THE TRAGICALLY HIP CAP OFF 40TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR WITH THE RELEASE OF A DELUXE BOXSET FOR THEIR DIAMOND-CERTIFIED
DEBUT ALBUM, UP TO HERE
The Tragically Hip released the commemorative boxset of their Diamond-certified debut album, Up To Here, the latest installment in their series of special deluxe packages. Originally released on September 5, 1989, Up To Here marked The Tragically Hip’s first full-length studio album, bringing them breakthrough success with two Canadian rock radio #1 singles, “Blow at High Dough” and “New Orleans is Sinking.” The album also earned the band a JUNO Award for “Most Promising Artist” in 1990.
The expanded reissue of Up To Here is a must-have for collectors, presented as a four-LP set on 180g vinyl, alongside liner notes documenting the history of the debut album era. The reissue includes a 2024 remastering of the original album and five previously unreleased songs that did not make it onto the original Up To Here album—“She’s Got What It Takes,” “Get Back Again,” “Rain, Hearts And Fire,” “Hailstone Hands Of God,” and “Wait So Long.”
These tracks were remastered and mixed in Atmos. Additionally, the package includes a recording of Live at Misty Moon, a special performance filmed for MuchMusic in 1990 at the Misty Moon Cabaret in Halifax, complete with an accompanying one-hour concert film on Blu-ray. The package also contains demos from 1988 recorded before the Up To Here sessions and is available in a three-disc CD format.
In June 2024, The Tragically Hip officially released the single “Get Back Again,” which had long been considered a holy grail of unreleased tracks by fans. Recorded before the band signed their first major record deal with MCA (now Universal Music Canada), the track was originally produced by Chris Wardman in November 1988. It was remixed and mastered to today’s standards, reaching #1 in Canada, marking the band’s first chart-topping hit in 15 years. The band had previously performed “Get Back Again” as part of their Live at Misty Moon set in 1990, which, until this release, was the only recorded version of the song.
2024: A YEAR OF CELEBRATION FOR THE TRAGICALLY HIP
The band’s 40th anniversary in 2024 was commemorated with a yearlong series of events and releases, including physical boxsets featuring unreleased tracks, Record Store Day exclusives, in-person screenings, listening parties, public singalongs, a global docuseries premiere, and a coffee table book in partnership with Genesis Publications.
The celebration began in March with the announcement of the coffee table book This Is Our Life. In April, The Tragically Hip were named Canadian Record Store Day Ambassadors and released exclusive vinyl from their 1993 performance at NYC’s legendary CBGBs.
On August 8, the band’s hit “Ahead By A Century” was featured in The Umbrella Academy on Netflix, leading to a 138% spike in Shazam searches the following day.
The docuseries No Dress Rehearsal, directed by Mike Downie (brother of the late Gord Downie), premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and won the People’s Choice Documentary Award—the first time a series received this honor in the festival’s history. Following the premiere, thousands of fans attended a public singalong of the band’s greatest hits in downtown Toronto. The series received widespread acclaim from Rolling Stone, SPIN, NPR, BBC, and more. It also won the 25th Anniversary Audience Award for Top Overall Score at the Calgary International Film Festival.
THE LEGACY OF THE TRAGICALLY HIP
The Tragically Hip has been at the heart of the Canadian music scene for four decades, forging an unrivaled connection with fans. The five-piece group—Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Downie (vocals, guitar), Johnny Fay (drums), Paul Langlois (guitar), and Gord Sinclair (bass)—formed in Kingston, Ontario, and went on to achieve mass popularity, selling over 12 million albums in Canada and more than 2 million in the U.S. They have won 17 JUNO Awards, including the distinguished Humanitarian Award in 2021, and were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame for Humanitarianism in 2022.
Their philanthropy has raised millions for social and environmental causes, including Camp Trillium, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Sunnybrook Foundation, War Child Canada, the Special Olympics, and the Unison Benevolent Fund. The legacy of Gord Downie continues through The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, which works to foster reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Established in 1984, The Tragically Hip have left an indelible mark on Canadian music. Their 40th anniversary year in 2024 saw the release of the Up To Here boxset, following previous anniversary reissues for Road Apples (2021), Fully Completely (2022), and Phantom Power (2023). The band’s impact continues to resonate, and their music remains a vital part of Canadian culture.
Promotion by Jody Best (Best Bet Promotions) in collaboration with Curtain Call Promotions
