In Canada
Canada is the third biggest exporter of music to the world.
That’s according to the inaugural “export power” ranking in Luminate’s 2024 year-end report. The music data tracking company, which also tabulates Billboard’s charts, defines export power as “a country’s ability to export recorded music globally.”
Canada is behind only the U.S. and the U.K., which hold the top two spots on the export power ranking. Canada’s top importers of music are the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, while Canada is also the number one importer of music from the U.S., emphasizing the entwined nature of Canadian and American markets.
The rest of the top ten is rounded out by South Korea, Germany, France, Puerto Rico, Australia, Sweden and Brazil.
While that might seem like good news for Canadian music, the report also includes some indicators that Canada is not in a growth period for exporting music.
Trending on Billboard
When it comes to the share of global premium (audio and video) streams, Canada saw the third largest decline last year, with its share down from 3.73% to 3.34%, also behind the U.S. and U.K. Mexico, Brazil and India had the biggest stream share growth.
That points to a trend where music from the global south — and in languages other than English — is seeing a major explosion in popularity.
The report also highlights that English and non-English-language countries are showing different trends when it comes to local vs. foreign content.
“English-speaking markets are losing local share to non-English language imports,” the report states, “while many non-English speaking markets show local content gaining share.”
That provides further evidence that non-English language music is on the rise across the board. In the U.S., Mexico and Chile (and, surprisingly, Ireland) had the biggest stream share gains, while Canada, the U.S. and Nigeria saw the biggest stream share declines. Canada also saw some of the highest stream share declines in the U.K., Australia, Japan and Brazil.
Canadian songwriters, however, are going strong, thanks in part to a few of pop’s biggest stars.
Canada ranks third for songwriter representation among 2024’s top 1000 most-streamed songs, again behind the U.S. and the U.K.
The Weeknd is a big reason for that position, ranking third amongst the most prolific and the most-streamed songwriters in the top 1000 streamed songs.
Pop comes out as the fastest-growing genre in the U.S., followed by rock, Latin music and country. That growth is led by a big year for women pop singers like Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter — and Canada’s Tate McRae, who places at No. 9 on Luminate’s Pop Artist Rank for the U.S.
Find more on Canadian data and trends in Luminate’s Year-End Report here.
≈
Unison Fund Launches Relief Program For Canadian Music Workers Affected By Los Angeles Fires
Canadian music industry charity Unison Fund has launched a new support program for music workers affected by the Los Angeles fires.
The Natural Disaster Relief Program provides one-time payments of $2,500 to Canadian music workers facing losses from natural disasters, including the wildfires.
The program is the latest initiative offering support to music industry members who have suffered devastating losses in the fires, which have resulted in at least 27 deaths destroyed more than 12,000 structures. The Palisades Fire is 22% contained as of Thursday, January 16, and the Eaton Fire is 45% contained.
“With so many Canadian music professionals living and working in L.A., it was important to create a program that offers meaningful support during difficult times like these,” executive director Amanda Power tells Billboard Canada.
“The Unison Fund Natural Disaster Relief Program is our way of helping our music community, providing immediate support to help rebuild lives and livelihoods after a crisis.”
Founded in 2010, Unison provides counselling and emergency relief services to Canadian musicians and the music community. The charity previously provided emergency support during 2020 and 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, disbursing over $3.5 million in pandemic assistance.
Among the Canadians affected by the fires include Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells, who lost his home, and musicians Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida who were forced to evacuate. Tim Darcy of Canadian band Cola lost his house in the fire, with friends and community members fundraising to help Darcy and his partner Amy Fort, of FSR Radio.
To qualify for the Disaster Relief Program, applicants must have worked in the music industry for five consecutive years, with a majority of their income coming from music.
First, the elephant in the room. Justin Trudeau resigned as Prime Minister after a decade as leader of the country. He’ll stay on until a leadership race elects the new head of his Liberal Party on March 9. What could this period of transition mean for Canada’s music industry and arts funding? Read more:
Meanwhile…
Warner Music Group has formed another strategic partnership to elevate and develop Punjabi music in Canada.
ADA, the company’s independent label and artist services arm, announced a worldwide distribution deal with EYP Creations INC. EYP is a major management and content company in Punjabi music and is based in both Canada and India.
Trending on Billboard
Canada has emerged as a global hub for Punjabi music, which is one of the fastest growing global genres. Artists including Karan Aujla, Shubh and Diljit Dosanjh have achieved chart success and set records in the country.
Warner has been on the forefront of the Punjabi Wave, uniting Warner Music Canada and Warner Music India to launch 91 North Records in 2023. But this partnership with EYP also aims to foster the next wave of talent so that they can eventually achieve the same heights.
The new deal includes EYP’s record label, UrDebut Canada, which has helped launch new artists like Kushagra and Tanishqa, who have had songs with millions of streams in the last year. The goal, they say, is to open emerging artists to a similarly broad and growing audience of hungry international fans.
“This partnership with EYP Creations marks a strategic step in expanding WMG’s presence within the Punjabi music landscape,” says Warner Music Canada president Kristen Burke in a statement. “This alliance not only supports the growth of Punjabi music in Canada, but also opens doors for discovering and nurturing emerging talent in this vibrant community.”
EYP Creations CEO Nikhil Dwivedi says he’s excited about the potential of working with ADA and talks about the quality distribution and marketing it can open to South Asian artists in Canada.
“We are focused on nurturing young South Asian talent together through launching them at UrDebut Canada label and building them through distribution, management, live events and collaborations around the globe,” he says.
ADA has also partnered with other Punjabi music companies in recent years, including Punjabi music content aggregator, Sky Digital, and Punjabi record label, Geet MP3.
