Best of MTL, Music, Music

Best of MTL 2019: Music

by Cult MTL

The bands of all sorts — including the heaviest, freakiest and most pretentious — that make up Montreal’s rich soundtrack.

It’s the year of Hubert Lenoir (who is technically from Quebec City but we’ll allow it), whose rabid fanbase elevated the hard-working glam pop star to the top of the Best Solo Act and Best Freakiest Act categories, and to #2 Most Pretentious Act — probably the only list where you’ll ever see Céline Dion and Godspeed You! Black Emperor side by side. The buzz around Kaytranada persists, with the producer ranking #1 Best Electronic Act, #2 Best Solo Act as well as #5 Best Hip Hop Act. The latter category is topped this year by Loud of Loud Lary Ajust, who also continues to have a moment — he made #4 in Best Solo Act, too. New to the poll this year is Spacemak3r Spacemaker (#1 Heaviest Act!), a band that has been described as “circus metal” — two of Montreal’s cultural touchstones, together at last.

Best Band

  1. Arcade Fire
  2. Half Moon Run
  3. Urban Science
  4. Caveboy
  5. The Damn Truth
  6. Nomadic Massive
  7. Alaclair Ensemble
  8. Mountain Dust
  9. Pottery
  10. Dirty Laundry

Best Solo Act

  1. Hubert Lenoir
  2. Charlotte Cardin
  3. Kaytranada
  4. Loud
  5. Coeur de Pirate
  6. Bud Rice
  7. Paul Cargnello
  8. Awwful
  9. Tuggras
  10. Stephen Voyce

Freakiest Act

  1. Hubert Lenoir
  2. Natasha Nebula
  3. Big Sissy
  4. Screaming Demons
  5. Bad Uncle
  6. Jean Leloup
  7. Baron von Styck
  8. Beaver Sheppard
  9. Crabe
  10. Queeny Ives

Most Pretentious Act

  1. Arcade Fire
  2. Hubert Lenoir
  3. Lakes of Canada
  4. Céline Dion
  5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor
  6. Coeur de Pirate
  7. Pierre Lapointe
  8. Anemone
  9. The Dears
  10. John Jacob Magistery

Heaviest Act

  1. Spacemak3r Spacemaker
  2. The Great Sabatini
  3. Yoo Doo Right
  4. Voivod
  5. Mountain Dust
  6. Godspeed
  7. Big/Brave
  8. Dopethrone
  9. USA Out of Vietnam
Urban Science, Best Band #3, Best Hip Hop Act #7. Photo by Manikmati Photography

Best Hip Hop Act

  1. Loud
  2. Dead Obies
  3. Nomadic Massive
  4. Nate Husser
  5. Kaytranada
  6. Alaclair Ensemble
  7. Urban Science
  8. Strange Froots
  9. Kalmunity
  10. Baby Rose

Best Club DJ

  1. Awwful
  2. Frankie Teardrop
  3. Diskommander
  4. Jeffany
  5. Debby Friday
  6. 6co
  7. Pituca Putica
  8. Walla P
  9. Raisinz
  10. Plastik Patrik

Best Electronic Act

  1. Kaytranada
  2. Marie Davidson
  3. Milk and Bone
  4. Nick Schofield
  5. Chromeo
  6. Saxsyndrum
  7. Xarah Dion
  8. CRi
  9. Radiant Baby
  10. Ouri

Best Country/Folk Act

  1. Li’l Andy
  2. Sin Swoon
  3. El Coyote
  4. Bud Rice
  5. Barr Brothers
  6. Katie Moore
  7. Vikki Gilmore
  8. Ol’ Savannah
  9. Old Time Honey
  10. Bats in the Belfry

Best Jazz Act

  1. Shy Shy Schullie
  2. Al Mclean
  3. Dave Gossage Septet
  4. Kalmunity
  5. Urban Science Brass Band

Best Singer-songwriter

  1. Charlotte Cardin
  2. Paul Cargnello
  3. Safia Nolin
  4. Patrick Watson
  5. Coeur de Pirate
  6. Bud Rice
  7. Corey Gulkin
  8. Justine Garamani
  9. Katie Moore
  10. Ms Holmes

Best Busker

  1. Graham Downey, aka ginger bagpipe dude
  2. Jorie
  3. Spoonman
  4. Violinist in dog/wolf mask
  5. Old Time Honey
  6. Marianne Trenka

Best Label

  1. Constellation
  2. Arbutus
  3. Dare to Care
  4. Stomp
  5. Indica
  6. Secret City
  7. Bonsound
  8. On a Roll
  9. Fishbum
  10. Lisbon Lux

See the rest of the Best of MTL here:

* PEOPLE & PLACES
* MEDIA
* NIGHTLIFE
* FILM & ARTS
* GOODS & SERVICES
* FOOD & DRINK

Posted in Best of MTL, Music, Music
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by Cult MTL

Contributor
Cult MTL is a daily news website and monthly magazine focusing on Montreal culture, music, arts, news, politics and city life. Along with interviewing local and visiting artists, promoters and entrepreneurs, we feature analysis and criticism, curate a daily To-Do List and run the annual Best of MTL readers poll.