Canada
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Two Canadian legends are three spots apart on the charts this week.
Celine Dion and Avril Lavigne both have new debuts on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart. Dion lands at No. 68 for the soundtrack to her new documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, chronicling her struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS). Lavigne comes in at No. 71 with Greatest Hits, her new compilation of fan favorites.
Though neither is a blockbuster debut, both chart placements show that two of Canada’s biggest stars in the 2000s still have staying power. Dion’s soundtrack features many of her biggest hits, including “My Heart Will Go On” and “Pour que tu m’aimes encore,” as well as a score by Redi Hasa.
Lavigne isn’t quite as decorated as Dion, but the Napanee, Ontario pop-punk singer has been stepping into a new echelon of Canadian legends as of late, with recognition from Canada’s Walk of Fame as well as a recent appointment to the Order of Canada. Greatest Hits comes alongside a tour of the same name, which just saw Lavigne play at Glastonbury to one of the U.K. festival’s biggest crowds this year. – Rosie Long Decter
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Anthem Music Publishing’s Gilles Godard Enters Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame
The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) has announced Gilles Godard as the 2024 Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame Stan Klees Builder inductee. Both Godard and recently named fellow Hall Of Fame Artist inductee k.d. lang will be honored and celebrated in an induction ceremony during Country Music Week 2024, taking place in Edmonton from September 11–14.
A native of Cornwall, Ontario, Godard boasts over five decades of music industry experience and currently serves as the president of Anthem Music Publishing Nashville. He began his career with Anthem (formerly known as ole) as a writer, working his way up through various key positions. Godard oversees Anthem’s extensive roster of country songwriters including Canadians Meghan Patrick, Chris Buck, Jimmy Thow and Patricia Conroy.
An accomplished writer, publisher, artist and producer, Godard’s talents have earned him two CCMA Awards, two BMI Awards, four SOCAN Awards including an International Songwriter Achievement Award, a Felix Award and multiple JUNO Award nominations. Over 400 of his songs have been recorded, including by artists such as Terri Clark, Patty Loveless, Anne Murray, Ricky Skaggs, Tommy Hunter, Blackhawk, Tracy Byrd, The Road Hammers, Colleen Peterson and Ronnie Prophet. – Kerry Doole
Karan Aujla Becomes the First Punjabi Artist Featured In Apple Music’s Up Next Program
Karan Aujla is continuing to break new ground this year.
The Punjabi-Canadian musician became the first artist of Punjabi descent to win the Juno Fan Choice Award in March, and now he’s the first Punjabi musician to be featured as part of Apple Music’s global Up Next initiative.
The program highlights emerging stars, devoting Apple Music’s editorial resources to uplifting featured artists through original short films, interviews with Apple Music radio hosts and more. Aujla’s short film finds him venturing into his favourite spots in Vancouver, like barbershop Eddy’s, and reflecting on his musical ambitions.
“I feel like my music helped a lot of people that don’t know my language,” he says in the film. “There don’t have to be barriers around it, like ‘Oh, this is this is a Punjabi song. I can’t listen to this.’ I don’t think that’s right. I listen to Spanish music all the time. I don’t know a word of Spanish.”
Aujla hopes that Punjabi music will have its own “Despacito,” moment, he says, referring to the Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee song’s international impact, as the Punjabi wave continues to rapidly grow in markets outside of India.
Aujla got his start as a lyricist in Vancouver working with Punjabi artists like Diljit Dosanjh, but has since made his own name as an artist, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart last year with Making Memories, his collaborative album with producer Ikky.
Aujla also has a new EP, Four Me, as he prepares to kick off his first Canadian tour this summer that will take him to three arenas around the country. – RLD
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: @champagnepapi / Instagram
On Monday (July 1), the internet reacted in all kinds of ways when a video of Rick Ross and his crew getting jumped in Vancouver, Canada, by Drake super fans hit the web, and now it seems like the King of the North is practicing a bit of trolling over the incident with his latest social media post.