“We’re excited to bring this Punjabi music leader into the Warner Music Group family,” says Cat Kreidich, President of ADA. “Our team is looking forward to partnering closely with Nikhil and everyone at EYP Creations to mine new opportunities in the market and bring new voices into the mix.” -Richard Trapunski
≈
East Coast Music Association Parts Ways With CEO
On Monday (Jan. 6), the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) issued a press release stating that “the board has conducted a thorough review of our leadership and operations, leading to the decision to part ways with CEO Blanche Israël.” The change has been made ahead of the East Coast Music Awards show in St. John’s, Newfoundland this spring.
The Canadian Press reports on the “clash over the future of the East Coast Music Awards” that led to the decision. In an online petition launched late 2024, some members called for “transparency and stability” amid changes that affected the awards and its associated festival, citing a lack of clarity and consultation around applications and other “significant modifications.” Former ECMA CEO Andy McLean has been installed as interim managing director as the search for a new CEO begins.
ECMA’s stated mission is “to develop, advance and celebrate East Coast Canadian music, its artists and its industry professionals throughout the region and around the world. We advocate for our members to ensure they can sustain music careers while based in Canada’s Atlantic region.”
This year’s ECMA awards honoured folk-rockers The East Pointers with the most awards, followed by Jenn Grant, Morgan Toney, and Tim Baker. –Kerry Doole
≈
Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars Score The First Post-Holiday No. 1 On The Canadian Hot 100 in 2025
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars have plenty to smile about this week.
The superstar duo have landed the first post-holiday No. 1 song of 2025, topping the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 “Die With a Smile.” The sentimental ballad has had a slow burn to the top, hitting No. 1 in its 20th week on the chart, though it’s been a mainstay on the Global 200. The song also climbed to the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for the first time this week.
Bruno Mars holds both the No. 1 and No. 2 spot this week on the Canadian Hot 100, with his Rosé collab “Apt.” at No. 2. Shaboozey’s record-breaker “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is also back in the top 3, holding the third spot.
There’s also a pair of first-timers making their chart debuts. U.K. singer Chrystal arrives with “The Days” at No. 95. The minimalist dance track got a boost from a high-energy remix by rising Bristol producer Notion, as well as a feature on the popular TikTok account Jaxon’s Journey.
American psych-pop singer Chezile lands on the chart at No. 98 with the melancholic “Beanie,” a psych-pop song with hints of Mac DeMarco that has become a popular cover choice on TikTok. Chezile also had a bump from popular content creator Mr. Beast using the song to soundtrack his proposal announcement.
Claiming the final spot on the chart is Imogen Heap’s “Headlock.” She’s not a first-timer but the acclaimed singer-songwriter is getting some love for her 2005 track, which is also seeing a lot of traction on TikTok.
None of those songs are on the U.S. Hot 100 this week, in keeping with a trend of viral TikTok tracks showing up on the Canadian charts first. Heading into 2025, it looks like the app is still one of the leading career-boosters out there, though it is facing potential existential threats on both sides of the border. –Rosie Long Decter
TikTok is taking the Canadian government to court.
Last month, the popular social media app was ordered by the federal government to “wind down” its operations in Canada following a national security review.
“We will challenge this order in court,” TikTok said at the time.
Now, the company is following through on the promise. TikTok Canada has filed notice of application for judicial review, which is an official legal challenge to the decision.
“This order would eliminate the jobs and livelihoods of our hundreds of dedicated local employees – who support the community of more than 14 million monthly Canadian users on TikTok, including businesses, advertisers, creators, and initiatives developed especially for Canada,” the company wrote on its official website. “We believe it’s in the best interest of Canadians to find a meaningful solution and ensure that a local team remains in place, alongside the TikTok platform.”
Trending on Billboard
TikTok posted the whole legal filing on its website, which you can read here. The document breaks down the order of events, suggesting TikTok cooperated with the security review but was surprised by the abrupt announcement.
The company is requesting a court date to challenge the decision in Vancouver, B.C., one of the two locations of its offices. The other is in Toronto.
The filing calls the order “grossly disproportionate” and says it “will result in the termination of hundreds of employees in Canada and the potential termination of over 250,000 contracts with Canadian-based advertisers.”
The legal filing also focuses on the impact to those creators who use the platform, stating that the order “will cause the destruction of significant economic opportunities and intangible benefits to Canadian creators, artists and businesses, and the Canadian cultural community more broadly.”
The federal government made the decision to shut down TikTok’s Canadian operations following a review of its Chinese parent company ByteDance Ltd., calling the operation “injurious to national security.” Canadian users would still be able to use and access TikTok, but the company would be forced to close its offices in Canada.
The filing follows a new law in the United States that would require ByteDance to divest TikTok by January 19, 2025 or face a ban in the country. – Richard Trapunski
≈
Charlotte Day Wilson to Play Special Orchestral Concert in Toronto in 2025
Charlotte Day Wilson is preparing for a hometown concert that she calls “a dream opportunity.”
On Feb. 28, 2025, the Grammy nominated R&B/soul singer-songwriter will play a Red Bull Symphonic concert with members of the the Symphonic Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall, the home of the acclaimed Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Charlotte Day
Emily Lipson
Tickets go on sale Friday, December 13, 2024 at redbull.ca/symphonic.
Previous editions of Red Bull Symphonic in Atlanta and Los Angeles have featured Rick Ross and Metro Boomin, plus special guests including John Legend, Swae Lee and more.
It will be the first orchestral concert for Wilson, and she’s approaching it as a full vision of her current state as a musician.
“I want people to come away from it understanding the musical makeup that I have and of my sense of self within music,” Charlotte Day Wilson tells Billboard Canada over Zoom from her apartment in Toronto.
She’s still in her early 30s, but Wilson has been recording and performing for well over a decade. With two albums and multiple EPs, she has a full body of work to play from, and she’s excited to rethink it in a new context.
Her 2024 album, Cyan Blue, has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, and though Jack Rochon was the primary engineer, Wilson says the two of them made everything in the room together as “an exchange of two people producing and engineering and writing all in tandem.”
