2008 in Canadian music
This is a summary of the year 2008 in the Canadian music industry.
Events
- April 6 – Juno Awards of 2008 held
- June 12 – 2008 Polaris Music Prize longlist announced
- June 15 – 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards held
- July 7 – 2008 Polaris Music Prize shortlist announced
- September 29 – Caribou's Andorra wins the Polaris Music Prize.
Albums
A
- Bryan Adams, 11
- Amylie, Jusqu'aux oreilles
- The Awkward Stage, ''Slimming Mirrors, Flattering Lights''
B
- Jill Barber, Chances
- Matthew Barber, Ghost Notes
- Barenaked Ladies, Snacktime!
- Laura Barrett, Victory Garden
- Daniel Bélanger, Joli chaos
- Billy Talent, 666
- Black Mountain, In the Future
- Bonjour Brumaire, De la Nature des Foules
- Born Ruffians, Red, Yellow & Blue
- Isabelle Boulay, Nos Lendemains
- The Buttless Chaps, ''Cartography''
C
- Cadence Weapon, Afterparty Babies
- Cancer Bats, Hail Destroyer
- Brendan Canning, Something for All of Us
- Paul Cargnello, Bragging
- Castlemusic, You Can't Take Anyone
- Chic Gamine, Chic Gamine
- Annabelle Chvostek, Resilience
- City and Colour, Bring Me Your Love
- Cœur de pirate, Cœur de pirate
- Jason Collett, Here's to Being Here
- Constantines, Kensington Heights
- Antoine Corriveau, Entre quatre murs
- Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles
- Isabelle Cyr, ''Isabelle Cyr''
D
- The Dears, Missiles
- Destroyer, Trouble in Dreams
- Die Mannequin, Unicorn Steak
- DL Incognito, A Captured Moment in Time
- Luke Doucet, Blood's Too Rich
- The D'Urbervilles, ''We Are the Hunters''
E
- Fred Eaglesmith, Tinderbox
- Kathleen Edwards, Asking for Flowers
- Elliott Brood, Mountain Meadows
- André Ethier, ''Born of Blue Fog''
F
- FemBots, Calling Out
- Forest City Lovers, ''Haunting Moon Sinking''
G
H
- Hawk Nelson, Hawk Nelson Is My Friend
- Hayden, In Field & Town
- Hello, Blue Roses, The Portrait Is Finished and I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty...
- Hey Rosetta!, Into Your Lungs
- Veda Hille, This Riot Life
- Hilotrons, Happymatic
- Human Highway, ''Moody Motorcycle''
I
J
K
- Kardinal Offishall, Not 4 Sale
- Kalle Mattson, Telescope
- Karkwa, Le volume du vent
- Kellarissa, Flamingo
- Koriass, Les racines dans le béton
- Keith Kouna, ''Les Années monsieur''
L
- Land of Talk, Some Are Lakes
- Éric Lapointe, Ma peau
- Library Voices, Hunting Ghosts (& Other Collected Shorts)
- The Lost Fingers, Lost in the 80s
- Rob Lutes, ''Truth & Fiction''
M
- Raine Maida, The Hunters Lullaby
- Catherine Major, Rose sang
- Kate Maki, On High
- Jon McKiel, The Nature of Things
- Sarah McLachlan, Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan
- Millimetrik, Northwest Passage's New Era, Keys
- Ariane Moffatt, Tous les sens
- Alanis Morissette, ''Flavors of Entanglement''
N
O
- One Hundred Dollars, ''Forest of Tears''
P
- Pas Chic Chic, Au Contraire
- Philémon Cimon, EP 2008
- Dany Placard, Raccourci
- Plants and Animals, Parc Avenue
- Prism, Big Black Sky
- Protest the Hero, Fortress
- The Provincial Archive, ''Nameless Places''
R
- Rattlesnake Choir, Live Music
- Sam Roberts, Love at the End of the World
- Justin Rutledge, ''Man Descending''
S
- Said The Whale, Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia
- Ron Sexsmith, Exit Strategy of the Soul
- Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
- Crystal Shawanda, Dawn of a New Day
- Simple Plan, Simple Plan
- Zal Sissokho, Silaba
- Sloan, Parallel Play
- Snailhouse, Lies on the Prize
- Spirit of the West, Spirituality 1983-2008: The Consummate Compendium
- Stars, Sad Robots
- The Stills, Oceans Will Rise
- Jeffery Straker, Step Right Up
- Sweatshop Union, ''Water Street''
T
- Theory of a Deadman, Scars & Souvenirs
- Tokyo Police Club, Elephant Shell
- The Trews, ''No Time for Later''
V
W
- Martha Wainwright, I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too
- Andrée Watters, Minuit
- Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer
- Woodhands, Heart Attack
- Hawksley Workman, Between the Beautifuls and ''Los Manlicious''
Top hits on record
Top 10 albums
These are the top selling albums in Canada. These albums consist of Canadian sales only.| Rank | Artist | Album | Peak position | Sales | Certification |
| 1 | Nickelback | Dark Horse | 1 | 480,000 | 6× Platinum |
| 2 | Simple Plan | Simple Plan | 2 | 200,000 | Platinum |
| 3 | The Canadian Tenors | The Canadian Tenors | 22 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 4 | Celine Dion | My Love: Essential Collection | 2 | 160,000 | 2× Platinum |
| 5 | City and Colour | Bring Me Your Love | 3 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 6 | Cœur de pirate | Cœur de pirate | N/A | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 7 | Sarah McLachlan | Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan | 3 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 8 | Theory of a Deadman | Scars & Souvenirs | 2 | 80,000 | Platinum |
| 9 | Sam Roberts | Love at the End of the World | 1 | 50,000 | Gold |
| 10 | Tara Oram | Chasing the Sun | 8 | 50,000 | Gold |
Deaths
- January 4 – Mort Garson, composer
- February 15 – Willie P. Bennett, folk singer-songwriter
- March 2 – Jeff Healey, blues guitarist
- May 11 – John Rutsey, former drummer for Rush
- July 3 – Oliver Schroer, fiddler and composer