Following the release of the video, Drake took to his IG page to post a pic and a video of himself and his crew enjoying some outside weather at his mansion as Drizzy raps along to “Northern Touch” by the Rascalz, who hail from Vancouver. Coincidence that Drake is listening to a rap group that represents the city where Ross and company got jumped? Maybe, but we doubt it.
Drake also dropped another video in which he wished his fellow Canadians a “Happy Canada Day” before saying, “Cheers to the whole country” and taking a sip of some adult juice with a slice of lemon in it. Fancy!
50 Cent meanwhile didn’t miss the opportunity to continue to troll his former rival Rick Ross as well with a new video. While Fiddy called it a “very unfortunate situation that took place in Canada” and said, “I hope that brother made it home safely,” he ended his quick reaction by saying Ross should call on Meek Mill’s Dream Chasers crew or the “305 killers” before laughing it off as he’s known to do.
Man we hope this doesn’t lead to North vs. South Hip-Hop war like the East vs. West thing in the ’90s.
What are your thoughts on Rick Ross getting jumped in Canada for playing Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss song “Not Like Us”? Fair or foul? Let us know in the comments section below.
July 1 is Canada Day, and Drake is celebrating his home country with a social media message to fans. “Happy Canada Day,” he said on his Instagram Stories, wearing a Toronto Raptors T-shirt, before lifting up a cocktail. “Cheers to the whole country.” He also shared a post captioned: “Custom design fine rhymes into salary. […]
One of Canada’s biggest stars is getting one of the country’s highest honours. Pop-rock star Avril Lavigne has been named to the Order of Canada, a civilian honour that recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions to the country. Lavigne was announced by Governor General Mary Simon yesterday, amongst a list of 83 new appointees that includes scientists, economists, poets and activists.
Lavigne’s appointment highlights her impressive commercial and artistic achievements, as well as her charity work. “With over 50 million albums sold worldwide, she paved the way for female-driven punk-rock music and continues to do so today,” the notice reads, going on to mention her support of individuals living with disabilities and serious illnesses through the Avril Lavigne Foundation.
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The Order of Canada appointment comes as Lavigne is celebrating her successes with Greatest Hits, a new compilation released June 21 featuring platinum singles like “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi” as well as her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Girlfriend.” Lavigne is one of Canada’s best selling artists.
The Canadian icon is also taking her hits on the road with a major tour, which kicked off in Vancouver in May and begins its second leg in Toronto on Aug. 12 with a sold-out Scotiabank Arena show.
Beyond the charts, Lavigne helped pave the way for a punk-inspired vision of girlhood in the early 2000s, when most female pop stars were embracing a more traditionally feminine image. Lavigne’s brash attitude and white tank top and tie combo cemented her as an icon for a generation of Canadian kids.
Lavigne wasn’t the only musician recognized by the Order of Canada this week. Montreal singer-songwriter Daniel Lavoie was named an Officer of the Order, as were percussionist Beverley Johnston and conductor Kent Nagano. -Rosie Long Decter
Mustafa’s ‘Name Of God’ Named Best Canadian Music Video of the Year, Winning 2024 Prism Prize
Mustafa has become the first two-time winner of the Prism Prize, the award that celebrates the best in Canadian music videos. He has won the 2024 Grand Prize for video of the year for “Name of God.”
Mustafa, also known as Mustafa Ahmed and Mustafa The Poet, also took home the award in 2022 for “Ali.” Both of his winning videos are self-directed. Mustafa’s win comes with a $20,000 prize, the largest monetary award for music videos worldwide.
Mustafa released “Name of God” last year days after penning a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging him to speak for Palestine. The song and video touch on violence and grief as well as the power of community and tradition.
