There’s no question that Canada produces some of the world’s top musicians, both in the past and the present. Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Corey Hart made way for the chart toppers of today, including The Weeknd, Drake, Justin Beiber, and Carly Rae Jepson. That being said, the talent brain drain is real: all of the above went to the United States in order to achieve global recognition. In contrast, the band that the BBC called “the most Canadian band in the world,” The Tragically Hip, is universally known in their homeland and virtually unheard of anywhere else in the world.
Recently, some of the main reasons for the music industry to make the news have been the record shutdowns of live music venues during the pandemic, the establishment of a 5% tax on streaming services, and reports of Canadian musicians facing difficulties attaining visas to perform in the United States.
According to Patrick Rogers of Music Canada, the newly imposed streaming services tax could lead to an unprecedented pullback of investments in Canadian music, while the goal of the CRTC is to use the tax to feed back into the Canadian broadcasting system, which is currently unsupported by streaming services. As Rogers wrote in a statement to Music Canada, “It’s too early to know for sure what the consequences of this decision will be for Canada’s music industry.”
But there’s good reason to be optimistic about the industry. The Canadian country music scene has seen a boost in visibility, where there was a reported “32% growth in on-demand audio and video streams” in 2023’s Q3, according to Amy Jeninga of the Canadian Country Music Association. Andrew Cash of the Canadian Independent Music Association says that “503 Canadian indie artists with new music on Canadian-based independent labels in 2023 had over 110 million unique listeners on Spotify in the month of September.”
With so many new Canadian voices joining the scene, it’s vital to have the infrastructure to support them. While Toronto’s iconic venue, the Phoenix, announced its upcoming closure in June, co-owner Lisa Zbitnew is hopeful and determined that they will be able to invest in a new venue and continue their legacy.
In the Maritimes, DiaDan Holdings Ltd. has recently built a new recording studio in Nova Scotia specifically with the Canadian winter in mind, according to CEO Eileen Richardson. DiaDan Holdings Ltd. is known for owning and managing the Evergreen Stage, a Los Angeles recording studio that has played host to the industry’s biggest names, including Frank Sinatra, Beyoncé, and Paul McCartney.
In an ever-shifting industry constantly facing new challenges, it can be challenging to predict what the future for Canadian musicians will look like, but with any luck, recent investments and innovations will ensure that local talent continues to thrive at home and abroad.
The efforts to adapt and invest in the music scene promise a bright future for Canadian artists, who can now look forward to more opportunities and platforms to showcase their talents globally. With initiatives like these, Canada is securing its position as a leader in the global music industry, with an eye on ensuring that its artists do not have to leave their homeland to achieve international success.
There is strong support from both government and private sectors for this goal, an essential ingredient for building an environment where creativity can flourish, and where Canadian musicians can continue to make a significant impact on the world stage