Music Canada

Gold & Platinum

Join Mailing List

Music Canada

Gold & Platinum

 Music Canada

Posts by Bram Gonshor (273)

view

Nominees and performers revealed for 2017 JUNO Awards

Posted by

Allan Reid, President & CEO of CARAS, announcing the 2017 JUNO nominees in Toronto.

Earlier today, the nominees and first round of performers were revealed for the 46th annual JUNO Awards. The announcement was made at a press conference at Toronto nightclub REBEL, and was streamed live on the JUNOs website.

Multi-Platinum stars Drake, The Weeknd, and Shawn Mendes each received a leading five nominations, while Alessia Cara and the late Leonard Cohen gathered four nominations. Several nominees were on hand for the event including The Strumbellas, Coleman Hell, Wintersleep, Billy Talent, Sultans Of String, Weaves, and more.

Celine Dion’s Encore un soir, Drake’s Views, The Weeknd’s Starboy, Shawn Mendes’ Illuminate, and Leonard Cohen’s final studio album You Want It Darker were nominated for Album of the Year, for which Music Canada is proud to return as a sponsor in 2017.

Alessia Cara, along with Ruth B and A Tribe Called Red, were announced as the first performers for the awards show, which coincides with the Ottawa’s Canada 150 celebrations.

“There is a lot of excitement in the air for the JUNOs and for Ottawa 2017,” said Allan Reid, President and CEO of CARAS, who spoke at the Mayor’s breakfast in Ottawa last week. “We are thrilled to be going back.”

2017 will mark the third time Ottawa has hosted the JUNO Awards. From 2007 to 2015 the JUNO Awards have created a total economic impact of almost $99 million, including $11 million for Ottawa in 2012, $14 million for the 2011 JUNO Awards in Toronto, and $10 million for the 2015 JUNO Awards in Hamilton.

Randy Lennox, President of Broadcasting and Content at Bell Media, also spoke at the event, commending Reid for his work with the JUNOs, and many of the event’s long-standing partners. Lennox, former President & CEO of Universal Music Canada, will be honoured with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the 2017 JUNOs, along with Buffy Sainte-Marie for the 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, and Sarah McLachlan for her induction into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame.

The 2017 JUNO Awards will be handed out Sunday, April 2, 2017, at the Canadian Tire Centre. Limited tickets are still available through Ticketmaster.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,
Comments
view

Red Hot Chili Peppers presented with Gold plaques for ‘The Getaway’ in Toronto

Posted by

Photo: Warner Music Canada

Prior to their highly anticipated sold-out show at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, legendary rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers were presented with Gold award plaques for their latest album The Getaway by Warner Music Canada.

The 2016 album also features the Gold-certified single “Dark Necessities.” The Getaway is the band’s ninth album to be certified Gold in Canada, while “Dark Necessities” is the first track in the band’s career to be certified in Canada. In 2001, the band received their highest Canadian certification for Californication at Six Times Platinum.

The video for “Dark Necessities” can be seen below.

 

Categories: Gold/Platinum
Tags: , , , ,
Comments
view

MEGAPHONO 2017 kicks off in Ottawa

Posted by

Ottawa’s MEGAPHONO Music Showcase Festival & Conference is officially underway, welcoming music industry professionals from the US, Canada and abroad for a celebration of Ottawa-Gatineau and Eastern Ontario’s burgeoning music scene. 60 local and regional artists will be performing in over 20 venues across Ottawa-Gatineau, with a daytime conference on music industry-related topics scheduled at CITIZEN (207 Gilmour Street).

On Wednesday morning, the festival kicked off with a Mayor’s Breakfast at Ottawa City Hall. CARAS and JUNO Awards president Allan Reid spoke at the event about the economic impact the upcoming JUNO Awards will have during the Canada 150 celebrations, and cited the importance of our Music Cities research in efforts to grow Ottawa’s music economy. Prior to Reid’s address, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson gave a nod to MEGAPHONO for their help in solidifying Ottawa’s music scene.

The MEGAPHONO Conference will feature panel discussions on music funding, recording, collaborations, promotion, and managing. Along with a packed schedule of evening shows, there will also be free daytime showcases at Bar Robo, Pressed Cafe, Elmdale Tavern, and The Record Centre. Passes can be picked up throughout the duration of the festival at CITZEN.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
Comments
view

East Coast Music Awards reveals 2017 nominees and performers

Posted by

Nominees were revealed yesterday for the 2017 East Coast Music Awards, which returns to Saint John, NB for the first time in 15 years on April 27, 2017.

