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Music Canada and DIMA issue joint letter to CRTC following Canadian content audio workshops

Today, Music Canada and the Digital Media Association (DIMA) have jointly filed the below letter to the CRTC following their recent engagement sessions on Canadian content for audio services. 

Re: Engagement sessions on Canadian content 

We are writing to you today as part of the recent engagement sessions on Canadian content held by the CRTC from Sept 11-18. Collectively, our organizations and their members took part in the meetings held on September 11, 12, and 17. 

At the end of each session we were encouraged to write to the CRTC with further thoughts or clarifications on the sessions. With this in mind, we write to you today to reinforce an important message shared throughout the consultations: radio and audio streaming are not the same

Out of context, it might seem odd for the largest streaming services and major music labels in Canada to write to a regulator asserting a truism, but we believe that the recent workshops have made this necessary. From the discussion guide to the moderated questions, there was a clear attempt to place the continuation of radio regulations on audio streaming services as an obvious next step. 

We do not agree. 

Today’s radio regulations were carefully crafted for Canada’s radio environment. One that is shaped by our vast geography, linguistic duality, and a willingness in an analogue system to make decisions about what is available to Canadian listeners. They also reflect the limitations of the medium: a finite number of hours, increasingly centralized programming, and a live broadcast format, and relatively small number of recordings that radio broadcasts. 

Streaming is none of these things. Being driven in terms of each consumer’s individual interest and activity, it represents nearly infinite hours of listening, a vast catalogue of recordings, a plethora of languages, and has broken down not just physical geography but international borders as well. Three of the top 10 songs streamed in India in 2022 were by Canadian artists –  a fact that would be inconceivable to the founders of our terrestrial broadcasting system. 

Not only has streaming allowed Canadians to reach the world in ways previously unimaginable, streaming has allowed Canadian artists with no home in the traditional radio system to be found by their Canadian and international fans. This has led to higher levels of play on streaming for women and racially diverse artists compared to Canadian radio. 

We ask that as you move forward implementing the Online Streaming Act, you think of the streaming services and their interactions with Canadians for what they are today and not as a proxy to the broadcasting system of the 1900s. 

About Music Canada
Music Canada is the trade association representing Canada’s major record labels: Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Like its members, Music Canada is a partner to the industry, working with artists, independent labels, publishers, platforms, associations and others, in advancing forward-looking policies to ensure a dynamic and successful Canadian music ecosystem which returns value to music creators.

For further information: Regan Reid, Music Canada, rreid@musiccanada.com, (416) 462-1485

About DIMA

DIMA represents the world’s leading audio streaming companies and streaming innovators. Our mission is to promote and protect the ability of music fans to legally engage with creative content whenever and wherever they want it, and for artists to more easily reach longtime fans and make new ones.

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Canada needed a reimagined broadcasting system. The CRTC’s contribution decision offers more of the same while risking the important role played by licensed streaming in building the careers of artists.

Today, following weeks of consideration and consultation with members of the music community, Music Canada CEO Patrick Rogers released the following statement in response to the CRTC’s Phase 1 decision on initial base contributions.

Earlier this summer, Canada’s broadcast regulator, the CRTC, announced that music streaming services will need to pay an unprecedented 5% of their Canadian revenues to support the legacy broadcasting system. And almost half of that money will be used to prop up traditional radio. If that sounds like outdated thinking, it’s because it is.  

When the CRTC launched their process to implement the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11), they promised a “blank sheet of paper” approach that would help them re-imagine the Canadian broadcasting system. Music Canada encouraged them to “turn over every stone”. If our broadcasting regulations were going to be extended to streaming, then we had to treat it as the once-in-a-generation regulatory process that it was. The framework needed to reflect the power and competitiveness of streaming if it was going to create new and meaningful opportunities for Canadian and Indigenous artists in the global streaming environment. 