Mustafa isn’t this year’s only winner. Nemahsis has won the fan-voted Audience Award, winning “i wanna be your right hand.” That $2,500 prize goes to both artist Nemahsis and directors Norman Wong and Amy Gardner. The video takes the Palestinian-Canadian artist in a choreographed dance through a restaurant kitchen and into a showstopping empty-room dining hall performance.
Mustafa and Nemahsis beat out a strong shortlist of videos, including clips from The Beaches, Feist, Snotty Nose Rez Kids and more. See the whole list here and check out the four other special award winners here. -Kerry Doole
k.d. lang To Be Inducted Into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024
k.d. lang will be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024 by the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA). The induction will take place at Country Music Week 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta, September 11–14 leading to the CCMA Awards.
“I am beyond thrilled, and frankly pleasantly surprised to be honored in this way,” says lang, who was born in Edmonton. “My love for the prairies, the people and our culture underscore every ounce of my inspiration. Not without its complexities, I might add. Such is life. I am so stoked to be coming to Edmonton to bask in this celebration… with deepest gratitude.”
Emerging in the 1980s as part of a then-burgeoning “cowpunk” scene, lang has had one of the most powerful and beautiful voices in country music and beyond. A queer icon and activist in many spheres, she’s expanded the boundary of the genre and pioneered within and beyond it.
“Today, we are excited to announce the incomparable k.d. Lang as our 2024 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Artist inductee,” says Amy Jeninga, president of CCMA. “A true Canadian icon and trailblazer in country music and beyond, k.d. embraced the genre with unparalleled passion, and her extraordinary talents have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of our nation. We proudly honour her incredible legacy and outstanding contributions, and can’t wait to celebrate her induction in Edmonton this September.”
The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame is housed at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, in Calgary. A new exhibition celebrating new and historic inductees will open September 11, 2024, with more details still to be announced. -Richard Trapunski
Country Label MDM Recordings Inks Global Deal With Warner Music Canada’s ADA CANADA
Country music is big business in Canada right now, and one of the nation’s major labels has made a new deal to reflect that.
ADA CANADA, the independent label and artist services arm of Warner Music Canada, has announced a new exclusive global distribution deal with MDM Recordings. Founded by Canadian music industry veteran Mike Denney in 2008, MDM Recordings describes itself as “a full service independent label and management company specializing in country music.”
MDM has an impressive track record, especially with up-and-coming country acts. Its roster has included such notable Canadian country musicians as Chad Brownlee, Tyler Joe Miller, Bobby Wills and Don Amero, and music released on the label has earned over 450 million global streams, and more than 500,000 physical units sold. Artists currently on the MDM roster include Jess Moskaluke (a platinum-selling artist and Juno and CCMA Award winner), Charlie Major, Amero, and The Redhill Valleys, alongside promising newcomers Savannah Jade and Josh Stumpf.
MDM Recordings has twice been awarded record label of the year at the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards. Mike Denney has been honoured with the record company person of the year title three times and has overseen seven CCMA Award wins for their artists.
“MDM Recordings has always been about fostering incredible talent and sharing their music with the world,” says Denney. “This partnership with ADA Canada marks an exciting new chapter for us. We are thrilled to leverage ADA’s extensive global network to bring our artists’ music to an even broader audience.”
Greg Morris, VP of ADA Canada, says: “Mike Denney had a vision 16 years ago to create MDM Recordings, and he has done incredible work building it into what it is today. It has an excellent track record of discovering and developing country artists, and has regularly been recognized as one of the best country labels in Canada. I’m proud that Mike has entrusted ADA Canada to support and grow his business, and am excited to work with him and his team to grow his artists’ success, and help them connect with their fans around the world.” -Kerry Doole
Weeks after teaming with Oak View Group to acquire Canadian Music Week, Loft Entertainment has made another strategic partnership to expand its reach. The Toronto-based music company is joining forces with one twenty eight, a talent booking and cause marketing “impact agency” that focuses on connecting artists and influencers with social causes. The agency has […]
It was a special Juneteenth for Allison Russell.
