Jessie Reyez, Drake and the creators of a landmark Canadian hip-hop single are among the honourees announced for the October 26 gala.
The Canadian
Culture
October 8, 2026
3 min read
The 2026 SOCAN Awards will recognize a cross-section of Canadian songwriting, from current international performers to a foundational recording in the country’s hip-hop history. The annual gala for songwriters, composers and music publishers is scheduled for October 26 in Toronto.
Jessie Reyez will receive the International Achievement Award, recognizing her work beyond Canada and collaborations across pop and hip-hop. Drake is set to receive songwriter of the year in the performer category for a fifth consecutive year following a 2026 release that extended his presence on global charts.
The program will also honour Maestro Fresh Wes and producers Anthony and Peter Davis for Let Your Backbone Slide. Released in 1989, the track became the first single by a Canadian hip-hop artist to achieve gold certification, making its recognition a link between the industry’s present reach and an earlier fight for space on Canadian radio and record shelves.
SOCAN collects and distributes performance and reproduction royalties for music creators and publishers. Its awards therefore recognize more than visible performers: they also place composition, production and rights management at the centre of how Canadian music is made and sustained.
Awards cannot capture the full breadth of a music culture, but the announced honourees illustrate its continuity. A gala built around both current chart success and a 1989 breakthrough tells a wider story about Canadian songwriting moving from local infrastructure to international influence.
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