Drake, Jessie Reyez and Peter Peter are among the Canadian artists being recognized by SOCAN with its 2026 Special Achievement Awards.
Drake takes home Songwriter of the Year in the Performer category for his triple album drop back in May.
Reyez, meanwhile, has been named the recipient of the International Achievement Award. The Toronto-born singer-songwriter has , earned Grammy recognition and has collaborated with global superstars including Calvin Harris, Eminem and 6LACK.
Maestro Fresh Wes's 1989 classic "Let Your Backbone Slide" has been selected for the Cultural Impact Award, with Anthony Davis and Peter Davis also credited as writers. The track became a foundational Canadian hip-hop recording and helped establish Maestro Fresh Wes as one of the country's early rap stars.
Montréal singer-songwriter will receive the Global Impact Award, recognizing the international reach of his work, notably through the success of Heated Rivalry, for which he scored the original music.
Behind the scenes, songwriter Jenna Andrews has been named Songwriter of the Year in the Non-Performer category. Andrews has become one of the most sought-after Canadian songwriters in contemporary pop, with writing credits for artists like Drake and BTS, and who is also credited with starting Stella Lennon's music career. The award comes after she wrote music for the breakout Netflix hit K-Pop Demon Hunters.
BC indie pop up-and-comer Jade LeMac will receive the Breakout Songwriter Award, while Toronto's own Nathan Micay is named Breakout Composer, notably for his work on HBO's Industry.
Film composer Andrew Lockington rounds out the winners with the Screen Composer of the Year award. The Hamilton-born composer has built an extensive Hollywood résumé, including scores for Mayor of Kingstown, Landman and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
The annual SOCAN Awards ceremony will take place on October 26 at Toronto’s REBEL nightclub.