So it was with a mix of surprise, disappointment, and confusion that we read the CRTC’s decision. If the CRTC had truly set out with a blank page, it had the old regulatory rules written on the back. At some point in the process, faced with the immensity of the task at hand, it seems they simply turned the page over.

Bill C-11 was designed to require audio streaming services to pay into the Canadian broadcasting system – but a 5% contribution rate is staggering. For context, it’s roughly 10 times what radio broadcasters are required to pay. And when you look at how that 5% is divided up, you see that 40% of it goes to funding the radio industry. It is truly confounding that such a large sum of money from streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music will be used to subsidize our radio industry.

Our hope was that the CRTC would leverage this opportunity to modernize our system and find innovative ways to help artists find success in the global streaming market. Canadian and Indigenous artists have catapulted themselves to global stardom through the universality of their music and the reach of licensed streaming – and the CRTC had the chance to build on that success by putting artists, not domestic industrial policy, at the heart of its framework. Instead, the decision focuses on protecting legacy domestic institutions. This is not what artists need to succeed in today’s highly competitive, on-demand, streaming-driven music marketplace.

We asked the CRTC to carefully consider the existing investments made by the music streaming services in Canada and not impose requirements that could jeopardize them. The music platforms’ local teams curate playlists featuring Canadian and Indigenous artists, which introduce Canadians and global audiences to new voices; they educate artists and label teams on the best ways to leverage their platforms; they host industry events and seminars. Simply put, these local teams – these investments – are integral to the growth of the Canadian music industry and the success of its artists.

The decision ignores the role that licensed streaming plays in the growth of the industry and furthering the careers of our artists. Paid subscription streaming services that pay royalties when music is played are what allow all music companies, big and small, to reinvest in the next generation of Canadian and Indigenous talent.

It’s too early to know for sure what the consequences of this decision will be for Canada’s music industry. It’s easy to predict that the new costs will be passed on to consumers, which could threaten Canadians’ participation in the licensed, legal music economy that sees artists paid when their music is played.

But it could also trigger a reduction in streaming services’ investments in our country – or worse, an exodus. If that happens, the CRTC’s decision won’t just be a missed opportunity, it will be a cultural policy disaster.

As we work towards the next phase of CRTC regulations, Music Canada will continue to advocate for the best regulatory system that reflects how music is made and listened to today and creates the greatest opportunities for Canadian and Indigenous artists. We recognize more than ever the need to turn over a new page – and the resistance toward doing so.

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Music Canada CEO Patrick Rogers delivers CMW 2024 “State of the Industry” opening keynote

Today, Music Canada CEO Patrick Rogers delivered remarks at Canadian Music Week’s opening keynote, “State of the Industry: A(nother) Year of Change.” Looking back on a year that changed everything (again!) Patrick shared his views on how the industry is working together to navigate seismic events like generative AI and the Online Streaming Act implementation.

Read his full remarks below.


Good morning,

It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the opening of Canadian Music Week and our morning of Music Canada programming.

What a year it’s been since last year’s CMW. We’ve seen government, regulators, industry, artists, and streaming platforms come to grips with what’s next in regulating the digital space. Simultaneously, we have seen many of those same players try to get their heads around the AI of today, the AI of tomorrow and the AI that we must guard against.

In just a couple of moments, I’m going to sit down with renowned economist and digital streaming expert Will Page to talk about the realities of streaming, glocalisation, Canada’s place in the global market and what we all need to understand as the CRTC ramps up its next phase of consultations.

After that, we are going to hear from Human Artistry Campaign’s Dr Moiya McTier, and Sony Music Entertainment’s Chris Frankenberg who are going to share their views on the industry’s efforts on AI and what we should be looking out for here in Canada.

I am very excited to hear from these two experts but while I’m up here let me tell you the two things about AI that I have become certain of since last year’s CMW.

The first is there is no doubt that the ingestion of songs to train AI is a use of copyright – everyone’s copyright in a song. We need to remember that AI is simply a technology – and copyright is the framework used to protect the VALUE of the art.