Multi-Platinum hip hop artist Classified leads the nominees this year with nine nominations, followed by Platinum singer/songwriter Ria Mae with seven nominations. Both artists will perform at the awards show, along with David Myles, Paper Lions, Reeny Smith, Lisa LeBlanc, Jason Benoit, Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire, Caroline Savoie, REPARTEE, Tomato/Tomato, Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys, Còig, the Motorleague, and Adam Baldwin.

From April 26-30, the ECMAs will showcase hundreds of East Coast artists across multiple stages, including ECMA Big Ticket headliner Matt Anderson on April 29. Artists will also have the chance to connect with industry professionals from across the world at the 16th ECMA Industry Conference and Export Buyers Program.

2017 will also see the return of the SOCAN Song House, a two-day interactive songwriting workshop led by Ralph Murphy (renowned songwriter, producer, and author of Murphy’s Law of Songwriting). Applications for the workshop are now open, closing on Monday, March 6, 2017 at 5:00PM AST.

With over 13,000 people expected to take in the events, the ECMAs are expecting to have an approximate $3.1 million economic impact on the Saint John region.

Regular and VIP passes are available now. including wristbands for 2017 ECMA stages at bars and clubs, and evening stages at Saint John Trade & Convention Centre. Voting is also now open to the public for the Fans’ Choice Entertainer and Video Of The Year awards, sponsored by The Telegraph Journal. Fans can vote once a day for each award before the deadline on March 15, 2017 at 5PM AST.

 

Categories: Industry News
Tags: , , ,
Comments
view

Cole Swindell surprised with plaque in Hamilton for Gold singles

Posted by

American country music artist Cole Swindell was in Hamilton last Wednesday to kick off his opening slot on Dierks Bentley’s 2017 North American tour. Prior to his set at the FirstOntario Centre, Swindell was surprised with a Gold plaque by Warner Music Canada commemorating the certifications of his tracks “Middle Of A Memory,” and “You Should Be Here.”

Swindell thanked his fans in a video posted to Warner Music Canada’s Twitter account. In the clip, Swindell praises his Canadian team behind him, and says he hopes to return to Canada soon as a headliner.

Swindell has received a total of five Gold Canadian certifications to date, and a Platinum certification for “Chilin’ It.” These certifications are his first under the new Single Award guidelines, which combine on-demand streams and digital sales.

Beginning February 1 in Winnipeg, Dierks Bentley, Cole Swindell, and Jon Pardi will commence the Canadian leg of their tour, wrapping up February 9 in Vancouver.

Categories: Gold/Platinum
Tags: , , , ,
Comments
view

Lukas Graham presented with Gold/Platinum award plaques in Toronto

Posted by

Lukas Graham recieving their Gold/Platinum awards in Toronto. (Photo courtesy of Warner Music Canada)

Grammy-nominated Danish group Lukas Graham were in Toronto Wednesday amidst their North American tour for a highly anticipated show at REBEL (formerly Sound Academy). As the band pointed out during their performance, the show was the second largest in North America during this tour.

Prior to taking the stage, the group, fronted by lead songwriter Lukas Graham Forchhammer, were presented with a 6X Platinum plaque by Warner Music Canada for their breakout hit “7 Years.” The group was also presented with a Gold plaque for “Mama Said.” Both tracks can be found on Lukas Graham’s self-titled 2015 sophomore album.

The video for “Mama Said” can be viewed below.

Categories: Gold/Platinum
Tags: , , ,
Comments
view

Buffy Sainte-Marie announced as 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award recipient

Posted by

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has announced iconic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, social activist, educator, philanthropist and visual artist Buffy Sainte-Marie as the recipient of the 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, presented by Bell Media. The award, which began in 2006 with recipient Bruce Cockburn, recognizes an outstanding Canadian artist whose humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada and/or whose impact can be felt worldwide.

“It’s our privilege to present the legendary Buffy Sainte-Marie with the 2017 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award,” said Randy Lennox, President, Broadcasting and Content, Bell Media. “Her dedication to improving the lives of Indigenous people is truly humbling. We look forward to celebrating this iconic artist and her inspiring philanthropic work at this year’s JUNO Awards.”