Charlotte Day Wilson’s soulful voice and songwriting chops have become a secret weapon for many renowned musicians. She’s performed and collaborated with Kaytranada, Daniel Caesar, Mustafa, BadBadNotGood and Nelly Furtado, and one of her songs was even sampled by Drake.
The Grammy recognition and the ability to do a full-scale orchestral concert feels like a mark of wider recognition in a field that can often include a lot of isolation. It also feels like a “maturing moment,” she says, which fits her mindset right now.
“It’s something I think about a lot as an artist,” she says. “In an industry that is ruthlessly obsessed with youth, how do we graduate into a next chapter of life and still maintain our integrity and relevance. That’s something I think about all the time, and it’s something I want to approach really deliberately.” – R.T.
≈
Patrick Watson’s ‘Je te laisserai des mots’ Becomes First French-Language Song To Hit A Billion Spotify Streams
Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Watson has made history on Spotify.
His 2010 song “Je te laisserai des mots” is now the first French-language song to hit a billion streams on the platform.
The song, a wistful composition led by piano and strings, was first written for the 2009 film Mères et Filles.
Listeners clearly agreed that the song has a cinematic quality: it went viral in 2021 and 2022, used by thousands of TikTokers — including Justin Bieber — to soundtrack serene or sad moments in their own lives during Covid restrictions.
Watson joins Bieber and other Canadian artists like Drake, Tate McRae, Alessia Cara and Shawn Mendes in Spotify’s Billions Club. Most of the other Canadian members are major label signees with a pop-oriented sound, which makes Watson — an acclaimed indie singer-songwriter represented by Montreal’s Secret City Records — a more unusual entry into the club.
“Je te laisserai des mots” was the most-streamed French language track both in Canada and globally this year on Spotify, while the veteran songwriter and producer is the No. 6 most popular Québécois artist on Spotify this year in Canada. He finishes alongside Quebec legends Les Cowboys Fringants and Celine Dion, pop star Charlotte Cardin and rappers Souldia and Enima.
Spotify notes that since 2019, listening to music in French has jumped by 94% on the app — which means after Watson, another Billions Club French-language song could only be a matter of time. – Rosie Long Decter
≈
Music Business Year In Review
Swifties are trying to get last-minute tickets as Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour heads to Vancouver tonight (Dec. 6) – but resellers are beating them to the punch.
With demand sky-high for the final shows on the massively popular Eras Tour, Taylor Swift released a batch of unique ‘no view’ tickets (which offer fans a view of the screens beside the stage but not the stage itself) for her three upcoming Vancouver dates this week at just $16.50 per ticket.
As Swifties rushed to Ticketmaster to wait in large queues for the chance to hear (but not see) their favourite star, resellers were scooping up the cheap tickets.
Trending on Billboard
Before they knew it, the Ticketmaster drop had ended and many of the ‘no view’ tickets were now on StubHub – for thousands of dollars, as fans posted on social media.
Some lucky fans did manage to score the no-view tickets. But the massive resale markups of $16.50 tickets are another indicator of just how hard it is for actual Taylor Swift fans to get into the Eras Tour.
Many fans have gone through several rounds of attempts at securing tickets through Ticketmaster or ticket giveaways, spending hours waiting in queues and scouring social media for ticket tips.
Meanwhile, Vancouver is preparing for its Taylor Swift era, altering a local sign to read: Swiftcouver.
The Eras Tour concludes in Vancouver with three performances December 6-8, 2024.
[more]
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’ Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart
Kendrick Lamar has claimed a new No. 1 album in the home country of his biggest rival.
GNX, K-Dot’s surprise sixth studio release, arrives in the top spot on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, dated December 7.
But unlike in the U.S., Lamar didn’t manage to hit No. 1 on the Canadian Hot 100.
Gracie Abrams holds onto that spot with “That’s So True” for the second week as the Eras Tour (where she’s performing as Taylor Swift’s opening act) rolls into Vancouver this week from Dec. 6-8.
Kendrick Lamar is still well represented at the top of the Canadian Hot 100, though. His sleek slow jam “Luther” featuring SZA is at No. 2, and “Squabble Up” – which claimed the No. 1 spot south of the border – is at No. 3.
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” meanwhile, drops to No. 5, indicating his record-setting run might really be done.
Those are strong numbers for Kendrick Lamar in Drake’s home country, even if the Compton rapper hasn’t hit the same highs as in the U.S. just yet.
Lamar will be taking his GNX on the road next year on the Grand National tour, with two Canadian date in Drake’s hometown, at the Rogers Centre stadium on June 12 and 13 with SZA.
[more]
Les Cowboys Fringants, Charlotte Cardin Most Streamed Québécois Artists on Spotify in Canada in 2024
As individual Spotify Wrapped graphics take over social media feeds, the streaming giant has shared some insightful Canadian Wrapped data.
Spotify shared the top Québécois artists streamed in Canada, with rock group Les Cowboys Fringants taking the top spot, followed by Charlotte Cardin and Céline Dion.
Les Cowboys were very active this year following the 2023 death of frontman Karl Tremblay and the outpouring of support from Quebec fans showing their immense influence in the province. The new full-length Pub Royal debuted at No. 3 on the Canadian Albums chart. The group also won big at the ADISQ Awards, taking home wins for Author or Composer of the Year and Song of the Year.
Charlotte Cardin in No. 2 comes as no surprise, given the pop singer-songwriter’s international breakout following 2023’s 99 Nights. Cardin also won the first Woman of the Year award at Billboard Canada Women in Music this year.
Céline had a huge streaming moment following her comeback performance at the Paris Olympics, spiking her own catalogue as well as Edith Piaf’s. The soundtrack to her documentary I Am: Celine Dion also charted on the Canadian Albums chart, bringing back some of her immortal hits.
Canada Most-Streamed Québécois Artists
Les Cowboys Fringants
Charlotte Cardin
Céline Dion
Souldia
Enima
Patrick Watson
KAYTRANADA
Alexandra Streliski
Simple Plan
Men I Trust
[more]
FACTOR Canada says it has fallen victim to serious cyber theft.