In so many ways, none of this is new. Every time a new technology comes around that harvests, mines or ingests that VALUE for free we have this debate. But I feel good about where we stand on this and am proud to join creators in the protection of the value of their creations.

Now, why do I feel this way – well, I could tell you that I can’t help but notice that those who spent the last 30 years as professors, lawyers and consultants for the anti-copyright movement have all suddenly become professors, lawyers and consultants for the AI-should-be-allowed-to-steal everything movement. It’s amazing really.

But the other reason that I know this is a copyright issue is because of the outputs. The undeniable voice of Johnny Cash singing Barbie World only proves that the AI was trained on Johnny Cash and Aqua. Or take the generated image that just happens to include someone else’s watermark – that proves the same thing. This past year has taught us that these systems aren’t actually creating anything truly new. Only humans can do that.

Our industry is an early adopter of AI and we’re excited about what AI can bring to Human Creative expression. But we need credit, compensation and consent. Creators must be able to decide IF and HOW their life’s work is used and they must be able to negotiate for that value in a fair market.

But I’m optimistic that if we respect creators and the copyright framework, we can go from the world’s most complicated paint-by-numbers to something truly magnificent.

The second thing I’ve become convinced of over this past year is the very real – and very urgent – danger of deepfakes. The pace at which the technology has accelerated from “I don’t think that’s real” to “I need to check if that is real” is terrifying. This isn’t just a music industry issue – it’s a society issue. Music Canada has spent a lot of time talking to politicians about this over the last year. What’s so striking is that, while we have laws to prevent impersonation or stealing a persona over the phone, in magazine advertisements and on billboards – and everyone agrees this is important – there’s still uncertainty about what to do about AI impersonations.

Our answer is simple – make what’s illegal in the analogue world – illegal in the digital world.

Deepfakes aren’t just a problem for our top artists, or world leaders, they are increasingly becoming a threat to hard working Canadians and distressingly – their kids. All Canadians deserve a clear publicity right that protects how their name, image and likeness is used. We are going to keep working on this and I look forward to reporting back to you next year.

Turning to Music Canada’s other priority in the digital space – CRTC’s work to implement the Online Streaming Act and their updated roadmap.

At Music Canada, we take this process really seriously, I believe it’s a once in a generation regulatory process and ALL involved, should treat it as such.

But I do think that it would be helpful to break down why I think it’s so important.

I’ll start with the simplest. We’ve had home internet broadly available in this country for 30-plus years. And we all learned to make the most of it without a Canadian regulatory body overlooking it for that entire time. So much so that on April 26, 2023 digital platforms in Canada were not regulated – and on April 27, 2023 – with the passage of the Online Streaming Act, they were . That’s always felt to me like a big change.

It’s why I believe that the CRTC should be encouraged to build the very best regulatory system for the digital platforms and the Canadian creators that create the songs that have seen us all flock to the services.

What we cannot do is simply try to graft the old radio rules to the global digital economy in which Canadian artists are finding success and that consumers enjoy.

We also simply cannot ignore the presence, investment and contribution of the platforms to the Canadian industry during the unregulated time. It matters that the platforms have teams based in Canada – everyone in this room knows how important that is to help artists reach their fans around the world. The same is true of our members – Canada’s major labels – with brand new buildings full of Canadians focused on Canadian artists and their global success.

In one of the most powerful parts of the Phase 1 consultations at the CRTC in November, Patrick Aldous from Nettwerk warned that we must not forget the damage done to the music industry in the dark days of the digital piracy era – and that those dark days have been replaced by a licensed streaming era that has opened doors for Canadian and Indigenous artists to build global fanbases.

To me, this means that regulation must not interfere with the listening experience on streaming platforms or we risk driving users back to unlicensed services.

If this regulation is going to work, we need to build a system for today and tomorrow and not simply try to catch up on 30 years of lack of regulation.

