49 Songs

Today, CBC Radio 2 unveils an exciting new challenge to the nation. We want you to help us choose 49 songs from north of the 49th parallel that you think best represent our country to the world.

Starting on Monday, January 5th, you will be able to nominate your favourite Canadian song (or tune or opus) to be one of 49 songs that CBC Radio 2 will offer as an inauguration day celebration for music-loving President-Elect Barack Obama.

This is your official heads up: you have a week to consider which song you think best represents and defines our country to the incoming president. On January 5th, we'll invite you to start making your suggestions to us online at our special website, by email or by phone (details to come).

On January 12th we'll unveil the top 100 candidates. You'll have 5 days to vote for your favourite entries online (until January 16th), and finally on January 20th - Inauguration Day in the USA - we'll announce the winning songs and play as many of the 49 as we can fit into our daytime shows: Radio 2 Morning, Tempo, Drive and Tonic.

Will it be Anne Murray or R. Murray Schafer? Gordon Lightfoot or Glenn Gould? Oscar Peterson or Tanya Tagaq; Robert Charlebois or K'naan; Broken Social Scene or the Be Good Tanyas ... or maybe all of the above? You tell us, starting on January 5th.