CASBY Awards

Template:Short description The CASBY Awards were a Canadian awards ceremony for independent and alternative music, presented annually by Toronto, Ontario radio station CFNY, currently branded as 102.1 The Edge. CASBY is an acronym for Canadian Artists Selected By You.

The awards were first presented in 1981 under the name U-Knows, a pun on Canada's mainstream Juno Awards. The concept was developed by David Marsden, the program director at CFNY at the time, when he heard the Juno nominations announced on CBC Radio, and included was Long John Baldry — who was newly resident in Canada but had already been in the music business for almost 20 years — as most promising vocalist.<ref>"U-Know awards make the move into the big time". The Globe and Mail, April 20, 1985.</ref>

They were renamed the CASBYs in 1985, after a listener contest.<ref name=festive>"A festive air to CASBYs' launch". The Globe and Mail, April 25, 1985.</ref> The 1985 ceremony, hosted by Carole Pope and Paul Shaffer,<ref>"Shaffer, Pope hosts of awards show". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1985.</ref> also marked the first time that the awards were broadcast nationally by CBC Television.<ref name=festive /> In the first year, voter ballots were distributed exclusively by the Canadian music magazine Graffiti.<ref name=return>"CASBY music awards to return". Ottawa Citizen, April 2, 1986.</ref> In later years the awards expanded the distribution, printing ballots in a number of major market daily newspapers across Canada.<ref name=return/>

The 1987 ceremony featured a rare public performance by XTC,<ref name=xtc>"Casby show brings XTC out of hiding". The Globe and Mail, June 19, 1987.</ref> although their performance was videotaped in advance of the ceremony.<ref name=errors>"The CASBYs turn into a comedy of many errors". The Globe and Mail, June 22, 1987.</ref> That year's awards were also marred by several organizational snafus, including the wrong winner being initially announced for Album of the Year.<ref name=errors />

The award's bid for national prominence faltered in the late 1980s, particularly after CFNY's short-lived shift to a more mainstream music format also affected public perception of the awards' identity.<ref>"CFNY music boss tunes ear to the future". Toronto Star, November 3, 1989.</ref> During that era, some alienated listeners even picketed the awards ceremony.<ref>"Hit songs miss the mark for disgruntled radio fans". The Globe and Mail, March 17, 1999.</ref> Beginning in 1993 the awards were pared down to just three categories,<ref>"Take the Q, please". Hamilton Spectator, November 25, 1993.</ref> and after 1996, amid a sense that the awards had effectively lost their purpose, the awards were discontinued.<ref>"CASBYs struggle for identity: CFNY's awards show used to have attitude. Now it's just a concert". Toronto Star, December 5, 1996.</ref>

They were then revived in 2002, and were presented each year until 2017.

WinnersEdit

1980sEdit

1981Edit

Album of the Year: Teenage Head, Frantic City
Single of the Year: Martha and the Muffins, "Echo Beach"
Group of the Year: Teenage Head
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
Male Vocalist of the Year: B.B. Gabor

1982Edit

Album of the Year: Bruce Cockburn, Inner City Front
Single of the Year: Blue Peter, "Chinese Graffiti"
Group of the Year: Martha and the Muffins
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
Male Vocalist of the Year: B.B. Gabor

1983Edit

Album of the Year: Rough Trade, Shaking the Foundations
Single of the Year: The Payolas, "Eyes of a Stranger"
Group of the Year: Spoons
Female Vocalist of the Year: Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Leroy Sibbles

1984Edit

Album of the Year: Parachute Club, Parachute Club
Single of the Year: Men Without Hats, "The Safety Dance"
Group of the Year: Parachute Club
Female Vocalist of the Year: Lorraine Segato (Parachute Club)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Paul Humphrey (Blue Peter)

1985Edit

Album of the Year: Parachute Club, At the Feet of the Moon
Single of the Year: Spoons, "Tell No Lies"
Group of the Year: Parachute Club
Female Vocalist of the Year: Jane Siberry
Male Vocalist of the Year: Bruce Cockburn
Most Promising Male Vocalist: Gowan
Most Promising Non-Recording Group: Chalk Circle
Most Promising Group of the Year: Pukka Orchestra
Best International Album: U2, The Unforgettable Fire

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1986Edit

Album of the Year: Jane Siberry, The Speckless Sky
Single of the Year: Images in Vogue, "In the House"
Group of the Year: Images in Vogue
Female Vocalist of the Year: Luba
Male Vocalist of the Year: Bruce Cockburn
Most Promising Female Vocalist: Dianne Bos<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Most Promising Group: Chalk Circle
International Album of the Year: Peter Gabriel, So

1987Edit

Album of the Year: Parachute Club, Small Victories
Single of the Year: Luba, "How Many (Rivers To Cross)"
Group of the Year: Parachute Club
Female Vocalist of the Year: Luba
Male Vocalist of the Year: Corey Hart
Most Promising Artist: Colin James
Most Promising Group: The Pursuit of Happiness
Best Non-Recording Act: Basic English
International Album of the Year: Paul Simon, Graceland

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1988Edit

Album of the Year: Robbie Robertson, Robbie Robertson
Single of the Year: Blue Rodeo, "Try"
Group of the Year: Blue Rodeo
Female Vocalist of the Year: k.d. lang
Male Vocalist of the Year: Robbie Robertson
Most Promising Group: The Razorbacks (defeating The Tragically Hip)
Most Promising Artist: Andrew Cash
International Album of the Year: INXS, Kick
Best R&B/Reggae Recording: Sattalites
Best Jazz Recording: Manteca, Fire Me Up
Producer of the Year: Daniel Lanois, Robbie Robertson
Video of the Year: Blue Rodeo, "Try"
Best Independent Video: The Shuffle Demons - "Out of My House", "Roach"
Best Independent Artist: The Shuffle Demons
Best Album Art: The Grapes of Wrath, Treehouse

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1989Edit

Album of the Year: Jeff Healey, See the Light
Single of the Year: Jeff Healey, "Angel Eyes"
Group of the Year: Blue Rodeo
Female Vocalist of the Year: k.d. lang
Male Vocalist of the Year: Jeff Healey
Most Promising Group: Sons of Freedom
International Album of the Year: Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw & the Cooked

1990sEdit

1990Edit

Album of the Year: The Tragically Hip, Up to Here
Single of the Year: The Tragically Hip, "New Orleans Is Sinking"
Group of the Year: The Tragically Hip
Female Vocalist of the Year: Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies)
Male Vocalist of the Year: Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip)
Most Promising Group: Skydiggers
Dance/Rap Song of the Year: Maestro Fresh Wes, "Let Your Backbone Slide"
International Album of the Year: Sinéad O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got