Drake, Grimes and Justin Bieber are in the running for top Canadian album award

Drake, Grimes and Justin Bieber are among the artists to have made the longlist for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize.

The Weeknd, Dilly Dally, Peaches, Carly Rae Jepsen and Kaytranada also appear on the longlist for the prestigious award, which recognises the best album of the year by a Canadian artist.

A total of 40 albums have earned places on the longlist for the 2016 prize, which recognises albums released between June 1, 2015 and May 31, 2016. The 40-album longlist will be streamlined into a 10-album shortlist on July 14, with the winner being announced at a ceremony in Toronto on September 19. A Grand Jury of 11 members will decide the ultimate winner.

With his latest album 'Views' making this year's shortlist, Drake joins an elite group of artists to have had four albums longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. Grimes is longlisted for last year's 'Art Angels' set, which was named NME's album of the year in 2015. Bieber's acclaimed comeback collection 'Purpose' earns him a place on the longlist for the first time in his career.

Last year's Polaris Music Prize was won by Buffy Sainte-Marie for her album 'Power In The Blood'. Previous winners since the prize was launched in 2006 have included Feist, Arcade Fire and Caribou.

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