From coast-to-coast-to-coast, the greatest storytellers and songwriters of Canada in one place. Hear: William Prince, Leonard Cohen, K'naan, Gordon Lightfoot, Allison Russell, Bruce Cockburn, Basia Bulat, Robbie Robertson and more!
View the 100 best Canadian songs by clicking on the arrow icon above.
We thought narrowing down a list of the 100 greatest Canadian albums was difficult, but just try deciding on the best Canadian songs with a staff of music lovers of all ages sprawled coast to coast. Apparently we love a challenge (and a great fight), but the dust has settled and we're pleased to present CBC Music's 100 best Canadian songs ever.
It's easy to forget just how much talent has emerged from this country, and to further distill what it means to be a Canadian musician is almost impossible. As with the 100 greatest albums, the talent in this country is unparalleled, the scope of our music as vast and diverse as the landscape. A strong foundation of musicians and bands have worked hard and continue to work hard; they are known and proven quantities who hold their own on an international scale, making Canada one of the biggest and most exciting music hotspots in the world.
To help us celebrate these 100 songs, we’ve invited an incredible array of musicians, writers, actors and artists to act as unofficial cheerleaders and endorse each selection. Among the wonderful people who were eager to discuss their favourite Canadian songs are Dolly Parton, Spoon, Sarah McLachlan, the Tenors, the Kaiser Chiefs, Jenny Lewis, Tegan and Sara, Bob Saget and more. Open the photo gallery above to see the list, and check out the playlist below for all 100 songs.
Editor's note: this article was originally published on June 30, 2014.
Related: Joni Mitchell’s 'Both Sides Now': Is this poetry?
Pressed for time? Listen to all 100 songs in under four minutes!
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