Court filings by the music funding body, The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings, reveal claims that $9.8 million was stolen from a Scotiabank account earlier this year.
FACTOR distributes millions in funding to thousands of artists and music organizations in Canada — last year, the organization dispensed $50 million. Now, it’s alleging that an amount equivalent to nearly a fifth of that annual distribution was transferred by a cyberthief to a numbered company.
James Campagna, shareholder for said company, then allegedly transferred $9.4 million to a cryptocurrency-owned account and converted the funds into crypto.
Trending on Billboard
Today (Nov. 29), a hearing took place at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on the matter.
In a statement on the foundation’s website titled “FACTOR’s Response to the Scotiabank Cybertheft: The Facts,” the company clarifies its side of the story that was reported on in the media and says that it aims to “defend the baseless allegations being made by Scotiabank against our systems and staff.”
“It is true that FACTOR has been a victim of a significant financial crime that occurred on June 12, 2024, by way of a one-time fraudulent wire from our Scotiabank account on ScotiaConnect in the amount of $9,772,875.33,” the statement reads.
But the response from FACTOR adds new details to the story, particularly in regards to Scotiabank’s involvement.
The organization says it reported the crime to law enforcement on June 14, but that Scotiabank “has acknowledged it has never reported this financial crime to law enforcement.”
The statement also asserts that the money transfer was 300x larger than any transfer previously made from that account, “with no alerts to FACTOR of this highly unusual, suspicious, and illegal activity.”
If the funds aren’t recovered swiftly, there’s reason to be concerned that artists — who rely on FACTOR funding for recording, music video production, touring and more — could be affected.
More on this story as it develops – Rosie Long Decter
Drake Tells Interviewer to Turn Off The Weeknd and Put on Blink-182
Drake’s got a lot of enemies right now.
After Kendrick Lamar released his new album but before news broke of Drake’s two different legal actions against his parent label Universal Music Group and Spotify, the rapper joined Quebecois streamer xQc for a livestream on Kick on Sunday (Nov. 24).
You never know what Drake will say with a live mic, so many fans tuned in to see if he’d have words about the Kendrick beef or any other hot topics. Between confirming an upcoming Australia tour and giving an update on his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, he also threw some subtle shade at his former friend The Weeknd.
As his song “Starboy” started playing, Drake quickly told xQc to “switch that one off.” When the host asked him why he doesn’t listen to it, he answered “we’re real 6ixers, we don’t listen to that.” He told him to turn on Blink-182 instead. “I want to hear that real sh-t,” he said over the sounds of “Dammit.”
The Weeknd was born in Scarborough, Ontario, a district of Toronto, a.k.a The 6ix. The Weeknd began his career affiliated with Drake, but the two have had their own long-simmering beef. The Weeknd was spotted in the audience at Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out” concert on Juneteenth, which included performances of all of the rapper’s diss tracks and multiple performances of the scathing “Not Like Us.”
Former Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan was also at that concert. That clearly upset Drake, who called him out on a recent game broadcast. Evidently, he still has beef with The Weeknd too.
Drake didn’t address Kendrick or his new album by name, but did reference Kendrick and his “false accusations” indirectly. “You need facts to take me out, fairy tales won’t do it,” he said. –Richard Trapunski
Taylor Swift began her two-week Eras Tour run in Toronto Thursday night (Nov. 14), and the city is going all out.
Before she hit the stage, footage circulated of her arriving with a whole police cavalcade on the Gardiner Expressway – which is normally filled with traffic during rush hour.
There were plenty of Swifties seen following the Taylor Swift Way signs throughout downtown. Only ticketholders could get near the Rogers Centre before the show – including the city’s unhoused population, who were cleared from encampments and compelled to move to shelters.
Trending on Billboard
An official Taylgate event took place at the nearby Metro Toronto Convention Centre with photo ops, silent discos and friendship bracelet making stations. A similar “Swift Station” activation offered similar experiences on Queen Street while decked out to look like a subway station.
News stations broadcast live from outside the stadium throughout the night, while Swift took the stage inside. Stories abounded about fans who tried and failed to get tickets, or who ended up getting scammed (the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre issued warnings as they were overloaded with complaints). Ticketmaster did, however, release some last minute tickets on the day of the show, though they were gone quickly.
Inside at the concert, Taylor Swift made some nods to the Canadian crowd. “Doesn’t it seem like the entire Folklore era just belongs in Canada?” she asked before launching into that section of the show. “The place that I envisioned in my mind where Folklore took place, it’s very natural, wilderness, beautiful, forests that have been there since the beginning of time. And it just kind of feels like we’re returning the Folklore era to where it belongs anyway.”
Her dancer, Kam, also added a Canadian touch during “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” with an exaggerated “Soorry aboot it!” during his line.
There are two more Eras Tour shows this weekend, on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, before she returns to Rogers Centre next week for shows on Nov. 21, 22 and 23. – Richard Trapunski
Canadian Songwriters Earn Grammy Nominations for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter
The 2025 Grammy nominations were announced last week, and Beyoncé leads the list — along with her Canadian collaborators.
“Texas Hold ‘Em,” co-written by three Canadians, has been nominated for two of the biggest awards, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Writers Nathan Ferraro, Lowell, and Megan Bülow all picked up nominations for Song of the Year, which is awarded to the writers and composers behind the track, as well as Best Country Song. Ferraro talked with Billboard Canada earlier this year about his Canadian writing team.
“[The collaboration] works well for us,” Ferraro told Billboard Canada. “We’re such good friends and we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I think we all have a lot of mutual respect, so we have a lot of confidence together and that allows us to take risks.”
Lowell, meanwhile, won the inaugural Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award this summer.
Beyoncé’s country album Cowboy Carter is also nominated for Album of the Year with Canadian Dave Hamelin (formerly of Montreal indie rock band The Stills and now a regular collaborator with 070 Shake) named in the nomination for his work as a producer and songwriter across the album.