Not only did she serve as the special Toronto opener for Sarah McLachlan on the Canadian icon’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th-anniversary tour, but she earned another big honor: Billboard Canada Women In Music Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
“It’s an honor to be acknowledged for the work that I’m doing and that we’re all doing together,” said the singer-songwriter when she was presented with the award in an interview with iHeartRadio Pure Country host Shannon Ella on Wednesday (June 19).
“There’s still such an imbalance in our industry, and it’s [an important moment] to be here speaking with you on Juneteenth [the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in America], which is a significant date because I’m not just a woman, I’m a queer Black woman,” she says.
Born and raised in Montreal but living and working in Nashville, Allison Russell has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and a vital voice for the representation of Black women in country, roots and Americana music. As her platform has gotten bigger, she’s used it to benefit her whole community.
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And it has gotten much bigger. This year, Russell won her first Grammy for best American roots performance for her song “Eve Was Black” and performed at the ceremony, playing clarinet and singing with none other than Joni Mitchell. She also made her Billboard Hot 100 debut with “Wildflower and Barley,” a duet with Hozier, who she’s also been touring with.
On those big stages, she’s usually playing with The Rainbow Coalition Band — a talented ensemble of Black and POC, queer and historically marginalized musicians.
“I make a point of playing with all women and gender-diverse folks on stage,” Russell says. “I do that because there is such an imbalance. It’s still a remarkable, unusual thing. No one says it’s so crazy that it’s just a bunch of dudes up there.”
More winners will be announced over the summer, culminating with the Billboard Canada Women In Music celebration on September 7. – Richard Trapunski
Read more from the interview at ca.billboard.com.
Music Publishers Canada Names 2024 Women in the Studio National Accelerator Class
There’s a gender imbalance behind the scenes in Canadian music, and Music Publishers Canada (MPC)’s Women in the Studio National Accelerator aims to address it.
Recently released statistics have confirmed the major gender gap that exists in multiple facets of the Canadian music industry, and this is especially glaring in the field of music production.
The Women In The Studio program fosters professional growth and advancement of talented producer-songwriters from across Canada. MPC has announced all six participants for this year’s program: Alysha Brilla from Toronto, Cat Hiltz from Vancouver, Charmie from Toronto, Jinting (Jinting Zhao) from Edmonton, JoJo Worthington from Montreal and Samantha Selci from Toronto.
Now in its sixth year, the program offers participants a series of curated workshops, skills training and networking opportunities with music industry leaders. The goal is to equip them with skills and connections crucial for their advancement in the music industry.
The accelerator will run virtually from June to December and include creative collaborations and an in-person residency week in Toronto in August. It focuses on topics including technical skills, financial literacy, music business skills and branding. Participants have also committed to exploring volunteer opportunities within their own communities.
Music Publishers Canada CEO Margaret McGuffin said in a statement that “with the help of our program partners and industry network, we are looking forward to breaking down some of the barriers that exist for this group of talented producers and give them the support they need to enter the next phase of their careers.” – Kerry Doole
Country Singer Bayker Blankenship Debuts on Billboard Canadian Hot 100 With ‘Maxed Out’
A new country artist is making his mark on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 this week.
Bayker Blankenship of Livingston, Tenn., has landed on the chart for the first time with “Maxed Out,” a melancholy tune about being down on your luck and low on available credit. With a relaxed pace and a touch of grit in Blankenship’s voice, the song strikes a poignant tone.
The song has been gaining steam online, appearing on Spotify’s Viral 50 USA playlist as well as charting on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts, though it hasn’t hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 yet. But that doesn’t mean it won’t soon — another viral artist, Lay Bankz, hit the Canadian Hot 100 earlier this year before she landed on its U.S. counterpart.
