Songwriter of the Year

Avril Lavigne ''GIRLFRIEND'' | ''KEEP HOLDING ON,'' LUKASZ GOTTWALD ''WHEN YOU’RE GONE,'' BUTCH WALKER

For her third album, ''The Best Damn Thing,'' the multimillion selling, singer-songwriter and guitarist had one clear goal in mind - to make it fun. While touring in 2004 for her last album, ''Under My Skin,'' the pop-rock dynamo found that her favourite songs to play were faster and more up-tempo, prompting her to make a record that captured that kind of high spirit. (J/RCA*SONY BMG)

Daniel Belanger ''LA FIN DE LHOMME'' | ''TéLéVISION'' | ''SPORTS ET LOISIRS''

This platinum-selling, multiple award winner is an amazingly creative performer, who pushes boundaries with an inspired mix of folk, rock and electronic music. He has also made successful inroads in the film world, where he was nominated for a Genie for best original song for the theme to 'Le Dernier soufflé' in 2000 and a Jutra for best music for 'L’Audition' in 2006. (Audiogram*Select)

Feist ''I FEEL IT ALL'' | ''MY MOON MY MAN'' - Gonzales | ''1234'' - Sally Seltmann WINNER

This has been Leslie Feist's year, with the catchy ''1234'' landing in an iPod commercial and becoming a smash download, her performance on ''Saturday Night Live'' and impressive worldwide sales of her latest album, ''The Reminder.'' (Arts&Crafts*EMI)

Joel Plaskett ''FASHIONABLE PEOPLE'' | ''NOTHING MORE TO SAY'' | ''FACE OF THE EARTH''

In 1992, Plaskett created alternative rock band Thrush Hermit, for which he was the primary songwriter until its breakup in 1999. His first solo release, ''In Need Of Medical Attention,'' consisted of songs he initially wrote for the band. (MapleMusic*Universal)

Rufus Wainwright ''GOING TO A TOWN'' | ''RELEASE THE STARS'' | ''DO I DISAPPOINT YOU''

With ''Release the Stars,'' his fifth album in a decade, Rufus Wainwright artfully establishes the intimacy he was reaching for while creating a work even more ambitious in scope than his acclaimed 2004 release, ''Want Two.'' (Geffen*Universal)