In total, Beyoncé picked up a whopping 11 nominations for her history-making Cowboy Carter, which features a slew of Canadian contributions.
Serban Ghenea, meanwhile, racked up the highest number of Canadian nods: a grand total of five nominations, for his work with a trifecta of pop stars: Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, and Ariana Grande.
Other Canadian nominees included The Weeknd, Kaytranada, Charlotte Day Wilson, Spiritbox and Cirkut, for his work on Charli XCX’s cultural phenomenon, Brat.
Read about all the Canadian nominees here. –Rosie Long Decter
Quebec Government Pursues Action Against Ticket Resale Site Billets.ca
The Quebec government is taking action against ticket resales.
The province’s Office of Consumer Protection announced Wednesday, Nov. 13, that the Director of Penal and Criminal Prosecutions has served 26 statements of infraction to Billets.ca.
If proven guilty, each infraction could merit a fine between $2,000 and $100,000 for the company, and between $600 and $15,000 for President Éric Bussières.
The Office is accusing Billets.ca of reselling tickets at higher prices than those advertised by authorized salespersons. It also charges that the site is reselling tickets it does not possess. The infractions took place between November 2022 and September 2023.
Ticket resales have become an increasingly hot topic in the industry. Ticketmaster issued a warning in advance of Oasis’ North American tour dates going on sale, advising consumers not to trust resale sites that were already advertising tickets. The ticketing giant has also faced allegations in the past of working with resale sites.
Earlier this year, over 250 artists signed a letter titled Fix the Tix, addressing American legislators. “Predatory resellers have gone unregulated while siphoning money from the live entertainment ecosystem for their sole benefit,” the letter stated.
Quebec’s Loi sur la protection du consommateur forbids sellers from boosting prices during resales without express permission from the original authorized vendor. It also prohibits the use of technology to bypass controls on obtaining tickets. Sites like Billets.ca have often skirted these rules by acting as a broker for individual sellers, instead of selling the tickets themselves.
Quebec music association ADISQ welcomed the news.
“It’s a relief to see charges finally laid against Billets.ca and the practice of fraudulent ticket resale,” says Eve Paré, Executive Director of ADISQ, in French.
ADISQ states that it has made numerous complaints to Quebec’s Office of Consumer Protection regarding unauthorized ticket resales.
ADISQ notes that it is also eagerly awaiting the outcome of a class action lawsuit filed against Billets.ca on October 13, 2023. –RLD
After 18 years on Canadian airwaves, MTV Canada is preparing to go off the air on Dec. 31. The decision to shutter the specialty channel was confirmed by Bell Media, with a company spokesperson citing “changing audiences” on specialty TV as the reason for the closure.
MTV Canada launched in 2006 as part of the CTV network, and the channel offered viewers a Canadianized version of the MTV brand, one that has had a huge international impact. MTV Canada’s programming provided a mix of reality TV, music content, talk, lifestyle and pop culture-oriented documentary programming.
Many of the channel’s most popular shows were talk and reality-based, airing The Hills and Teen Mom. MTV Live, launched in March 2006, launched the career of co-host Dan Levy. The flagship half-hour variety show ran for six seasons, and won a Gemini award for Best Talk Series.
Trending on Billboard
Now best known as the co-creator and co-star of hit Emmy-winning Canadian TV comedy Schitt’s Creek, Dan Levy would gain prominence in Canada co-hosting, co-writing and co-producing the MTV Canada ratings hit The Hills: After Show (later just The After Show) with Jessi Cruickshank.
The channel later become increasingly dependent on such American reality shows as Floribama Shore, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation and Caught In The Act: Unfaithful in its programming, and by the end was playing multiple hours per day of the comedy reality clip show Ridiculousness.
South of the border, the MTV brand has also suffered in recent years, with owner Paramount Media Networks, shutting down MTV News and pulling down its website’s online archives in May 2023, as part of a massive round of layoffs at Paramount.
MTV Canada’s name and branding was used under a licensing agreement with Paramount Global. Unlike MTV channels in the United States and internationally, the channel was restricted in its ability to carry music programming until 2015, due to conditions in the channel’s license issued by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Those restrictions meant that, unlike its international counterparts, MTV Canada never employed the “Music Television” tagline. As a result, in terms of music programming, the channel struggled to compete with the homegrown and much-beloved MuchMusic channel, which is also owned by Bell Media.
Anthem Entertainment & Wax Records Announce New Creative Partnership
Anthem Entertainment and Wax Records are joining forces.
The independent music company and record label have announced a strategic creative partnership, one they state “is designed to revolutionize the artist development process.”
The Anthem-Wax partnership seeks to remove barriers between songwriters, producers and artists, and give them the tools and resources to create together. That includes initiatives like international song camps to connect people across diverse genres, in-house studio spaces and dedicated writing rooms. These resources are designed to facilitate a higher volume of music and effective market readiness.
Anthem Entertainment is a big player in publishing and licensing, with a stable that includes hit songwriters like Chantal Kreviazuk and Timbaland. The company has a massive catalog of songs, an infrastructure featuring robust creative and executive teams, and creative spaces in Toronto and Nashville. Anthem recently sold its Production Music Group to Slipstream, a deal that included noted production music agency Jingle Punks and added over 650,000 tracks to Slipstream’s catalog.
Since starting in 2009, Wax Records has built a roster headed by platinum-selling artists Alyssa Reid, Shawn Desman and Virginia to Vegas along with bülow, Conor Gains, Blitz//Berlin and more.
The partnership expands the scope of both companies.
“I’m thrilled to welcome the Wax team — and their exceptional roster of artists — into the Anthem family,” says Anthem CEO Jason Klein. “Jamie [Appleby, Wax Records President and Head of A&R] and Ron [Morse, Wax Records CEO] have built an extraordinary label, with a creative and agile approach to artist discovery, development, and marketing that transcends conventional limitations. This partnership will allow Wax to elevate their outstanding work with additional resources and infrastructure, and introduce an exciting new creative pipeline for Anthem’s songwriters.