The song is only Blankenship’s second single, following 2021’s “Can’t Get Enough,” but the singer has built an impressive following online. He boasts nearly half a million followers on TikTok, where he posts his song clips as well as covers of songs by country stars like Zach Bryan and Dylan Gossett. Blankenship, who is releasing with Santa Anna Label Group, could join their ranks soon if he can keep up the momentum.
Meanwhile, breakout country singer Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” retakes the top spot on the Canadian Hot 100 this week. The Beyoncé collaborator has hit No. 1 in Canada, which he has yet to do on the American Hot 100. – Rosie Long Decter
Nine sites that were selling fraudulent streams have been taken offline, according to IFPI and Music Canada.
IFPI, the worldwide recording industry association, and Music Canada, a trade group that represents major Canadian labels, filed a legal complaint with the Canadian Competition Bureau against the sites, accusing them of selling false plays and streams to manipulate streaming service data. The nine connected sites, the most popular of which used the domain name MRINSTA.com, have since gone offline (though you can still see them via the Wayback Machine).
“Streaming manipulation has no place in music,” stated Lauri Rechardt, the IFPI’s chief legal officer. “Perpetrators and enablers of streaming manipulation cannot be allowed to continue to divert revenue away from the artists who create the music.”
As streaming has grown in popularity, so have efforts to game platforms’ royalty models. Vancouver-based fraud detection software company Beatdapp estimates that as many as 10% of music streams are fake. Fake streams are often generated through streaming farms, which use bots to automatically stream particular songs and boost their stats.
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Canada recorded 145.3 billion streams in 2023. – Rosie Long Decter
Warner Music Canada’s Head of A&R Leaves to Start New Management Company, SWING
It was only January of this year that Victoria, B.C. pop-funk act Diamond Cafe announced his signing to Warner Music Canada. Now, George Kalivas, the man who signed him, is breaking off on his own to manage him — and building a whole new company around the artist.
SWING is launching as a Toronto-based management company with Diamond Cafe as its first artist, though Kalivas says the eventual plan is to “evolve into a full-service record label in no time.”
Kalivas started in marketing at Warner Canada seven years ago, handling domestic artists signed to the label and international releases signed to subsidiaries like Atlantic and 300. But he had “one foot in A&R,” he says, which became official two years ago when Kristen Burke became label president.
His first signing was Crash Adams, a Canadian pop duo known for viral TikTok trends. After the joint launch of 91 North Records by Warner Canada and Warner India, Kalivas helped sign the label’s second artist, AR Paisley. A long-simmering Canadian rapper, Paisley hit the top 10 of the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 this year with “Drippy,” a posthumous collaboration with the late Punjabi-Canadian superstar Sidhu Moose Wala.
But it was Diamond Cafe that made Kalivas realize the time was right to strike off on his own “I haven’t seen a triple threat artist like him — writer, performer and producer — in 15 years,” he says. “He’s next level.”
As publishing and song catalogs become a major money-maker in the music industry, artists like Diamond Cafe, who can work both in front of and behind the scenes, are being scouted heavily. For SWING, it’s enough to structure a whole new company around. – Richard Trapunski
Texas Songwriter Livingston Debuts on the Canadian Hot 100 With ‘Shadow’
Texas singer-songwriter Livingston is making a splash on the Canadian charts this week.
The 21-year-old has landed on the Canadian Hot 100 for the first time with his single “Shadow,” which debuted at No. 100. The ominous single, which finds Livingston warning about the dangers we pose to ourselves, shows off his belt and falsetto over keyboard stabs and jittery percussion. “Shadow” is also performing well on the iTunes charts and has gathered over 1 million YouTube views since its Mar. 7 release.
Livingston’s new album, A Hometown Odyssey, also found a spot on the Canadian Albums chart this week, debuting at No. 92. Livingston first gained popularity as a teenager on TikTok during the pandemic and signed shortly thereafter with Elektra Records. His website states that he “reclaimed his independence” from his major label deal a year ago. Hometown Odyssey is independently released.