That’s why I believe it’s time to turn over every stone. Really REALLY understand streaming. How Canadians listen, how artists benefit from it; dive deeply into how we can create more success.

It’s also why I’m so skeptical of those who encourage us to turn over NO stones.

Here’s what I think we will find when we really really dive in and look carefully at all aspects of the streaming market and our regulatory framework: at its heart, we will find artists. Canadian and Indigenous Artists in every corner of this country singing, writing, rapping and performing. Not just for audiences in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal or EVEN New York but for fanbases made possible by the global digital industry in Nigeria, Senegal and India.

Canadian artists don’t need a “made-in-Canada ceiling” to “keep them here.” They need and importantly WANT a map of the world.

We need a system that encourages Canadian artists to work with the best in the world so that they can compete with the world.

We have a lot of work to do. Because streaming isn’t just different from radio it’s the opposite.

I’m going to explain how I know this to be true. Not because Will Page told me so but because my dad would blow my mind on road trips when I was a kid.

Whenever we were in the car for any great length of time, with my Dad at the wheel, my Mom would flip to Q107, CHUM FM or CHFI on the dial in our Ford Tempo. After only a second or two, she would turn the volume dial to 0. After a little bit of humming to himself, my dad would either name the tune – or if he was feeling especially showy – he would join the song in progress.

Now there’s a lot going on here – first let’s give my dad some credit – it’s a cool party trick. Developed by a misspent youth locked away in his bedroom listening to endless amounts of music – but – it’s also an explainable mathematical equation.

A generation ago, it was possible to know every second of every song in the most popular genres because making it to radio, being broadcast, was the beginning of truly making it.

Our regulatory system is built for my Dad’s party trick.

But, today, joining the 120,000 songs uploaded to platforms every DAY is barely the beginning of the beginning.

And yet – more artists around the world are being listened to more than ever by more people in more genres than ever – thanks to streaming. Canada is a success story in the global digital economy.

Our new regulatory system needs to reflect that. It needs to respect the new players in the space, understand the modern paths to success and truly WANT TO MAKE the decisions required to help make Canadian artists into global stars.

With that, let’s start that process with someone who truly understands what we’re talking about – an economist and expert on music streaming, Will Page.

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Music Canada teams with economist Will Page to launch first-of-its-kind study on the Canadian streaming market

Report details where and how Canadian artists are reaching fans today

As the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) continues its work to implement the Online Streaming Act, Music Canada has commissioned a first-of-its-kind report examining the presence and prominence of Canadian artists in Canada’s domestic audio streaming market.

The report, authored by renowned economist and streaming music market expert Will Page, analyzes Luminate data of the top 10,000 artists and top 10,000 songs listened to by Canadians on audio streaming platforms to determine the breadth and depth of Canadian artists connecting with Canadian fans. 

In the years studied, of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Canada, the report found nearly 1,000 were Canadian. Moreover, Canadian artists are well distributed throughout the top 10,000 – not just in the niche tail. Among the 1000 most-listened-to artists, 100 of them are Canadian, including a diversity of talent like Tate McRae, Karan Aujla, Lauren Spencer Smith, Fouki, Alexandra Stréliski and Josh Ross. 

“As the CRTC develops frameworks to bring streaming platforms under its regulatory purview, it’s really important they have a clear understanding of the current unregulated domestic streaming marketplace, and the wide array of Canadian artists who are finding success within it,” says Patrick Rogers, CEO, Music Canada. 

The report also considers the global nature of streaming, demonstrating how essential these platforms are to Canadians’ success around the world. It finds that, for every one stream at home, Canadian artists get almost 10 overseas. In fact, of the top 1,000 singles worldwide, Canadian artists ranked third, behind only the US and UK. 

“In a world where fans can listen to any artist, from any country in the world, and with nearly every recorded song at their fingertips, listeners are choosing Canadian music. Our regulatory framework should build on streaming’s ability to connect Canadian and Indigenous artists with fans at home and abroad,” says Rogers.

