Maryze Best of MTL 2020 Music

Maryze. Photo by Solomon Krause-Imlach

Best of MTL, Music

Best of MTL 2020: Music in Montreal

by Cult MTL

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

Best of MTL 2020: Music in Montreal

Bud Rice is the king of the Music section this year, topping the Best Solo Act category and appearing in the Best Folk/Country and Best Singer-songwriter categories as well. Glam/pop eccentric Hubert Lenoir continues to thrill our readers, who voted him into the Freakiest Act and Most Pretentious categories — dubious distinctions to some, perhaps, but we love our weirdos here at Cult MTL. In terms of continuity, Arcade Fire remain at the top of Best Band (despite the fact that most of them don’t live here anymore), Loud tops Best Hip Hop Act, Li’l Andy (recently seen playing live on the rooftop of Ursa with Martha Wainwright as part of POP Montreal’s pandemic singalong series) continues his reign as Best Folk/Country Act and Kaytranada, who dropped his critically acclaimed second LP Bubba late last year, takes Best Electronic Act.

Best Band

  1. Arcade Fire
  2. Half Moon Run
  3. The Damn Truth
  4. Caveboy
  5. Corridor
  6. Urban Science Brass Band
  7. El Coyote
  8. Patrick Watson
  9. Strange Froots
  10. Hypnophonics

Best Solo Act

Backxwash Best of MTL 2020 Music
“Black Lives Matter.”—Backxwash, Best Solo Act #3, Best Hip Hop Act #2 (Best of MTL 2020: Music in Montreal)
  1. Bud Rice
  2. Patrick Watson
  3. Backxwash
  4. Janette King
  5. Shane Murphy
  6. MIC The Rapper
  7. Paul Cargnello
  8. Charlotte Cardin
  9. Katie Moore
  10. Big Daddy Queen Power

Freakiest Act

  1. Hubert Lenoir
  2. Screaming Demons
  3. Big Sissy
  4. Jean Leloup
  5. Natasha Nebula
  6. Blue Odeur
  7. Bad Uncle
  8. Baron von Styck
  9. Gutser
  10. Grimes

Most Pretentious Act

  1. Arcade Fire
  2. Hubert Lenoir
  3. John Jacob Magistery
  4. Lakes of Canada
  5. Céline Dion
  6. The Dears
  7. Coeur de Pirate
  8. Pierre Lapointe
  9. Grimes
  10. Loud

Heaviest Act

  1. The Great Sabatini
  2. Mountain Dust
  3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor
  4. Voivod
  5. Big Brave
  6. Yoo Doo Right
  7. Sunset Drip
  8. Dopethrone
  9. Land of Kush
  10. UUBBUURRUU

Best Hip Hop Act

  1. Loud
  2. Backxwash
  3. Alaclair Ensemble
  4. Urban Science Brass Band
  5. Dino Babydoll Luciano
  6. Dead Obies
  7. Nomadic Massive
  8. Strange Froots
  9. Fouki
  10. Trinisha Browne

Best Club DJ

  1. Diskommander
  2. Awwful
  3. Frankie Teardrop
  4. DJ Jeffany
  5. Kaytranada
  6. Janette King 
  7. MC Mario
  8. DJ Dio
  9. Toddy Flores

Best Electronic Act

Maryze Best of MTL 2020 Music
“This is an amazing surprise — thanks to everyone who voted! When I used to visit Montreal before moving here, I would always grab the Best of MTL edition and thought all the artists were the coolest… honoured to be a part of it now! This city inspires me and I can’t wait to keep releasing new music and videos leading up to my first full-length album in 2021 on Hot Tramp.”—Maryze, Best Electronic Act #2 (Best of MTL 2020: Music in Montreal)
  1. Kaytranada
  2. Maryze
  3. Milk and Bone
  4. Awwful
  5. CRi
  6. Chromeo
  7. Ouri
  8. Vince Konigan

Best Folk/Country Act

  1. Li’l Andy
  2. Solstice
  3. Bud Rice
  4. Katie Moore
  5. Sin & Swoon
  6. Ol’ Savannah
  7. The Arnolds Sisters
  8. Vikki Gilmore
  9. Bats in the Belfry
  10. Bobby Dove

Best Jazz Act

  1. Dave Gossage Septet
  2. Kalmunity
  3. Dominique Fils-Aimé
  4. Eric Hove
  5. Urban Science Brass Band
  6. Beth McKenna
  7. Shy Shy Schullie
  8. The Jazz Mofos

Best Singer-songwriter

  1. Patrick Watson
  2. Storry
  3. Bud Rice
  4. Charlotte Cardin
  5. Katie Moore
  6. Leonard Cohen (RIP)
  7. Paul Cargnello
  8. Coeur de Pirate
  9. Safia Nolin

Best Busker

  1. Graham Downey (aka bagpipe dude)
  2. Dog mask violinist
  3. Jorie
  4. Spoonman
  5. Big Daddy
  6. Accordion guy at Guy-Concordia
  7. Greg Halpin
  8. Marianne Trenka

Best Record Label

  1. Stomp!
  2. Constellation
  3. Secret City
  4. On a Roll
  5. Dare to Care
  6. Arbutus
  7. Hot Tramp
  8. Bonsound
  9. Indica
  10. Simone

See the rest of the Best of MTL here:

Best of MTL 2020: Music in Montreal

Posted in Best of MTL, Music
Cult MTL 2020 logo

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.