Independence seems to suit Livingston well. Though he isn’t charting on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 or Billboard 200 yet, sometimes rising American artists — like Benson Boone — perform better in Canada before gaining steam in the United States. – Rosie Long Decter
The Canadian government has made a major announcement about the implementation of the Online Streaming Act, with implications for artists and music companies at home and abroad.
The CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) has revealed that foreign streaming services with significant revenues will have to make base contributions to Canadian content. Streaming companies with no affiliation to Canadian broadcasters and over $25 million in annual contributions revenues will have to pay 5% of those revenues into specified funds.
Those contributions will be used to boost Canadian content in the music, news and film industries, generating an estimated $200 million in increased funding altogether.
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The decision comes after a consultation process that included public hearings last fall, as well as over 360 written submissions.
The government specified that these contributions will go towards “areas of immediate need,” prioritizing already existing funds in order to expedite the delivery process. Those funds include FACTOR and Musicaction, which industry groups like CIMA and the Canadian Live Music Association say are in need of increased funding.
The Beaches Awarded Group of the Year at Billboard Canada Women in Music Launch Announcement
Billboard Canada and iHeartRadio teamed up to present a big award to a major Canadian group this week.
The Beaches received the first-ever Billboard Canada Women in Music Award for Group of the Year on Wednesday (June 5), honoring the Toronto quartet’s breakout year. The band was on hand for the announcement of Billboard Canada‘s Women in Music celebration event, which is officially set for September 7, 2024.
The band was presented with the award by Billboard Canada CEO Amanda Dorenberg and CCO Elizabeth Crisante. At the event, more Canadian artists (including a few legends of the industry) will be recognized and honored for their artistry and blazing trails as women in the industry.
Receiving the award as part of a livestream performance on iHeartRadio’s YouTube, The Beaches played a stripped-back set of three songs from their hit 2023 album, Blame My Ex. The acoustic set saw drummer Eliza Enman McDaniel with just a shaker, leaving space for Jordan Miller’s powerful lead vocal and light harmonies by guitarists Leandra Earl and Kylie Miller.
After the performance, iHeartRadio’s Shannon Burns did a Q&A with the group, joking about playing pool with them and asking them audience-submitted questions. The band talked about their experiences as women in the music industry, providing some advice for up-and-coming female artists.
“Make sure you do it with your friends,” McDaniel said. The group spoke about how isolating it can be to be a woman in a still-male-dominated — though gradually changing — industry. It’s important to be surrounded by women you trust, they emphasized, whether in your band or on your team.
Watch the full performance and announcement here.
Lowell Wins the First Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award
Lowell has won the first Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award (presented by SOCAN), which honors a Canadian songwriter making a big impact behind the scenes.
The win was announced at Billboard Canada‘s Power Players event on Sunday (June 2) at the CN Tower. The award was presented to Lowell (Elizabeth Lowell Boland) by SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown and vp of creative and member relations Cameron Kennedy.
“Songwriters have it really tough,” Lowell said while accepting the award. “We make no money, and then we very silently make other people really famous and then just cry about it at night because no one loves us,” she joked.
“So it’s really nice that you guys are giving me a little pat on the back — I’m going to take this on behalf of all of my amazing songwriter friends that have not gotten that pat on the back, yet.”
Lowell, who has also released music under the same name, was one of five finalists for the inaugural edition of the award — the first in Canada recognizing songwriters’ work for other artists. Other shortlisted writers included Tobias Jesso Jr., Jeremy Fedryk, Ali Willa Milner and Aaron Paris — an extremely strong initial shortlist featuring a crop of writers responsible for songs that garnered Grammy nominations, top chart placements and millions of streams.
Lowell has had a major year, including co-writing credits on “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “Bodyguard,” two of the biggest hits on one the year’s biggest albums, Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter. The award considered songs from 2023 before Cowboy Carter was released, but beyond Beyoncé, Lowell has shown a unique ability to help artists break through to a new level.