Read the full report here

 

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IFPI releases Global Music Report 2024, highlighting growth in subscription streaming globally

Toronto, 21 March, 2024: Global recorded music revenues reached US$28.6 billion in 2023, an increase of 10.2% year-over-year and the ninth consecutive year of growth, according to the IFPI’s Global Music Report 2024. The report provides a comprehensive annual review of the global recorded music market and analyzes issues and trends facing the industry today.

Global revenue growth was largely driven by streaming revenues, with subscription streaming increasing by 11.2% and accounting for nearly half (48.9%) of the global market. In 2023, the number of paid subscriptions to music streaming services surpassed 500 million for the first time, with 667 million users of paid subscription accounts globally.

In Canada, the music market grew by 12.19% in 2023 to a total of US$659.6 million, ensuring Canada maintained its place as the 8th largest music market in the world. This growth was largely due to streaming revenues, which saw an 8.6% increase to US$506.8 million. Subscription streaming accounts for the bulk of those revenues, with US$404.2 million, up 10.1% year-over-year. Ad-supported audio streaming was up 4.6% to US$59.1 million, while ad-supported video streaming increased slightly to US$43.5 million in 2023.

“As Canada modernizes the Broadcasting Act and works to bring streaming services into the fold, this report serves as a reminder of the value of these platforms to Canadians. We’re pleased to see more and more Canadians turning to licensed sources to support the artists they love most. We will continue our work to ensure Canadian regulatory frameworks don’t push Canadians to unlicensed listening,” said Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada.

Mirroring a global trend, Canada saw strong growth in other formats too. Physical revenues in Canada jumped nearly 20% (19.9%) year-over-year to US$78.7 million in 2023, with a 30.2% spike in vinyl revenues (to US$56.5 million) accounting for the bulk of that growth.

“The sustained growth of the music market in Canada is due in large part to the efforts of the record companies, whose continued investment in and passion for their artists is propelling them to new heights,” said Rogers.

Commenting on the release of the Global Music Report, IFPI’s Chief Financial Officer and Interim Joint Head of IFPI, John Nolan, said: “The figures in this year’s report reflect a truly global and diverse industry, with revenues growing in every market, every region and across virtually every recorded music format. For the third year in succession, both physical and digital formats grew with a strong rise in the users of paid streaming subscribers – as well as price increases – contributing significantly to total revenue growth.”

While the global growth in licensed music revenues is heartening, the report also highlights the challenges facing the industry – namely, streaming fraud and the abuse of generative AI.

“Music fans greatly value authenticity and our industry has a strong track record of licensing music and supporting the development of new services that create these experiences for fans. That said, we still need effective tools and the support of authorities to tackle unauthorised uses and to ensure the music ecosystem remains one that is sustainable for the long-term,” said IFPI’s Chief Legal Officer and Interim Joint Head of IFPI, Lauri Rechardt.

Music Canada, alongside IFPI, recently worked to shutter a group of nine streaming fraud websites operating in Canada – an example of Music Canada’s continued efforts to protect rightsholders and the integrity of the Canadian streaming marketplace. And as governments around the world consider the implications of generative AI, Music Canada continues to work to ensure human artistry is protected and valued.

“Our industry is excited by the value offered by artificial intelligence, but only when this tool is used responsibly. Fundamentally, we believe that generative AI systems that ingest copyrighted works without authorization are stealing, and Music Canada will continue to push for strengthened policies and frameworks to protect against this,” said Rogers.

The free Global Music Report 2024 – State of the Industry report is now available here.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About Music Canada 

Music Canada is the trade association representing Canada’s major record labels: Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Like its members, Music Canada is a partner to the industry, working with artists, independent labels, publishers, platforms, associations and others, in advancing forward-looking policies to ensure a dynamic and successful Canadian music ecosystem which returns value to music creators.

