The Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year is presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to the best new musical group in Canada. The award has been given annually since 1974, and was previously called Most Promising Group of the Year (1974–1993), Best New Group (1994–2002), and New Group of the Year (2003–2012). The award was customarily presented by the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The award was discontinued following the Juno Awards of 2024. At the following Juno Awards of 2025, it was merged with the sibling category for Breakthrough Artist of the Year into a single category for Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year.
Recipients
Most Promising Group of the Year (1974–1993) Year Winner Nominees Refs. 1974 Bachman-Turner OverdriveBearfoot Chester Scrubbaloe Caine Wednesday 1975 RushBeau Dommage Greaseball Boogie Band Mahogany Rush Ville Émard Blues Band 1976 Myles & LennyAut'Chose Bond Heart Maneige 1977 THP OrchestraGarfield Moxy Sweeney Todd Trooper 1978 Hometown BandBlack Light Orchestra Jackson Hawke Max Webster Prism 1979 DoucetteMax Webster Streetheart Teaze Zon 1980 StreetheartFM The Minglewood Band Teaze The Raes 1981 Powder BluesLoverboy Martha & the Muffins Red Rider Toronto 1982 SagaGoddo Martha & the Muffins Red Rider The Kings 1983 Payola$Doug & the Slugs Headpins Spoons Strange Advance 1984 The Parachute ClubHoneymoon Suite Men Without Hats Platinum Blonde The Nylons 1985 Idle EyesImages in Vogue Rational Youth The Arrows The Box 1986 Glass TigerCats Can Fly Chalk Circle Eye Eye One to One 1987 Frozen GhostEight Seconds Haywire Nuance The Partland Brothers No award ceremony was held in 1988 1989 Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts54-40 The Jitters The Northern Pikes The Pursuit of Happiness 1990 The Tragically HipBrighton Rock Indio Paradox Sons of Freedom 1991 Leslie Spit TreeoBootsauce Crash Vegas National Velvet Spirit of the West 1992 InfidelsThe Rankin Family West End Girls World on Edge Young Saints 1993 SkydiggersLost & Profound Pure Slik Toxik Sven Gali
Best New Group (1994–2002) Year Winner Nominees Refs. 1994 The WaltonsMoxy Früvous Junkhouse Sloan The Odds The Tea Party 1995 MoistBig Sugar Farmer's Daughter The Gandharvas Wild Strawberries 1996 Philosopher KingsHemingway Corner Rainbow Butt Monkeys Rymes with Orange Sandbox 1997 The KilljoysLimblifter Pluto Starkicker Victor 1998 LeahyBran Van 3000 Matthew Good Band The Age of Electric Wide Mouth Mason 1999 Johnny Favourite Swing OrchestraLove Inc. New Meanies The Moffatts The Wilkinsons 2000 SkyGob Len Prozzäk Serial Joe 2001 Nickelbackb4-4 Kittie Sum 41 Templar 2002 DefaultJoydrop Smoother Sugar Jones Wave
New Group of the Year (2003–2012) Year Winner Nominees Refs. 2003 Theory of a DeadmanBet.e & Stef Crush One Ton Simple Plan 2004 Billy TalentLillix The Dears The Trews Three Days Grace 2005 AlexisonfireDeath From Above The Marble Index The Waking Eyes Thornley 2006 Bedouin SoundclashBoys Night Out Hedley Pocket Dwellers Silverstein 2007 MobileEvans Blue Idle Sons Jets Overhead Stabilo 2008 WintersleepDragonette Faber Drive illScarlett State of Shock 2009 The StillsBeast Cancer Bats Crystal Castles Plants and Animals 2010 ArkellsDown With Webster Stereos Ten Second Epic The New Cities 2011 Said the WhaleDie Mannequin Hollerado Misteur Valaire My Darkest Days 2012 The SheepdogsBraids Hey Rosetta! Mother Mother The Rural Alberta Advantage
Breakthrough Group of the Year (2013–2024) Year Winner Nominees Refs. 2013 Monster TruckHey Ocean! The Pack A.D. Walk Off the Earth Yukon Blonde 2014 A Tribe Called RedAutumn Hill Born Ruffians Courage My Love July Talk 2015 Magic!Adventure Club Alvvays USS Zeds Dead 2016 Dear RougeThe Elwins Half Moon Run Milk & Bone Young Empires 2017 The Dirty NilBleeker Cold Creek County Bob Moses The Zolas 2018 The BeachesJames Barker Band The Dead South The Franklin Electric The Jerry Cans"Arcade Fire and Daniel Caesar lead 2018 Juno Award nominations". CBC Music, February 6, 2018. 2019 The Washboard Union88Glam Dizzy Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine Loud Luxury"Shawn Mendes and the Weeknd lead the 2019 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 29, 2019.2020 Neon DreamsThe Blue Stones Hunter Brothers Palaye Royale ValleyMelody Lau, "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations". CBC Music, January 28, 2019.2021 Crown Lands2Frères Manila Grey Peach Pit Young BombsHolly Gordon and Andrea Warner, "Here are the 2021 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, June 4, 2021.2022 MonowhalesBlack Pistol Fire Cleopatrick Ocie Elliott SpiritboxJackson Weaver, "Charlotte Cardin, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber lead 2022 Juno Award nominees". CBC News, March 1, 2022.2023 Banx & RanxHarm & Ease Rare Americans Tommy Lefroy Wild Rivers Jenna Benchetrit and Arti Patel, "The Weeknd picks up 4 wins on Junos 2023 opening night". CBC News, March 11, 2023.2024 New WestBusty and the Bass Crash Adams Good Kid Men I Trust "Junos 2024: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 23, 2024.
References