Canadian Blues Music Awards 2026
The Canadian blues community has something exciting to celebrate — and something brand new to rally around. The long-running Maple Blues Awards have been fully overhauled and reborn as the Canadian Blues Music Awards (CBMA), and the 2025 nominees have officially been announced.
The gala takes place Monday, March 30, 2026, with doors opening at 6PM and the ceremony kicking off at 7PM. The venue? The legendary Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto — a fitting home for Canada's premier blues celebration.
The transformation goes deeper than a name change. Following community feedback and criticism over the lack of recognition for Black artists, the Toronto Blues Society undertook a comprehensive redesign of the entire awards process. Gone is the old nomination model — it's been replaced by a fully online submission and judging system, complete with a jury drawn from across Canada representing radio, print, labels, producers, promoters, festivals, and more.
This year's nominees span the full breadth of Canadian blues — from acoustic and electric recordings to songwriting, video, and lifetime achievement honours. All artist categories are based on recordings released between September 1, 2023 and September 30, 2025.
One exciting addition for fans: the new Fan Favourite Award, which is decided entirely by public write-in vote.
For the full list of nominees and everything you need to know about the new awards format, visit:
The blues aren't just alive in Canada — they're evolving. Mark your calendars for March 30th.