“The possibilities for global success with this partnership are limitless.”
Anthem and Wax tout the partnership as “an evolution of the music business” and a key to artist empowerment as well as a key to opening doors internationally.
“The global music marketplace is an ever-changing adventure,” says Wax’s Jamie Appleby. “Through countless hours of dedication and hard work, we strive to cultivate a vibrant entrepreneurial culture that supports and provides globalization opportunities for our community. We are excited for the next evolution of Wax Records, and have tremendous admiration for Jason and the exceptional team at Anthem. This new venture will expand our ongoing commitment to our incredible artists, venture partners, and sub label groups.”
Toronto is preparing for a new era.
Taylor Swift will bring her behemoth Eras Tour to the biggest city in Canada for six sold-out shows in November. But Torontonians know all too well that major concerts can lead to bad traffic downtown. The city has announced that to help those shows run more smoothly, there will be a ‘Limited Activity Zone’ around the Rogers Centre stadium during the two weeks of Swift-mania.
Planned work in the zone — like construction or filming — will be limited to off-peak hours and will require express permission from the City of Toronto, though emergency work will be allowed.
The zone covers a sizeable area of Toronto’s downtown and will aim to keep traffic flowing as roughly 240,000 fans attend Taylor Swift’s performances. The affected industries shouldn’t be too worried though — the zone will only be in place for a fortnight, from Nov. 11 to 25.
Trending on Billboard
The ‘Limited Activity Zone’ isn’t the only infrastructural adjustment needed to account for Swift’s superstardom. Rogers revealed last week that it just completed an $8 million upgrade to its 5G network at the Rogers Centre, so fans can livestream the enchanting spectacle in real-time — or just text their friends, which can be tough during service overloads at major events.
The route from Rogers Centre north to Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square, where City Hall sits, will also be renamed Taylor Swift Way for the month. Signs will designate the new name, guiding fans into the ‘Limited Activity Zone’ where Swift will take the stage.
The city is anticipating a major financial boost from Swift’s visit, with over $250 million in economic impact projected.
Taylor Swift performs in Toronto from Nov. 14-16 and again from Nov. 21-23. –Rosie Long Decter
Slipstream Acquires Anthem Entertainment’s Extensive Production Music Portfolio
Music licensing platform Slipstream has announced that it has acquired the production music portfolio of Toronto-based music rights company Anthem Entertainment.
The acquisition of Anthem Production Music Group includes three major brands: Anthem’s production music agency Jingle Punks, independent production music library 5 Alarm Music, and U.K.-based independent production music publisher Cavendish Music. The net result is the addition of over 650,000 tracks to Slipstream’s catalog.
Slipstream says the acquisition positions it as “the largest global independent music licensing platform.”
There are long and close connections between the principal players involved. Slipstream was founded in 2021 by CEO Dan Demole and chief revenue officer Jesse Korwin. Demole was the co-founder of Jingle Punks and former president of Anthem Production Music Group, while Korwin served as managing director of Jingle Punks.
“This acquisition is a homecoming for us,” says Demole. “Jesse and I built both Jingle Punks and Slipstream on the foundation of making great music accessible to every type of creator. We now have an unprecedented opportunity to build on the success of both brands while leading the next wave of innovation in music licensing. With this vast catalog and our tech-enabled platform, we’re not only the largest independent player in the space, but also the most innovative.”
The expanded platform will serve a diverse client base, from individual content creators and small businesses to global brands and enterprises. Slipstream said the acquisition is in line with its goal to streamline music licensing across TV, film, advertising, gaming, social media and brands.
Anthem Entertainment will make an investment in Slipstream as part of the transaction. Anthem Entertainment CEO, Jason Klein, who is one of Billboard Canada’s 2024 Power Players in the Publishing category, commented: “Anthem’s focus since my appointment in January 2023 has been on building its core music publishing and recorded music divisions, while considering the best path forward for our production music businesses.”
“This sale to Slipstream has placed Jingle Punks, 5 Alarm and Cavendish Music back in the familiar and capable hands of proven leaders in the production music and technology space. Dan and Jesse already know these businesses and have a unique vision for their future as part of Slipstream. Our belief in them as leaders and their vision is the reason we have also chosen to invest in Slipstream going forward.”
The New York City-headquartered Jingle Punks has long maintained an office in Toronto, alongside branches in Santa Monica, London, Sydney and Melbourne. – Kerry Doole
Billboard Canada Parent Company AMG Acquires Major Stake in Music Festival NXNE
Artshouse Media Group (AMG) has acquired a major stake in Toronto music festival North By Northeast (NXNE).
The media company — which publishes Billboard Canada, Billboard UK and Rolling Stone Quebec and also owns Arts Help, Waveland Canada and the Climate Library — will own 50% of the long-running festival. The acquisition begins a long-term partnership, starting with NXNE’s landmark 30th anniversary edition from June 11-June 15, 2025.
“This partnership with NXNE comes at an exciting time for both Billboard Canada and AMG. As NXNE marks its 30th anniversary, we are aligning our shared goals of elevating artists and engaging music lovers,” says Amanda Dorenberg, CEO of Billboard Canada and AMG. “Together, we’ll amplify the festival’s impact, providing artists with a broader platform to reach audiences and creating new ways for fans to discover fresh talent.”
Michael Hollett will continue as NXNE’s president and CEO, while Barbara Hefler serves as managing director.
NXNE launched in 1995 and quickly established itself as the heart of Toronto’s live music scene. Originally formed in partnership with Austin’s SXSW, it evolved its own identity for recognizing and showcasing emerging talent in the early stages of international success. Artists from Lizzo to Daniel Caesar, Feist, Grimes, The Beaches, Mac DeMarco, Haviah Mighty, Sam Roberts and Billy Talent have played critical NXNE showcases at breaking points in their careers.