Lowell additionally co-wrote and co-produced Blame My Ex, the breakthrough album from Toronto band The Beaches, including the Lowell-penned hit “Blame Brett,” which held No. 1 at alternative radio for 17 weeks and is rising at U.S. and Canadian Top 40. She’s also a close collaborator of Lu Kala, the Congolese-Canadian artist who made her Hot 100 debut this past year, co-writing Kala’s emotional ballad “Nothing But Love.”
In her acceptance speech, Lowell highlighted the importance of supporting Canadian talent.
“Some people think I live in L.A. but I don’t, I live in Toronto,” she said, addressing the room full of powerful and influential members of the Canadian music industry. “I like to find talent here, I like to see who L.A. is not looking for and what the world needs, and that’s a lot of people that are here either in this room or working with people in this room. […] My goal is to largely not ignore the real talent which is in this f—ing city,” she continued to a round of cheers.
As Canadian Music Week kicks off its 42nd anniversary, the festival and conference is undergoing a big change.
The major music event, which brings artists and industry to Toronto every year for a week of performances and panels, is changing hands. Festival founder and president Neill Dixon announced his retirement today (June 3) at the welcoming address for the CMW conference, with Toronto mayor Olivia Chow in attendance.
The festival has been acquired by Toronto-based Loft Entertainment and American hospitality and sports company Oak View Group, who plan to expand its offerings while maintaining Dixon’s vision.
Recently named one of Billboard Canada’s Power Players, Dixon was on hand at the June 2 inaugural Power Players event, presenting Gary Slaight with the Power Players Impact Award as his final public appearance before announcing retirement.
Under his leadership, CMW has grown into a major hub for industry events, hosting the Live Music Industry Awards, The Indies awards, Jim Beam National Talent Search, Radiodays North America and more.
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“It has been an incredible journey to see Canadian Music Week grow from a small gathering of music lovers to one of the most influential music festivals and conferences in the world,” Dixon says.
Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG) will keep the event’s headquarters in Toronto, as they look ahead to its future. Loft is a new venture from industry titan Randy Lennox, former Universal Music Canada CEO and Bell Media President, launched in 2023.
The creative services company’s partnership with OVG on the acquisition boosts the latter’s expansion into Canada. OVG already has partnerships with Canadian sports organizations Canada Basketball and Great Canadian Gaming, and is currently leading a major renovation of Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre. (It was also recently entangled in the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust complaint against Live Nation).
With an American partner on board, it seems likely Canadian Music Week will look to grow its international footprint, while remaining a home for Canadian music activity. Details for the 2025 edition, the first under the new ownership, are coming soon.
CMW is on now, until June 8. Find festival and conference programming on the event website.
This article was originally published by Billboard Canada.
When it comes to music, Canada punches above its weight. Artists like Drake, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Alanis Morissette have spent the last few decades among the biggest in the world – a feat for a country that pales in population to its neighbour down south. In boardrooms, too, Canadians are well represented in positions of influence.
That’s evident in Billboard Canada’s 2024 Power Players list, the first expansion of the Power Players and Power 100 to Canada. The list features music executives who are working on the world’s biggest tours, managing the industry’s most valuable song catalogues, and breaking artists from all over the world.
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One of the country’s biggest strengths when it comes to music is cultural fluency and a seemingly innate ability to globalize. As Punjabi music, K-pop, Latin music, Afrobeats and more global genres become ever more popular, Canadians are ready to both export talent across borders and capitalize on trends others might not even know about yet.
This year’s set of submissions and nominations were extremely competitive. The Power Players list recognizes achievements across the board but highly prizes impact in Canada and breakthroughs by Canadians on the international and world stage, especially those that can be clearly measured and substantiated.
The Leaderboard features executives from Live Nation, Warner Music Canada, Reservoir Media and more. Find the whole list here.
