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Music Canada Proud to Support 46th Annual JUNO Awards

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Music Canada is proud to return as sponsor of the Album of the Year Award at the 46th Annual JUNO Awards.

“As the Canadian music industry comes together in Ottawa in 2017, coinciding with Canada’s 150th anniversary, we are reminded of the impact that music has had in building our country’s identity. From past Album of the Year winners like Anne Murray, Bryan Adams, and the Tragically Hip, to this year’s nominees, music has always been a defining part of our cultural identity,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “In addition to its intrinsic values, the music sector supports thousands of jobs across the country, which is why we are proud to advocate for policies and programs that benefit the music ecosystem and support a creative middle class.”

The Album of the Year Award will be presented at the 2017 JUNO Awards Broadcast at the Canadian Tire Centre on Sunday, April 2nd, 2017 in Kanata, ON.

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Mayor John Tory and Councillor Josh Colle issue statement on Toronto music venue closures

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Below is a statement jointly issued this afternoon by Toronto Mayor John Tory and Councillor Josh Colle on the City’s commitment to live music venues following recent venue closure announcements.

 

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Music Monday to celebrate Canada’s 150th Anniversary with new anthem in support of music education

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On Monday, May 1, 2017, the Coalition for Music Education will celebrate Music Monday with a cross-country sing-along to raise awareness for music education. The annual event celebrates the unifying power of music as thousands of Canadians join in singing and performing the Music Monday anthem at their schools and other community centres.

This year, inspired by Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Music Monday sing-along will be led by a live-streamed showcase from the nation’s capital. In recognition of the sesquicentennial year, the 2017 Music Monday anthem will celebrate Canada’s musical heritage in its lyrics and instrumentation. The anthem, titled Sing It Together, focuses on the power of voices, and “asks us to sing for joy, for truth, for healing, and for freedom,” explains the event press release. The recording features Inuit throat singing, Métis fiddling, Indigenous drumming, and children’s choirs in celebration of Canadian musical heritages.

Sing It Together was co-written by JUNO Award winners Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas, and was recorded at Canterbury Music in Toronto, with additional layers recorded at Ottawa’s Audio Valley Recording Studio, and Hamilton’s St. James Anglican Church.

“Music is the landscape of Canada,” said Marc Jordan. “We hope it will be a song that illuminates the mosaic of music and cultures that thrive in every corner of the country.”

To join the Canada-wide chorus of students and community groups in singing and performing the song on Music Monday, visit the Get Involved section of the Music Monday website.  Arrangements, audio-visual learning tools, and lyrics in several languages will be made available on the website ahead of the event.

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Creative BC and Province announce four new BC Music Fund programs

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In two separate announcements this month, Creative BC has detailed the allocation of $8.21 million from the BC Music Fund, which will support four new programs, as well as a funding boost for Music BC.

On December 1, Ministers Shirley Bond and Peter Fassbender, along with Creative BC CEO Prem Gill, announced $4.41 million in funding allocations, $1.41 million of which will support the expansion of Music BC’s activities in the areas of export & professional development, and touring & expanded showcase opportunities.

“As the voice of British Columbia’s music industry, we continue to provide funding to support the growth and sustainability of the province’s music community — artists, music professionals, and other creators,” said Music BC’s Executive Director, Alex Grigg in a press release. “This additional $1.41 million will allow us to provide greater support for our industry partners and expand our own network to reach more of the province’s artists and industry professionals. We applaud and thank the support from Creative BC and the Province for this opportunity and partnership.”

A further $3 million has been allocated to the Sound Recording Program. This program follows the Sound Recording Pilot Program, which distributed $500,000 for sound recording projects in its first stage. Following industry feedback from the pilot program, the expanded criteria for the Sound Recording Program allows for increased access for unincorporated studios and artists. More information on the Sound Recording Program, including eligibility guidelines and the application process, is available on Creative BC’s website.

On December 15, Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia held an announcement at 604 Records on the allocation of $3.8 million more from the BC Music Fund. The announcement featured a performance by celebrated BC songwriter Frazey Ford.

The $3.8 million will support three brand new funding programs:

The Live Music program will receive $2.5 million in dedicated support, available to BC-based festivals, venues, live music presenters and event producers. The program is intended to increase the number of live music performances within the province.

$1 million has been earmarked for Industry Initiatives, which according to Creative BC’s release will “support industry events and export activities, including industry conferences, trade missions, and collaborative export marketing, to further grow and showcase BC’s music industry.”