For further information: Regan Reid, Music Canada, rreid@musiccanada.com, (416) 462-1485

About IFPI

IFPI is the voice of the recording industry worldwide, representing over 8,000 record company members across the globe. We work to promote the value of recorded music, campaign for the rights of record producers and expand the commercial uses of recorded music around the world.

For further information please contact: press@ifpi.org | +44 (0) 20 7878 7979 

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Record companies successfully act against nine streaming manipulation sites in Canada

 Campaign continues against streaming manipulation services that jeopardise revenues returning to artists ~

London, 14th March 2024 – IFPI, the organisation that represents the recording industry worldwide, and Music Canada, the trade association representing Canada’s major record labels – Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada – have announced that, following a successful legal complaint, a group of prominent Canada-based streaming manipulation sites have been taken offline.

IFPI together with Music Canada filed a complaint with the Canadian Competition Bureau regarding a group of nine connected consumer-facing streaming manipulation services based in Canada, the most popular of them operating via the domain MRINSTA.com. As a result of the complaint all nine sites (and their sub-domains) were taken offline.

The sites were engaged in music streaming manipulation services by selling artificial ‘plays’, ‘views’ or ‘streams’ on DSPs that did not represent genuine listening.  The complaint alleged that the group of sites contravened the Canadian Competition Act by, among other things, misleading Canadian consumers and distorting their impression of what content merits their attention, undermining the accuracy of the music industry charts and distracting from the effective functioning of streaming services by manipulating the algorithms on which they rely.

Lauri Rechardt, Chief Legal Officer, IFPI said: “Streaming manipulation has no place in music. Perpetrators and enablers of streaming manipulation cannot be allowed to continue to divert revenue away from the artists who create the music. The activity also harms consumers and distorts the fan experience. IFPI thanks the Bureau, and RCMP Federal Policing Cybercrime, for the time and resources that they have committed to addressing this serious issue and looks forward to future co-operation.”

Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada, said: “Alongside IFPI, we’re committed to taking action against streaming manipulation sites and the bad actors who deliberately steal from artists and rightsholders. This is an important regulatory precedent that can be followed in other markets to protect rightsholders and the integrity of the streaming marketplace.” 

This is the latest in a series of actions being taken globally against manipulation services. IFPI is working with government agencies and intermediaries in various countries to disrupt the operation of such services.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About IFPI

IFPI is the voice of the recording industry worldwide, representing over 8,000 record company members across the globe. We work to promote the value of recorded music, campaign for the rights of record producers and expand the commercial uses of recorded music around the world.

For further information please contact: press@ifpi.org | +44 (0) 20 7878 7979 

About Music Canada 

Music Canada is the trade association representing Canada’s major record labels: Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Like its members, Music Canada is a partner to the industry, working with artists, independent labels, publishers, platforms, associations and others, in advancing forward-looking policies to ensure a dynamic and successful Canadian music ecosystem which returns value to music creators.

For further information: Regan Reid, Music Canada, rreid@musiccanada.com, (416) 462-1485

 

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LES FLUX DE VIDÉOS OFFICIELS SONT DÉSORMAIS ADMISSIBLES AU PROGRAMME DES SIMPLES D’OR ET DE PLATINE DE MUSIC CANADA

5 mars 2024, TORONTO ― Music Canada a le plaisir d’annoncer qu’à compter d’aujourd’hui, les flux de vidéos officiels comptent désormais pour la certification dans le cadre du Programme des disques d’or et de platine. Cet élargissement reconnaît la diversité des artistes qui réussissent grâce à la vidéo et célèbre comment les fans écoutent leur musique préférée.

Le programme de certification or/platine de Music Canada a été lancé en 1975 pour célébrer les ventes importantes de musique au Canada. Le programme rend hommage aux artistes et à leurs équipes qui créent de la musique qui parle aux Canadiens et qui remporte un succès commercial au Canada.