The festival has also been responsible for some legendary headlining shows from acts including Iggy Pop & The Stooges (one of the biggest free shows ever in downtown Toronto at Yonge-Dundas Square), Vince Staples, the Flaming Lips, The National, Post Malone, Tyler, The Creator and many more.
The collaboration with AMG and Billboard Canada will grow the festival’s reach in its landmark 30th anniversary edition with new co-produced programming and activations to be announced soon.
Artist applications are open now at nxne.com. 2025 venues will include The Garrison, Drake Underground, Collective Arts brewery and more, plus a new official festival headquarters at The Theatre Centre on Queen West.
The 30th anniversary edition will celebrate the festival’s rich history and the big acts who have played over the decades, while staying committed to its “Listen to the Future” tagline and its commitment to always looking for the next big thing in music.
“We want to meet and exceed NXNE’s ‘glory days’ as a citywide, community-engaging discovery festival,” says Hollett.
A powerful Canadian executive is making a move to Live Nation Canada.
Melissa Bubb-Clarke is leaving her role as senior vp of music & live events at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) for a leadership role at the juggernaut promoter. She’ll serve as chief commercial officer at Live Nation Canada, leading the company’s commercial business in the country.
Bubb-Clarke worked closely with the Live Nation team while overseeing entertainment programming at MLSE, which included high-profile concerts at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena promoted by Live Nation.
It’s a full circle moment for Bubb-Clarke, who previously worked at Live Nation as regional vp of marketing and later vp of client services.
“I am so excited to join the Live Nation Canada team as Chief Commercial Officer,” Bubb-Clarke tells Billboard Canada. “It’s such an exciting time in the live music space, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the opportunity to help grow the business further and work with the best team in the biz.”
Trending on Billboard
Wayne Zronik, president of business operations at Live Nation Canada, notes consumer demand for live entertainment and experiences is at an all-time high, necessitating a leader who can optimize that growth. “Melissa brings an impressive track record, and we are beyond delighted to be welcoming her back into the Live Nation Canada family,” he says.
Bubb-Clarke was on the Leaderboard as one of Billboard Canada‘s top 10 Power Players this year for her work at MLSE.
She also shared career wisdom as part of the Billboard Canada Women in Music’s Industry Spotlight: “A career, in my experience, is not linear,” she said at the time. “I have accelerated, paused, and taken steps ‘back’. Sometimes it was because different parts of my life were the priority and sometimes it was just the ebb and flow of opportunity. Stick with it, keep going.”
With Live Nation opening a new stadium in Toronto next year — just in time to welcome Oasis on their reunion tour — Bubb-Clarke will have plenty to keep her busy in the new role. – Rosie Long Decter
Shaboozey Ties Record for Most Weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 with ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’
Shaboozey has made history on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.
On the chart for the week of Oct. 12, the Virginia singer ties the record for most weeks at No. 1. His country hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has now spent 19 weeks in the top spot, a run only matched by Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road.”
If Shaboozey can hold on one more week, he’ll break the record, marking the first time that a song has spent 20 weeks atop the chart since its launch in 2007.
“A Bar Song” first hit No. 1 back in May and dominated all summer, with brief interruptions by Eminem‘s “Houdini” and Morgan Wallen and Post Malone‘s “I Had Some Help.”
Shaboozey’s road to No. 1 has been building since he first gained momentum in 2018 with his track “Start a Riot,” featured on the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack. He got a big boost earlier this year from Beyoncé when he featured on two songs off her country opus Cowboy Carter.
That album came out March 29 and “A Bar Song” dropped just two weeks later on April 12, which made the timing ripe for Shaboozey to climb the charts in his own right. “A Bar Song” first hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart on May 5, following Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and marking the first time two Black musicians topped the chart in a row.
A Bar Song” hit No. 1 on the Canadian Hot 100 the week after, two months before it reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s U.S. Hot 100 in July.
Last month, Billboard Canada presented Shaboozey with a plaque at his Toronto concert to honor his chart achievement. – RLD
Three Days Grace Reunites With Original Singer
Popular Canadian hard rock band Three Days Grace has announced the official return of its original singer Adam Gontier, with Matt Walst remaining as a lead vocalist. Gontier recently surprised fans during a performance in Nashville.
Following the announcement of their reunion, the band has booked an upcoming tour as direct support for Disturbed on their The Sickness 25th anniversary tour. The 12-date tour runs from Feb. 25-March 21, 2025, and includes stops at Montreal’s Bell Centre and Madison Square Garden in New York.
Since 2003, Three Days Grace has scored five charting hits on the Billboard Hot 100, four No. 1s on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and three No. 1s on the Alternative Airplay chart. The band consistently averages 13 million monthly listeners on Spotify and boasts over 5 billion combined streams. – Kerry Doole
Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 Details Alleged Sexual Abuse By Former Manager Greig Nori
Sum 41‘s Deryck Whibley has detailed allegations of abuse against former manager Greig Nori.
Whibley’s new memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, features Whibley’s descriptions of sexual coercion and verbal abuse at the hands of Nori when Nori was in his 30s and Whibley was a teenager.
Nori fronted the pop-punk band Treble Charger and mentored a host of rising Canadian bands in the early 2000s. He denies the allegations and has retained a defamation lawyer, The Globe & Mail reports.
Whibley met Nori when he was 16 and Nori was 33. He writes that Nori first kissed him while the two were on drugs when Whibley was 18 and that Nori would go on to pressure Whibley into sexual activity. Nori lashed out when Whibley resisted, Whibley writes, claiming Whibley “owed” him.
Whibley describes Nori as exerting complete authority over his career. “Greig had one requirement to be our manager — he wanted total control,” he writes. “We couldn’t talk to anyone but him, because the music business is ‘full of snakes and liars’ and he was the only person we could trust.”
Eventually, Whibley says, he disclosed the sexual pressure to his girlfriend and eventual wife, Avril Lavigne, who told him it was abuse. After a mutual friend of Nori and Whibley learned of the alleged abuse, Whibley says, the sexual pressure stopped, but Nori was still verbally aggressive.
