Hedley nominations won’t be replaced

The Juno Awards will not be naming replacement nominees now that embattled rockers Hedley have withdrawn from consideration for group of the year, pop album of the year and the fan choice prize.

The Vancouver pop-rockers said they did not “wish to be a distraction at Canadian music’s biggest night” as they continue to face sexual misconduct allegations posted by anonymous social media users.

The band — which has a total of 31 Juno nominations dating back to 2006 and two wins — said in a statement Monday that it was soldiering on with its cross-Canada tour but preparing “to take responsibility and talk about how we have let some people down and what we intend to do about it.”

The band’s members previously called allegations involving young fans “unsubstantiated” but acknowledged they “engaged in a lifestyle that incorporated certain rock ‘n’ roll cliches.”

The Junos said in a statement released Tuesday that no alternates would be added to the categories affected by Hedley’s withdrawal because voting began Feb. 9.

A spokeswoman for the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences said no one from the organization was available for an interview.

It was last Wednesday that Hedley first responded to the allegations that had been posted online. By Friday, the group was dropped by its management team, blacklisted by scores of radio stations, and abandoned by the bands who were booked as its tour openers.