena Gomez & the Scene | "Love You like a Love Song" |
| 47 | Karmin | "Brokenhearted" |
| 48 | Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean | "As Long as You Love Me" |
| 49 | Victoria Duffield | "Shut Up and Dance" |
| 50 | Foster the People | "Pumped Up Kicks" |
| 51 | One Direction | "One Thing" |
| 52 | K'naan featuring Nelly Furtado | "Is Anybody Out There?" |
| 53 | Marianas Trench | "Fallout" |
| 54 | Jay-Z and Kanye West | "Niggas in Paris" |
| 55 | Carly Rae Jepsen | "Curiosity" |
| 56 | Jason Mraz | "I Won't Give Up" |
| 57 | Hedley | "One Life" |
| 58 | Nicki Minaj | "Pound the Alarm" |
| 59 | Adele | "Rumour Has It" |
| 60 | Rihanna | "You da One" |
| 61 | Adele | "Rolling in the Deep" |
| 62 | Marianas Trench | "Desperate Measures" |
| 63 | Cher Lloyd | "Want U Back" |
| 64 | Mia Martina | "Burning" |
| 65 | Danny Fernandes featuring Josh Ramsay and Belly | "Hit Me Up" |
| 66 | Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo | "Let's Go" |
| 67 | Demi Lovato | "Give Your Heart a Break" |
| 68 | Chris Brown | "Turn Up the Music" |
| 69 | Rihanna | "Diamonds" |
| 70 | K'naan | "Hurt Me Tomorrow" |
| 71 | The Wanted | "Chasing the Sun" |
| 72 | Drake featuring Lil Wayne | "The Motto" |
| 73 | Dragonette | "Let It Go" |
| 74 | Skrillex featuring Sirah | "Bangarang" |
| 75 | deadmau5 featuring Chris James | "The Veldt" |
| 76 | Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. | "Give Me All Your Luvin'" |
| 77 | Taio Cruz featuring Flo Rida | "Hangover" |
| 78 | will.i.am featuring Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez | "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" |
| 79 | Gavin DeGraw | "Not Over You" |
| 80 | Coldplay | "Paradise" |
| 81 | Nickelback | "When We Stand Together" |
| 82 | Kelly Clarkson | "Mr. Know It All" |
| 83 | Gym Class Heroes featuring Neon Hitch | "Ass Back Home" |
| 84 | Lady Gaga | "Marry the Night" |
| 85 | Far East Movement featuring Justin Bieber | "Live My Life" |
| 86 | Train | "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" |
| 87 | T-Pain featuring Wiz Khalifa and Lily Allen | "5 O'Clock" |
| 88 | Eric Church | "Springsteen" |
| 89 | Toby Keith | "Red Solo Cup" |
| 90 | Carrie Underwood | "Good Girl" |
| 91 | LMFAO | "Sorry for Party Rocking" |
| 92 | Michel Teló | "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" |
| 93 | Kesha | "Die Young" |
| 94 | Karl Wolf | "Mash It Up" |
| 95 | Cobra Starship featuring Sabi | "You Make Me Feel..." |
| 96 | Walk off the Earth | "Somebody That I Used to Know" |
| 97 | Hedley | "Invincible" |
| 98 | Luke Bryan | "Drunk on You" |
| 99 | Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer | "Give Me Everything |
| 100 | Kristina Maria | "Our Song Comes On" |

## Deaths

* January 2 – Ian Bargh, jazz pianist
* January 25 – Andrew MacNaughtan, photographer and music video director
* February 21 – Christopher Reimer, rock guitarist (Women)
* April 23 – Billy Bryans, percussionist and record producer (Parachute Club)
* September 23 – Sam Sniderman, founder of the Sam the Record Man chain