Whibley claims Nori also insisted on receiving songwriting credits for songs he didn’t help compose.
Sum 41 fired Nori after releasing and touring their third full-length, 2004’s Chuck.
In an interview with The Toronto Star, Whibley said he welcomes a legal challenge from Nori.
“If he wants to challenge it, I welcome that,” Whibley said. “Let’s go to court. Let’s go under oath. That would be f — king great! I welcome that part. Let’s get into discovery. I’ll have my lawyers grill you. They can grill me all they want. I mean, that would be f — king perfect! Finally, let’s get it on record!” – RLD
Changes are coming to Montreal’s nightlife. Following public outcry over the closure of the popular venue La Tulipe, Mayor Valérie Plante announced this week (Sept. 25) that venues will now be exempt from the bylaw that led to its closure.
The venue announced this week it would cease operations due to a decision by the Quebec Court of Appeal, which mandated the venue to not emit sound that could be heard in an adjacent building.
Specifically, in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough of Montreal (a popular area for live music), music venues will no longer be subject to Section 9 of the bylaw governing noise regulation, which specifies that amplified sound cannot be audible in a neighbouring building. Projet Montreal, Plante’s party, has also committed to improving the city’s soundproofing program and presenting a new nightlife policy in October.
Trending on Billboard
Plante posted a video on Instagram, sharing her own dismay at the news that La Tulipe would be closing its doors for the foreseeable future. She expresses concern that one person could derail an entire music venue.
“Yes to neighbourliness, but no to the dictatorship of neighbours,” Plante says in the video.
La Tulipe isn’t the only venue in the city to be affected by noise bylaws. Popular spots like Divan Orange and Diving Bell Social Club have previously closed down due to noise complaints.The outcry to the news about La Tulipe indicated a growing frustration amongst cultural laborers in the city, which has a reputation as a haven for arts production in Canada. – Rosie Long Decter
Newly Announced Rogers Stadium Will Become One of Canada’s Biggest Music Venues
On Thursday (Sept. 26), Live Nation and Northcrest Developments announced Rogers Stadium, the new 50,000 capacity outdoor venue in Toronto opening in June 2025. The venue will instantly become one of the biggest in Canada, with a slightly higher capacity than Toronto’s other stadium, Rogers Centre. It’s also one of the world’s few venues of the size that isn’t also home to a sports team.
The venue will be located at YZD, on the site of what used to be the Downsview Airport in North Toronto. Bombardier used the land for an air field, air force base and testing base for aircrafts. In 2018, Bombardier sold the facility to Northcrest Developments and will move its operations to Pearson Airport.
Rogers Stadium in Toronto
Courtesy of Northcrest Developments/Billboard Canada
The company is redeveloping the land into mixed-use residential communities, a $30B plan that is slated to take 30 years. In the meantime, the 370-acre site, now called YZD, is being used for a variety of arts, community and other initiatives as part of “Meanwhile Use Strategy.”
After the announcement press conference, Billboard Canada spoke to Erik Hoffman, president of music at Live Nation Canada, about why they decided to open the venue and why now. Hoffman says the decision was inspired by a specific artist.
“The idea came from [working with] a major artist who we were very frustrated that we couldn’t find dates [for],” says Hoffman. “They were just going to bypass Toronto on their world tour.”
That act (unrevealed, but there’s plenty of room for speculation) will now play Rogers Stadium next summer, one of 12-15 shows on the 2025 slate. Hoffman says almost all of those shows are already booked.
“It’ll be the biggest year we’ve ever had in stadium-level touring. By far,” he says. “It’s the kind of acts that you would traditionally see at an NFL stadium in the U.S. or the Rogers Centre here. The biggest acts in the world, and some of them setting up for multiple days.”
Stadium and festival-size shows are in high demand, he says, and Toronto is one of the top stops on any world tour. The city is also multicultural and multilingual, which makes it an ideal market for exploding genres from around the world including K-pop, Latin music and Punjabi music. Stadium shows from Indian star Diljit Dosanjh in Toronto and Vancouver this summer have shown there’s an appetite.
“If the fans weren’t coming, [artists] wouldn’t stage shows that big,” Hoffman says. “Not to dumb it down too much, but if they keep selling out stadium shows you do more stadium shows.” – Richard Trapunski
Somali-Canadian Artist K’naan Charged with Sexual Assault
Canadian musician K’naan has been charged with sexual assault.
A charge sheet was filed this week (Sept. 26) in Quebec City for the musician and director, born Keinan Abdi Warsame, for a count of sexual assault dating back to 2010, The Canadian Press reports.
The arrest warrant alleges that the assault took place between July 16 and 17 in Quebec City, which coincides with a show he played at Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ) in 2010. CBC reports that the complaint was first filed in May of 2022 with the Montreal police, but was later transferred to Quebec City. The assault allegedly took place in a hotel room on territory covered by the Quebec City police force.
K’naan, who’s known for his 2009 hit “Wavin’ Flag” (later rerecorded as the global anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup), took an extended break after his 2012 album Troubadour and spent time in both Canada and the United States. Recently, he has recently returned to prominence.
The Somali-Canadian musician returned with “Refugee” in 2023, a song that he said was intended to feel “like a home for those of us made homeless by conflict.” K’naan won the Best Song for Social Change Award by the Recording Academy at this year’s Grammy Awards.
Just over two weeks ago, K’naan made his debut as a director, premiering his feature film Mother Mother at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. This week, on Sept. 24, K’naan attended the SOCAN Awards at History in Toronto and accepted the SOCAN Cultural Impact Award for the lasting global impact of his anthem, “Wavin’ Flag.”
Warsame was not in attendance for the proceedings in Quebec. The case has been set for April 2025. According to Radio-Canada, Warsame’s lawyer has requested he be tried in English in front of a jury. – R.T.