Canada’s No. 1 Power Player: Arthur Fogel
The industry icon behind many of the biggest world tours of the last year started out at a punk venue in Toronto.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour topped Billboard’s 2023 Boxscore list as the highest-grossing tour of the year and one of the biggest of all time. U2’s opening residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas redefined big-stage sound-and-vision spectacle and became the fastest-grossing residency in Boxscore history. And Madonna culminated her career-spanning Celebration Tour with a massive, record-setting concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attended by more than 1.6 million people.
Arthur Fogel was instrumental in all of them.
Fogel is the Chairman of Global Music & President of Global Touring CEO of Global Touring at Live Nation. He’s stationed at the company’s Los Angeles headquarters, but he’s one of several high-powered Canadian executives in their boardroom. Michael Rapino, Live Nation’s President and CEO, is also from Canada.
And, Fogel notices, like they are on big stages, Canadians are overrepresented in some of the most important positions in the music industry.
“I don’t think the Canadian industry gets enough credit on any number of levels. If you look at the artists that have come out of Canada over a number of years and generations, it’s pretty incredible how much talent that has come out of a country this size,” Fogel says. “The same holds true for the business side.”
Read a wide-ranging Q&A with Fogel in Billboard Canada’s latest digital cover story.
Shortlist Announced for the Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award
Five impressive songwriters have been shortlisted for the inaugural Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award, presented by SOCAN.
These songwriters each had a banner year in 2023, penning memorable songs with indelible melodies that garnered Grammy nominations, top chart placements, and millions of streams.
They are recognized for their work as songwriters for other artists, making an impact from behind the scenes – a first for an award of this kind in Canada.
Here are the nominees, with the winner being announced at Billboard Canada’s Power Players event on June 2 at the CN Tower:
Elizabeth Lowell Boland
Lowell is a singer, songwriter and producer known for her collaborations with Madison Beer, Charli XCX, Tate McRae, Charlie Puth, Lennon Stella, Hailee Steinfeld, bülow, Lu Kala and many more. With two songs on Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed new album – the international smash “Texas Hold’em” and upcoming single “Bodyguard” – Lowell has become a trusted collaborator for the legendary artist. She also wrote “Blame Brett,” the breakout hit for Toronto band The Beaches.
Aaron Paris
Aaron Paris is a songwriter, record producer and composer from Toronto. Having worked with artists including Ariana Grande, Kanye West, Drake, DJ Khaled, Russ, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Kali Uchis, NAV, Charlotte Cardin and more, Aaron has built a strong international reputation as a musical composer and collaborator. In 2023, Aaron co-wrote over 70 major artist releases and received five Juno nominations and 2 Grammy nominations for songs he co-wrote.
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Tobias Jesso Jr. is a North Vancouver-born, L.A.-based songwriter and two-time Grammy-winner. In 2023, he earned the first-ever Grammy Award for Songwriter of The Year for his work on releases by Harry Styles, Adele, FKA Twigs, Orville Peck, King Princess, Diplo and Omar Apollo in addition to taking home Album of The Year for his contributions to Harry Styles’ Harry’s House. He was also a major contributor on Dua Lipa’s most recent album Radical Optimism co-writing on multiple tracks including the big single, “Houdini.”
Jeremy Fedryk
Jeremy Fedryk – a.k.a. Sarcastic Sounds – spent much of 2023 immersing himself in the budding folk-pop scene. The year was highlighted by his writing contribution to David Kushner’s international smash “Daylight,” which accumulated over 1 billion Spotify streams and reached multi-platinum status in every major market. His success continued with the release of Chance Pena’s “I am not who I was,” which has amassed over 170 million Spotify streams and reached the top 20 of Billboard’s alternative chart.
Ali Willa Milner
Fresh off a Grammy nomination for her work with The Knocks and Dragonette, Ali Willa Milner found herself part of six Juno nominations for her work in 2023. Her writing led to nominations with Rêve, Katie Tupper, and multiple nominations for Aysanabee who won two, including Songwriter Of The Year.