black music legacy

The CBMA's mission is to research, preserve and celebrate various music genres, created, influenced and inspired by primarily Black Canadian musicians.

archive

Customize how you search the CBMA archive. Click any of the archive categories to get started or select a featured artist to view more information about them!

artist

genre

region

decade

The Weeknd

2000s, Ontario, Pop, R&B

Tamia

1980s, Ontario, R&B, Soul

Portia White

1940s, Classical, Gospel, Nova Scotia

Oscar Peterson

1940s, Jazz, Ontario

Okan

2010s, Afro-Latin, Classical, Jazz, Ontario, Rock

Nathaniel Dett

1880s, Blues, Classical, Folk, Gospel, Jazz, Ontario, Spirituals

Molly Johnson [Margaret Leslie]

1970s, Jazz, Ontario, Pop, Rock

Maestro [Maestro Fresh Wes]

1980s, HipHop, Ontario, Rap

Kaytranada

2010s, Dance, Electronic, Quebec

Jackie Richardson

1960s, Jazz, Ontario

Glenn Lewis

2000s, Ontario, R&B, Soul

Ghetto Concept

1990s, HipHop, Ontario, Rap

Eleanor Collins

1940s, British Columbia, Jazz

Daisy Peterson Sweeney

1940s, Jazz, Quebec

Bobby Dean-Blackburn

1950s, Blues, Gospel, Ontario, R&B, Rock

featured

news

CARAS Reverses Decision, Adds Two More Categories

September 25, 2024

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) reversed its decision to remove the reggae, gospel, and children’s categories from the JUNO Awards after significant backlash. The initial removal, announced in early September, sparked a debate within the Canadian music industry, particularly due to the importance of these genres to Black communities. In response to criticism, CARAS reinstated the categories and added new ones, including Songwriter of the Year and South Asian Recording of the Year, aiming to better reflect the diversity of Canadian music. The 2025 JUNO Awards will be held in Vancouver.