A wide range of Canadian recording artists, from newer acts like City and Colour to established performers the New Pornographers, have made the long list for this year's Polaris Music Prize.

For the first time in its three-year history, organizers have released a list of 40 semi-finalists vying for the fledgling, $20,000 music honour.

The idea "is to expose even more of the essential music that's being made across the country and hopefully increase anticipation for what is sure to be a thrilling 2008 short list," Polaris founder and executive director Steve Jordan said in a statement.

The listed artists are:

Born Ruffians, Red, Yellow and Blue Buck 65, Situation Basia Bulat, Oh, My Darling Cadence Weapon, Afterparty Babies Cancer Bats, Hail Destroyer Caribou, Andorra City and Colour, Bring Me Your Love Constantines, Kensington Heights Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles Destroyer, Trouble In Dreams Fred Eaglesmith, Tinderbox Kathleen Edwards, Asking For Flowers Christine Fellows, Nevertheless Gatineau, Gatineau Hayden, In Field And Town

Veda Hille, This Riot Life Hilotrons, Happymatic Holy F---, LP Islands, Arm's Way Karkwa, Le volume du vent Corb Lund, Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! The New Pornographers, Challengers Pas Chic Chic, Au Contraire Sandro Perri, Tiny Mirrors Plants And Animals, Parc Avenue Ghislain Poirier, No Ground Under Protest the Hero, Fortress Justin Rutledge, Man Descending Sadies, New Seasons Shad, The Old Prince Socalled, Ghetto Blaster Stars, In Our Bedroom After The War Tegan And Sara, The Con Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band,13 Blues for Thirteen Moons Two Hours Traffic, Little Jabs The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour Wintersleep, Welcome To The Night Sky

Inspired by the U.K.'s Mercury Prize, the Polaris recognizes the best full-length Canadian album of the past year, judged on artistic merit and without regard to either genre or sales figures.

A cross-Canada panel of 185 music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers determines the long list as well as the 10-title short list, to be announced July 7.

For the past two years, the winner has been announced at a ceremony in Toronto in September. Past recipients include Final Fantasy for He Poos Clouds and Patrick Watson for Close to Paradise.