News Article

Submissions for the 2027 Music PEI Awards are officially open, with Island artists and music industry professionals invited to put their work forward for consideration in 29 award categories.

Submissions will remain open until Monday, October 12 at 11:59 p.m. AT, with nominees going on to be celebrated during Music PEI Week, taking place February 26 to March 6, 2027.

This year’s awards include several new and updated categories designed to better reflect PEI’s evolving music community.

Heavy Album of the Year is replacing the former Alternative Recording of the Year category, with updated criteria encompassing alt-rock, punk and hardcore, experimental, grunge, metal and other heavier styles of music.

Album Art of the Year also returns as a standalone award, separating recognition for album artwork from the broader Visual Artist of the Year category.

The former Lloyd Doyle New Artist of the Year award has been replaced by two categories: the Lloyd Doyle Emerging Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year. The change is intended to recognize artists at different stages of career development, from those beginning to establish themselves in the Island music community to artists reaching significant new milestones in their careers.

Another change is that the Pop/Dance Recording of the Year has been split into their own categories – Pop Recording of the Year and Dance/Electronic Recording of the Year. 

Lastly, the selection process for Music Video of the Year is changing as well. Rather than being determined through a community vote, the award will return to being adjudicated by a jury.

Artists and industry professionals can review the complete 2027 award guidelines and submit their work through the Music PEI website. Submissions close October 12 at 11:59 p.m. AT.