« C’est d’un moment passionnant pour le Programme or/platine de Music Canada, qui fêtera ses 50 ans en 2025. Grâce à ce lancement, nous saisissons les nombreuses façons novatrices autorisées par lesquelles les Canadiens apprécient la musique, et nous reconnaissons les artistes méritants qui ont cultivé des bases de fans dévoués grâce à leurs vidéoclips », a déclaré Patrick Rogers, chef de la direction, Music Canada. 

Selon les nouvelles directives, les vidéos officielles diffusées au Canada par un fournisseur de services numériques agréé, tel que YouTube, Vevo et Apple Music, et mises à disposition à partir du 1er janvier 2020, peuvent être prises en compte pour l’obtention de la certification. 

En outre, les équivalents de flux audio et vidéo ont été mis à jour pour mieux tenir compte des différences économiques entre les flux financés par la publicité et les flux financés par les abonnements. Les critères d’obtention de la certification restent les mêmes : les simples peuvent être certifiés or à partir de 40 000 unités, platine à partir de 80 000 unités et multiplatine à partir de 160 000 unités. Les simples sont admissibles à la certification Diamant à partir de 800 000 unités. 

Pour plus d’information sur les lignes directrices mises à jour, y compris comment demander la certification, veuillez consulter notre FAQ.

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Regan Reid
Music Canada
rreid@musiccanada.com
(416) 462-1485

À propos de Music Canada

Music Canada est l’association professionnelle représentant les principales maisons de disques du Canada : Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada et Warner Music Canada. Comme ses membres, Music Canada est un partenaire de l’industrie, qui travaille avec les artistes, les maisons de disques indépendants, les éditeurs, les plateformes, les associations et d’autres, pour faire avancer des politiques tournées vers l’avenir afin d’assurer un écosystème musical canadien dynamique et fructueux qui rapporte de la valeur aux créateurs de musique.

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Official video streams now eligible for Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum Singles Program

March 5, 2024, TORONTO: Music Canada is thrilled to announce that, effective today, official video streams now count towards certification in the Gold/Platinum Program for Single Awards. The expansion recognizes the breadth of artists achieving success with video and celebrates how fans are listening to their favourite music.

Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum Certification Program was launched in 1975 to celebrate milestone sales of music in Canada. The program honours the artists, and their teams, who create music that resonates with Canadians and achieves commercial success in Canada.

“This is an exciting moment for Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum Program – which is turning 50 in 2025. With this launch, we’re capturing the many innovative and licensed ways that Canadians enjoy music, and we’re recognizing deserving artists who have cultivated devoted fanbases through their music videos,” says Patrick Rogers, CEO, Music Canada. 

Under the updated guidelines, official video streams within Canada from an approved digital service provider, such as YouTube, Vevo and Apple Music, and which were made available on or after January 1, 2020, can count towards certification. 

In addition, streaming equivalents for audio and video have been updated to better account for the differing economics of ad-supported and subscription-based streams. Benchmarks to achieve certification remain the same, with singles eligible for Gold at 40,000 units, Platinum at 80,000 units and Multi-Platinum beginning at 160,000 units. Singles are eligible for Diamond certification at 800,000 units. 

For more information on the updated guidelines, including and how to apply for certification, please see the FAQ.

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Regan Reid
Music Canada
rreid@musiccanada.com
(416) 462-1485

About Music Canada

Music Canada is the trade association representing Canada’s major record labels: Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Like its members, Music Canada is a partner to the industry, working with artists, independent labels, publishers, platforms, associations and others, in advancing forward-looking policies to ensure a dynamic and successful Canadian music ecosystem which returns value to music creators.

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IFPI global report finds we’re listening to more music in more ways than ever before

Today, IFPI, the organization representing the recording industry worldwide, released Engaging with Music 2023, its global report examining how people around the world discover, listen to and feel about music. Based on the responses of more than 43,000 people across 26 countries including Canada, the report serves as a snapshot of the importance of music in our lives today. 

What’s clear from the results is that people are listening to more music than ever and they’re engaging with that music in new ways. On average, people around the world listen to 20.7 hours of music a week, with the IFPI also reporting a 7% increase in time spent listening to music on paid subscription services. 

