The Globe and Mail

‘Songs for Murdered Sisters’ is one of the 101 Most Essential Canadian Albums of All Time
June 2024

When The Globe and Mail's arts team sat down to compile our picks for the 101 most essential Canadian albums, we knew we wanted to take a different approach. Instead of just looking at the best, most well-known albums from Canadian artists, we wanted to put together a collection of music that not only represents the impact our musicians have had on the world, but represents our country as a whole. From Indigenous artists to jazz musicians to Francophone rock to indie-rock stars, these are the 101 albums that, we believe, tell a story about Canada.

The riveting, sombre 28-minute song cycle for voice and piano, with music by Jake Heggie and text by Margaret Atwood, was spearheaded by operettic baritone Joshua Hopkins. His sister was one of three female victims in a gender-based triple murder in 2015.