The long list for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize was announced live from Vancouver this afternoon, marking the first round of finalists elegible for the $30,000 cheque and distinction of Best Canadian Album of the past year.

A second round of voting by the jury—made up of music journalists and music-media types from all across the country—will narrow that list down to ten. That short list will be announced on July 17.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves! Let’s revel in these 40 Canadian albums worthy of praise. The 2012 Polaris long list IS:

A Tribe Called Red – A Tribe Called Red
Marie-Pierre Arthur – Aux alentours
Rich Aucoin – We’re All Dying To Live
Avec pas d’casque – Astronomie
Azari & III- Azari & III
Bahamas – Barchords
The Barr Brothers – The Barr Brothers
Blackie And The Rodeo Kings – Kings And Queens
Cadence Weapon – Hope In Dirt City
Kathryn Calder – Bright And Vivid
Cannon Bros. – Firecracker/Cloudglow
Coeur de Pirate – Blonde
Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
Cold Specks - I Predict A Graceful Expulsion
Rose Cousins - We Have Made A Spark
Mark Davis – Eliminate the Toxins
Drake – Take Care
Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
Feist - Metals
Fucked Up – David Comes to Life
Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
Grimes – Visions
Dan Mangan – Oh Fortune
Mares Of Thrace – The Pilgrimage
Ariane Moffatt – MA
Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
Lindi Ortega – Little Red Boots
Parlovr – Kook Soul
Sandro Perri – Impossible Spaces
Joel Plaskett Emergency – Scrappy Happiness
PS I Love You – Death Dreams
John K. Samson – Provincial
Shooting Guns – Born To Deal In Magic 1952-1976
The Slakadeliqs – The Other Side of Tomorrow
Patrick Watson – Adventures In Your Own Backyard
Bry Webb – Provider
The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – YT//ST
Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk

What do you think?