Fans are also taking advantage of a growing number of ways to engage with music. Globally, 80% of gamers listen to music while they play, while the survey also found that music is central to 54% of all time spent watching videos on short-form video apps. Looking at 16-24 year-olds, 82% of respondents said short-form video is the top way they engage with music, followed by audio streaming (72%).

Audio streaming continues to grow in popularity across all age groups, with 73% of all respondents saying they listen to music through subscription or ad-supported streaming services. Despite this growth,  the survey results indicate that unlicensed music is still an issue. Globally, 29% of people use unlicensed or illegal ways to listen to or obtain music. In Canada, that figure is slightly lower (26%), but still worrying.

“While it’s clear that more and more Canadians are turning to licensed streaming services to access music, these results indicate Canadians still can and will access unlicensed or illegal content. We need to make sure that our regulatory environment pushes Canadians to licensed services, not away from them,” says Music Canada CEO, Patrick Rogers. 

As teased last week, for the first time this year the report includes a section dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI). The results clearly indicate that fans around the world deeply value authenticity – in fact, nearly eight-in-10 music fans (79%) feel human creativity remains essential to the creation of music. Looking at the Canada-specific results, 79% of Canadians with an awareness of AI’s capabilities think an artist’s music or vocals should not be used or ingested by AI without permission. Moreover, 76% agree that AI should not be used to clone or impersonate music artists without authorization. 

Other findings of note:  

  • Pop is still the most popular genre in the world, but on the whole respondents listened to more than 700 music genres. Local genres are more and more in demand.
      • 57% of Canadians say it’s important to them that they can access music that comes from anywhere in the world
      • On average, fans worldwide listened to more than 8 different genres of music. 
  • Music is hugely important for our mental health and well-being.
  • 75% of Canadians say music is important to their mental health 

 

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In age of AI, Canadians believe human artistry is essential to the creation of music

Findings released as the Government of Canada holds consultations on implications of generative AI for copyright.

The vast majority of Canadians (85%) believe that human artists are essential to the creation of music – that’s according to a new study from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) on attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

The research comes from the forthcoming Engaging with Music 2023, IFPI’s global report examining how fans around the world engage with, and feel about, music. This is the first year  the report includes a section dedicated to AI, as the technology’s rapid advancement continues to present both opportunities and challenges for the music business and for artists.  

The results overwhelmingly demonstrate that Canadians value authenticity in their music. And for those with an awareness of AI’s capabilities, the findings speak to a clear belief in the need for artist consent, credit and compensation. In fact, 79% of those Canadians think an artist’s music or vocals should not be used or ingested by AI without permission.

“Artificial intelligence is an exciting tool and one that, when used responsibly, can elevate creativity and help grow the creative industries. But, fundamentally, we believe that generative AI systems that ingest copyrighted music without authorization are stealing and profiting from the creations of human artists,” says Patrick Rogers, CEO, Music Canada. “We’re very pleased to see that the majority of Canadians agree with us.” 

The survey also found: 

  • 76% agree that AI should not be used to clone or impersonate music artists without authorization 
  • 77% agree that AI systems should clearly list which music has been ingested for training 
  • 85% believe that music generated solely by AI should be labeled as such 

As the Government of Canada is currently holding consultations on the implications of generative AI for copyright, these survey findings are particularly insightful. In fact, the survey found that of Canadians aware of AI’s capabilities, 75% believe there should be restrictions on what AI can do and 68% believe governments should play a role in setting those restrictions. 

Music Canada will submit feedback to the government on how Canada’s legislative frameworks could be updated to respond to the development and adoption of AI technologies. 

“We believe that any technology with the capability to clone or digitally reproduce a human’s voice, work or image without their consent has the potential to be detrimental to not only artists, but society as a whole,” says Rogers. “Music Canada is working to strengthen our policies and legal frameworks to better address these issues.” 

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