The Research program devotes $300,000 to projects that inform the growth, evolution and innovation of BC’s music sector.

“British Columbia’s music sector has seen immense growth and success, thanks to the contributions of our many talented artists,” said Shirley Bond, BC’s Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour. “The funding announced today (December 15) from the BC Music Fund will serve to further support artists and live music related businesses including festivals, venues, and event producers, ensuring a strong sector for years to come.”

Below is the full video of the December 15 announcement.

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Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce releases report on the Copyright Board of Canada

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At a press conference today in Ottawa, members from the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce (Deputy Chair Joseph A. Day and Douglas Black) announced the release of their report on the operations and practices of the Copyright Board of Canada. The report, which was officially tabled in the Senate on November 30, follows two days of hearings held by the Committee earlier in November. The Committee heard from representatives from the Board, stakeholders, academics and experts. Music Canada took part in the hearings, with President & CEO Graham Henderson appearing before the committee on November 2.

The report, titled Copyright Board: A Rationale for Urgent Review, is a timely and insightful assessment of the current tariff-setting process and its shortcomings. The Report correctly notes that the Committee’s witnesses agreed that the Board’s biggest challenges are delay and unpredictability, while also highlighting potential areas for improvement, such as the imposition of deadlines, case management, simplified/expedited procedures, full-time members, and the elimination of retroactive decisions.

The report states as follows:

“The Copyright Board of Canada plays a pivotal role in Canada’s cultural sector. Yet, from what the committee heard, the Board is dated, dysfunctional and in dire need of reform. Whether the reasons are statutory, structural or otherwise, the Board did not – or could not – provide the committee with solutions to the problems that were identified by witnesses. The concerns outlined in this report require further investigation and timely action.”

The report ultimately recommends that “the forthcoming five-year statutory review of the Copyright Act should include a thorough, in-depth examination of the Copyright Board of Canada’s mandate, practices and resources.”

Music Canada applauds the Committee’s leadership and recommendation for an urgent, in-depth review.

“I commend the Senate’s Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee for undertaking this important review. The common message at the hearings was that the Board has actually become a barrier to business,” says Graham Henderson, President & CEO of Music Canada. “The Board is inefficient and unpredictable, and decisions take too long. The Committee could not have been more damning in their indictment when they said that the ‘Board is dated, dysfunctional and in dire need of reform.’ The Committee’s work makes it very clear that the Copyright Board and its tariff-setting process need to be overhauled.”

Music Canada looks forward to working with the government on this issue as we approach the 2017 review of the Copyright Act. A more efficient and predictable tariff-setting process is something that all Board stakeholders can aspire to, and we welcome the Committee’s recognition of the urgency of this issue.

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Music Canada unveils Music Cities Toolkit at Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM

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gh-screen150 representatives from chambers of commerce across the country took part in a Music Cities workshop conducted by Graham Henderson yesterday at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) Annual General Meeting in Regina.

Henderson unveiled a Music Cities toolkit that Music Canada custom-built for the CCC’s network of over 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade, in all regions of the country.

The toolkit was designed to provide chambers of commerce with a roadmap and guide to activate the power of music in their communities.  It describes potential roles for the chamber as follows:

  1. Catalyst – as the leading voice of business, acting to enhance economic prosperity and quality of life, the chamber can act as a catalyst to stimulate the Music City discussion
  2. Advocate – convene a music policy task force to identify municipal policies and regulations that are hampering the creation, production and promotion of music
  3. Operator – develop a proposal for the chamber to act as a music office/officer
  4. Trainer – provide training to entrepreneurs within the music community
  5. Promoter – host and amplify music events, celebrate the music history in your community

The toolkit builds on the global success of Music Canada’s report The Mastering of a Music City, Key Elements, Effective Strategies and Why it’s Worth Pursuing.

“We are so pleased that Music Canada has partnered with us and shared their excellent work in this space with the chamber network as a tried and tested economic development tool,” said Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to work with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce whose pan-Canadian network makes it an ideal partner to spread the thinking behind and the benefits of adopting the Music Cities model for your community,” said Graham Henderson.

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music-cities-toolkit-cover-2The Music Cities Toolkit is available here.

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Music streaming now included in Canada’s historic Gold/Platinum certification program

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New award and branding revealed at CCMA Awards

Toronto, ON – September 12, 2016

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With the introduction of a new Single Award, Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum certification and awards program will now include streams towards digital track certifications. Over 50 new Single certifications were revealed today, with 10 artists receiving their first Canadian certifications.

“Today’s announcement signifies a pivotal moment in Canada’s evolving digital music marketplace,” says Graham Henderson, President & CEO of Music Canada. “By accepting on-demand streams for track certifications, Music Canada can continue to acknowledge the success of Canadian and international artists, as well as the subscription-based streaming platforms currently thriving in our market. The new Single Award helps maintain the integrity of our Gold/Platinum program, which has historically recognized the active choice consumers make when building their personal music libraries.”

During County Music Week in London, ON, rising country stars Brett Kissel and Chris Lane were presented with the first Single Award plaques leading up to Sunday’s 40th CCMA Awards broadcast.

“We are thrilled that Music Canada is now accepting streams with its new Single Award,” says Steve Kane, President of Warner Music Canada, who presented Kissel with his plaque for the Gold Single ‘Airwaves’ at Saturday’s CCMA FanFest. “Canadian music fans have welcomed the arrival of streaming subscription services with open arms, and are now consuming more music than ever before. We are excited to honour new milestones for our artists who have flourished on this new path, and whose fanbases continue to grow as streaming increases in popularity.”

The new Single Award will combine on-demand audio streams from subscription services with digital download and CD single sales. Streams can be used toward certification using a conversion formula of 150 streams equaling 1 unit towards certification. This 150:1 ratio is consistent with other major global counterparts. Streaming data from YouTube/VEVO videos will not be accepted towards certification upon launch.

The Single Award launch also coincides with the reveal of new bilingual branding for the program, which has certified over 16,000 releases in its 41-year history.

Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts are live with the new branding. For more information, visit www.musiccanada.com/gold-platinum.

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Canadian music companies successfully settle legal action against isoHunt

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MC smallIFPI Small

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vancouver, 25 July 2016:  Canadian and international music companies have settled litigation against isoHunt Web Technologies Inc. (“isoHunt”) and its founder Gary Fung (“Fung”) with the entering of orders by consent against isoHunt and Fung.  The settlement ends a lawsuit filed in 2010 alleging substantial copyright infringement of music on the isoHunt site, as well as an opposing action filed by isoHunt and Fung.

isoHunt and Fung agreed to a court order finding them liable for infringing the music companies’ rights in their recordings, which were made available for BitTorrent file-sharing through isoHunt’s websites. Fung and isoHunt further agreed not to be associated with any service that makes the music companies’ recordings available without authorization, including by BitTorrent or any other file-sharing technology.

“Music companies in Canada stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against illegitimate sites that distribute massive volumes of creative works without compensation to creators,” said Graham Henderson, President & CEO of Music Canada. “Thousands of Canadian creators, our creative industries, and their employees are directly harmed by these activities. This settlement is a step forward towards providing consumers with a marketplace in which legitimate online music services can thrive.”

isoHunt was one of the largest unauthorized BitTorrent sites in the world, offering access to a vast array of music and films for instant download by millions of users. It operated out of Vancouver with worldwide reach.

“Courts all over the world have confirmed that websites such as isoHunt infringe rights”, said Frances Moore, Chief Executive Officer of IFPI. “Artists, creators and record companies pay a heavy price for that infringement, in lost revenues, lost jobs and lost investment. This settlement sends a strong message that anyone who builds a business by encouraging and enabling copyright infringement faces legal consequences for these actions.”

A timeline of legal activities involving isoHunt:

  • 2008 – isoHunt files a petition in British Columbia Supreme Court against Canadian music companies, seeking to have its BitTorrent file-sharing site declared legal under the Canadian Copyright Act;
  • 2009 – The British Columbia Supreme Court rejects isoHunt’s application, and grants the Canadian music companies’ application to have the petition proceed by way of an action or full trial. isoHunt files such an action;
  • 2009 – A US federal district court finds isoHunt liable for copyright infringement in a case brought by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), citing unchallenged evidence that 95% of the files traded through isoHunt’s sites were likely infringing;
  • 2010 – Two dozen Canadian and international music companies file a lawsuit against isoHunt and Fung in British Columbia Supreme Court, alleging massive copyright infringement and seeking damages;
  • 2012 – The Canadian government passes The Copyright Modernization Act (Bill C-11), which ensures that businesses that enable infringement can be held liable for the activities they facilitate. In public statements, government representatives identify isoHunt as the type of “enabler” that the law is intended to target;
  • 2013 – A US federal court of appeals unanimously upholds the US district court’s decision;
  • 2013 – isoHunt and Fung agree to halt all operations worldwide and are deemed liable for a judgment of US$110 million in the US proceedings;
  • 2016 – by way of a consent order filed in the Canadian proceedings in British Columbia Supreme Court, isoHunt and Fung are liable for CAD$55 million in damages and an additional CAD$10 million in punitive damages.  isoHunt and Fung further agree not to be associated with any service that makes the music companies’ recordings available without authorization.

Despite these successful legal actions, piracy remains a significant problem for the music industry. IFPI estimates that 20 per cent of all fixed line internet users worldwide regularly access services offering infringing music. A recent report by the Digital Citizens Alliance demonstrates that one in three piracy sites contains malware, which could result in identity theft, stolen banking information, or exposure to hackers.

̶   Ends  ̶

For more information:

Quentin Burgess, Music Canada

qburgess@musiccanada.com

+1 (416) 967-7272 x106

 

Adrian Strain, Director of Communications, IFPI

adrian.strain@ifpi.org

+44 (0)20 7878 7935

 

 

Notes for editors:

About Music Canada

Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada, namely Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster.

About IFPI

IFPI is the organisation that promotes the interests of the international recording industry worldwide. Its membership comprises some 1,300 major and independent companies in 61 countries. It also has affiliated industry associations in 57 countries.  IFPI’s mission is to promote the value of recorded music, campaign for record producer rights and expand the commercial uses of recorded music in all its member markets.

 

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CONNECT announces increased royalties for Canadian music labels

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CONNECT Music Licensing has announced that an efficiency project undertaken with Re:Sound Music Licensing has resulted in increased royalty payments for Canadian rights holders.

Data improvement and other efficiencies have led to an increase of CAD$1.2 million annually for CONNECT’s members, who range in size from major record labels to artist-owned imprints.

Improvements in data streams provided by CONNECT’s members, and the creation of a single repertoire database have also freed up an additional CAD$1 million in accelerated royalty payments for labels and another CAD$1 million to the performers on recordings through Re:Sound’s member organizations ACTRA RACS, MROC and ARTISTI.

“The increased royalties are particularly notable as they result from our drive to improve royalty collection in line with international best practices, as opposed to adding revenues from a new music service or higher tariff award from the Copyright Board,” said Graham Henderson, President of CONNECT Music Licensing, in the release. “Organizations like CONNECT and Re:Sound exist only to serve rights holders, and today we have delivered on that promise.”

Royalty distributions, as a result of this project, will also happen faster on ongoing basis. Depending on the tariff, payout timelines have been accelerated by 1-6 months, a CONNECT rep told Billboard.

Reaction from Canada’s major labels acknowledged their contribution through data stream improvements:

Members of Canada’s music industry also shared the positive news:

Coverage of the increase in royalties for Canadian rights holders has also been featured in Canadian Musician and FYI Music News.

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CMW announces 2017 dates and the first Austin-Toronto showcase

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Canadian Music Week 2017 will take over Toronto from April 18 – 22. The four-night festival will host over 800 showcasing bands at more than 40 venues in the city’s downtown. 2017’s convention will be held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen Street West.

CMW 2017

At CMW 2016, global city planners and the music industry met for The Mastering Of A Music City, a one-day international creative economy summit, which was inspired by Music Canada’s report of the same name. Austin was a focal point of the conference, and the report, because of its incredible music economy, where music tourism accounts for almost half of their US$1.6 billion economic output.

Neill Dixon (right), CEO Canadian Music Week and Don Pitts (left), Music & Entertainment Division Manager - ATX Music & Entertainment Division, City of Austin. Photo via CMW.

Neill Dixon (right), CEO Canadian Music Week and Don Pitts (left), Music & Entertainment Division Manager – ATX Music & Entertainment Division, City of Austin. Photo via CMW.

CMW 2017 will present the first Austin-Toronto showcase, featuring premier talent from both cities. The showcase is an outcome of the recent Austin-Toronto Alliance Summit, where industry leaders met in Toronto in June of 2016. The Music City Alliance between Toronto and Austin was formed in 2013 to promote mutual growth opportunities between governments and industry.

For more information on CMW 2017, head over to their website at www.cmw.net

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