-
3 weeks ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
It’s every starry-eyed artist’s dream to sign a record deal — or so the conventional wisdom goes. The recorded music industry has been built on the label model from its earliest days, with record companies providing funding to artists in exchange for rights to the music. As recording has become cheaper and more accessible, though, the whole paradigm is shifting.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
It's no secret that Canadian festivals have been facing hard times. The post-lockdown years have seen high profile festivals filing for creditor protection, like Montreal's comedy behemoth Just for Laughs; scrambling to reorganize or downsize programming, like Toronto Jazz Festival and Calgary's JazzYYC, after TD withdrew sponsorship; or cancelling editions altogether, like Toronto food and culture festival . Of course, major festivals closed before the pandemic too, for a range of reasons.
-
1 month ago | 
billboard.com | Richard Trapunski |Kerry Doole |Rosie Long Decter
Billboard Canada is getting ready to spotlight some of the most vital players in the music industry: music managers. Managers to Watch — Billboard’s spotlight on the teams behind music’s biggest breakout artists — will expand to Canada for the first time at this year’s NXNE festival. A special invite-only Managers to Watch reception will take place on June 11, directly before Billboard Canada Power Players.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
Also delivering new music this week is Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn, with Portland Parish, recorded in Jamaica. He has long maintained a career as an acclaimed solo artist alongside his BNL work.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
Music NewsBase31 has also announced the list of Canadian artists who will perform in the intimate 170-seat Sergeants Mess Hall concert venue, starting from May 2.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
ManagementA special invite-only Managers to Watch reception will take place on June 11, 2025, directly before Billboard Canada Power Players. The event will build on Billboard Canada’s new partnership with Music Managers Forum, which is moving its Honour Roll celebration of the most legendary managers in the business to NXNE this year.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
Prime Minister Mark Carney is dancing to victory. The Liberal leader saw his party win a fourth term in government in Canada's federal election on April 28. He celebrated on the dance floor, partying to Down With Webster's "Whoa Is Me," in a clip that has since gone viral.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
Shubh is making moves on stage and on the charts. The Punjabi Canadian rapper from Brampton has a new entry on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart dated May 3, with single "Supreme" debuting at No. 54. At the same time, he's teasing a possible arena tour. On Monday (April 28), he posted four show locations on his Instagram story: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto; Rogers Arena in Vancouver; Oakland Arena in Oakland, California; and Prudential Center in New Jersey.
-
1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter
A JAZZ.FM obituary reported that "he left a lasting impact on the jazz scene in Toledo before immigrating to Canada in 2004. Prior to his move, Kieswetter collaborated alongside jazz greats including Zoot Sims, Jack Sheldon and James Moody. For over three years, he was the musical director for the legendary Jon Hendricks, working with him in developing the large vocal ensemble Vocalstra.
-
1 month ago | 
billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter |Kerry Doole
Music Canada has applied to intervene in a key Canadian music policy battle. The organization, which advocates for the major labels in Canada, is seeking leave to intervene in the legal challenge over the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC’s) 2024 decision that major streaming services must pay into Canadian content funds as part of the implementation of the Online Streaming Act.
