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Nickelback Leads Politically Incorrect Juno Awards

So much for Canadian politeness. The Juno Awards (Canada's version of the Grammys) kicked off Sunday with Barenaked Ladies cocaine jokes, references to an Anne Murray sex-tape and a pyro-laden performance of Nickelback's mook-rock anthem 'Something in Your Mouth.'

Last year saw a near sweep by indie-turned-mainstream darling Feist, but the 2009 awards in Nickelback's hometown Vancouver were dominated by the mega-selling post-grungers. They won the fan choice award, Best Group and, finally, Best Album for 'Dark Horse,' after which grinning lead singer Chad Kroeger -- in a t-shirt that said "Shove It" -- quipped, "The press are going to have a field day with this one."

Juno Awards 2009

    Sam Roberts accepts the Juno Award for Artist of the Year during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086504), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    (L-R) Mike Kroeger; Daniel Adair, Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake of Nickelback accept the Juno Award for Group of the Year during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086542), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    (L-R) Mike Kroeger; Daniel Adair, Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake of Nickelback accept the Juno Award for Group of the Year during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086541), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    Elvis Costello and Diana Krall Present Album of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086485), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    Elvis Costello and Diana Krall Present Album of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086483), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    Elvis Costello and Diana Krall Present Album of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086480), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    Chad Kroeger of Nickelback performs on stage during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086518), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    Kathleen Edwards and Bryan Adams perform during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086378), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    LIGHTS accepts the Juno Award for New Artist of the Year during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086459), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com

    LIGHTS accepts the Juno Award for New Artist of the Year during the 2009 Juno Awards at General Motors Place on March 29, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. 2009 Juno Awards - Show General Motors Place Vancouver, British Columbia Canada March 29, 2009 Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage.com To license this image (57086451), contact WireImage.com

    George Pimentel/WireImage.com


But that wasn't the only weird win -- the Stills took home Best New Group a full seven years after their breakthrough debut. The Montreal band's comeback album on Arts&Crafts, 'Oceans Will Rise,' also took Best Alternative Album. Feist returned to the stage to pick up the best video statue (for the puppet-tastic 'Honey Honey') that she curiously lost last year for her iconic '1,2,3,4,' while Toronto rap legend Kardinal Offishall won Best Single for his million-selling, Akon-assisted cross-border hit 'Dangerous' and Best Rap Recording for the album 'Not 4 Sale.'

Dallas Green, who performs solo as City and Colour, as well as fronting screamo band Alexisonfire, won Songwriter of the Year and then brought the house down by bringing out Tragically Hip's Gord Downie for a surprise joint-performance. A similar summit took place towards the show's end with young, fiddle-playing, alt-country star Kathleen Edwards crooning alongside getting-cooler-with-age CanRock legend Bryan Adams.

Overall it was a strong year for the Junos, except for Nickelback's hat-trick. But maybe those voters had something in their ears, as well.

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John VE

Hi Sandy. Nickelback is great. So is Hedley and closer to my heart, Faber Drive! Were you at the CCR concert in Vancouver Oct '71? I was still a Province paperboy! Tony Joe White (of Polk Salad Annie fame) was there .. also Tower of Power. Who put these axts 2gether anyways !?!?

March 13 2010 at 1:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sandy

Nickelback is awesome. Saw them for the first time this summer in Alabama on their Dark Horse tour. My first concert ever was CCR back in the 70's, just to let you know what decade I'm from. Anyway, no matter what age group your are, this group of artist are fantastic. Keep Rockin.

October 19 2009 at 2:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Robin Shirley Lebeau

I love NickelBack too. Specially when they do Something In Your Mouth and Burn It To The Ground 2 of my favorites. Im glad they won Yay!!!!

August 09 2009 at 10:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
fortgary45

I love Nickelback and their music is great .I think Darkhorse is the best cd so far.

April 03 2009 at 9:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
fortgary45

I absolutely love Nickelback so much! I can't see why they are passed up on U S awards shows!!Dark Horse is a great cd to listen to as all of their other cds!

April 03 2009 at 9:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply