A jam packed Saddledome of 12,634 music fans joined CTV viewers across Canada on April 3^rd to see some of Canada’s finest perform and be part of the 45^th Annual Juno Awards.

Alessia Cara – who would take home Breakthrough Artist of the year – kicked off the show with a stellar performance of Here & Wild Things before hometown gal Jann Arden and Gold Medalist Jon Montgomery kicked off the show with their typical humour.

"I am not from Calgary but I did get kicked out of this arena by security" Montgomery confessed, prompting Arden to add "I may have peed in a garbage can here in the 80’s." Fortunately the pair were permitted back as they were excellent hosts.

You could see that Scott Helman, moments after performing his song Bungalow was ecstatic to award the Group of the Year award to Walk off the Earth.  "I might cry singer Sarah said, seeming surprised at taking the award in a category that included Mariana’s Trench, Hedley, Metric and Three Days Grace.

It was one of the few surprises in a night that saw The Weeknd dominate with 5 awards. Having topped the charts in the US and Canada, performed at the Academy Awards and won two Grammy awards, he beat other international superstars Drake and Justin Beiber, who went home with one award apiece. The Weeknd did not appear to speak to reporters. His performance of Acquainted and Might Not were simulcast at the IHeartMusic awards in Vegas and brought all the bells and whistles – pyro, effects, and an appearance by rapper Belly.

Iconic Buffy Sainte-Marie showed why she is one of our national treasures, captivating the audience with a spoken word piece before awarding The Weeknd with Single of the Year.

"Make some noise Canada" he said before thanking Max Martin and his team. "My fans have been with me since day one, I love you so much."

Another performer that has made waves internationally, Shawn Hook looked stunning in a red and black suit sitting behind a piano singing Sound of Your Heart surrounded by fog. Backed up by a string section it was the type of performance that the JUNOS is meant to do – expose artists to eyes that may not have caught them and create new fans, and over and over again during the broadcast did just that including Lights performing Running With The Boys with local student Sam Spensley in support of the Musicounts charity.

""I am part of a program funded by MusicCounts. I got to perform with Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida at the Core. Thanks to my mother’s large mouth I got the opportunity to meet Lights and perform here," Spensley said backstage. "I met Shawn Mendez and freaked out. Meeting Lights I cried" Although it is a huge opportunity, the humble Spensley stated her next goal was to graduate High School.

Colemen Hell overcame some audio issues for a high energy version of Two Heads. One of the things that makes the JUNO Awards different is that the fans are in the floor and the nominees and industry is on the stands. Seemingly wanting to touch every person in the audience he walked through the crowd slapping hands.

Dean Brody walked away with the Country Album of the Year award followed by Shawn Mendes performing a stripped down version of Stitches stopping before his world tour. With digital rain pouring down on the screens around him Mendes pulled off another great performance of the night. Pop music is often accused of being over produced but often times, such as with this song, the simplicity of a singer and their guitar shows just how good Mendes and other rising Canadian stars are.

Husband and Wife duo Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland have had successful solo careers as well as working with artists like Sarah McLachlan and Blue Rodeo shined together in their Duo Whitehorse Tame As The Wild One was another show stopper from two music veterans.

Dear Rouge took home the Breakthrough Group of the Year. An award that has previously been won by bands like Billy Talent, Theory of a Deadman and Magic, it has been a springboard to a successful career. Looking amazing in silver shorts and a shirt with black feathers singer Danielle McTaggart and husband Drew performed I Heard I Had.

Alessia Cara was clearly excited to take home the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award. "I am just a regular girl who lived a normal life, I released one song and I haven’t lived the same day twice" she said, bouncing up and down with excitement.

Imagine Nickelback being fronted by "Burton Kroeger." It almost happened, the front man admitted during the bands induction speech of Burton Cummings. The newest inductee to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame seems almost overdue with a 50-year career. (Cummings was previously inducted with The Guess Who in 1987)

Cummings was greeted by a much deserved standing ovation that clearly moved him.

"I share this and dedicate this to my hometown of Winnipeg. I just lost my Mom 2 years ago but I think she is up there looking down. Look Mom, look what I got." He said before thanking his wife Cheryl, his manager and his band. "I am truly, truly honored this is not false modesty. I will always try and honor the music."

The 2016 awards focused a great deal on new acts but undoubtedly Bryan Adams was a highlight for many in the audience and watching at home. There are few bigger home grown stars then Adams, and having seen his in concert multiple times it is nor surprise that his performance of Go Down Rocking left the Arena shaking.

With 6 million votes in, Justin Beiber took the fan’s choice award. Unable to attend as he is out on tour, Beiber accepted with a short and blasé video of thanks that was greeted with boos before Dean Brody performed the aptly titled Bring Down The House. Brody gave an idea of what fans can expect when he returns this summer to perform at the CRIR Music Festival in Strathmore.

"It’s a guy thing that we can compartmentalize easily. When I am at home it can be hard for my publicity people to get ahold of me because I am with my family. When you are on the road work hard, when you are at home be at home." The winner of Best Country Album said backstage about balancing his career and family.

Although much of the focus was on the "new" this year, it is fitting that the broadcast wrapped up with a tribute to Burton Cummings. Jann Arden and Shawn Hook performed Break It To Them Gently and The Tenors performed Stand Tall before Cummings himself performed the classic My Own Way To Rock with his band The Carpet Frogs.

The JUNO Awards really did have something for everyone. Those tuning in for The Weeknd or Shawn Mendes were introduced to icons like Bryan Adams and Burton Cummings. By the same token, those that tuned in for older artists also got to learn about some of the artists that they may not have been aware of. Calgary’s Year of Music showed how Canada has become a powerhouse in the industry and how bright of a future it has.