Born on the Piapot Plains Cree First Nation Reserve in the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan, Sainte-Marie is celebrated for her thought provoking lyrics and her passion for supporting Aboriginal people. In 1964, she became well known for her anti-war peace anthem “Universal Soldier,” and was one of the first people to merge pop and Aboriginal music with her 1976 hit “Starwalker.” Sainte-Marie’s 2015 album Power in the Blood won the 2016 JUNO Awards for Aboriginal Album of the Year sponsored by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, as well as the Polaris Music Prize.

“I’ve had some great partners in mobilizing my ideas in art, education and technology, especially the W.K. Kellogg Foundation who taught me that there’s a difference between an administrator and a visionary. Both are important but visionaries are seldom pushy in that business way that administrators learn; and visionaries don’t think in corporate pecking order terms so often get squashed out in normal business systems,” said Sainte-Marie. “I’ve been lucky enough to work in both worlds, and although my timing has sometimes been off and gotten my big mouth into trouble, other times, with the help of other people, I’ve been effective beyond my expectations. So I thank all my colleagues in and out of the music business for helping put my songs to work.”

This year’s award will be presented at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards presented by SOCAN on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

Categories: Advocacy, Industry News
Tags: , , , , ,
Comments
view

National Music Centre reveals programming for Bell Let’s Talk Day at Studio Bell

Posted by

On January 25, 2017, Canadian musicians, including noted ambassadors Serena Ryder and Stefie Shock, will join millions of Canadians across the country in recognizing the 7th annual national Bell Let’s Talk Day, which aims to end the stigma surrounding mental illness. For every text, call, tweet, Instagram post, Facebook video view and Snapchat geofilter,  Bell will donate 5¢ more towards mental health initiatives in Canada.

In Calgary, AB, the National Music Centre will host a full day of programming focusing on mental health and music at Studio Bell. Singer-songwriter Séan McCann, a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, will play an evening concert following the day of free programming, which includes a mental health exhibition featuring regional community partners, and a lunchtime music therapy presentation with celebrated music therapist Jennifer Buchanan.

“The power of music to explore, treat and combat stigma around mental health is undeniable, and the National Music Centre is proud to partner with Bell Let’s Talk and a host of community partners to become part of this important national discussion,” said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO for NMC. “We’re also delighted to host Séan McCann as an artist in residence and look forward to him sharing some of his inspiring stories and music with us on January 25.”

At 7:00 pm, McCann, a founding member of Newfoundland’s multi-platinum selling group Great Big Sea, will perform a 90-minute concert featuring the stories behind his songs, a look into his recent artist residency, and incredible music. “I believe that music is strong medicine and that a song can save your life,” said Séan, who left the band in 2013 to deal with both alcohol addiction and coming to terms with the sexual abuse he suffered as a young man. Since then, Séan has been using his words and music to bring healing into his life and the lives of others.

“Bell Let’s Talk is proud to partner with the National Music Centre and Séan McCann to celebrate Bell Let’s Talk Day in Calgary,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “Featuring the therapeutic and healing powers of music for those living with mental illness is a wonderful way to participate in the conversation about mental health on Bell Let’s Talk Day.”

While tickets to McCann’s performance are sold out, you can still pop by on January 25 from 10 am to 5 pm for more mental health programming, courtesy of Bell.

Programming Schedule for Bell Let’s Talk Day at Studio Bell

10:00 am – 5:00 pm     Open to the public and community booths in Canada Music Square

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm     Session with leading music therapist Jennifer Buchanan

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm      NMC President’s Tour highlighting the healing and restorative power of music

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm       Kimball Theatre presentation “Why does Music make us feel emotions?”

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm       NMC and Bell Let’s Talk present Séan McCann (doors open at 6:30 pm)

Categories: Advocacy
Tags: , , , , , ,
Comments
view

2016 Gold/Platinum Year-End Review

Posted by

2016 was an exciting year for Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum Certification Program. On September 12, we unveiled the new Single Award, which accepts on-demand subscription service streams for the first time in the program’s history. The award replaces the Digital Download and CD Single awards, combining the digital and physical track sales with on-demand streams at a rate of 150:1. Brett Kissel was presented with the first Single Award at the 2016 CCMA Awards in London, ON, when he was surprised on stage with a plaque for “Airwaves.”

Click here for a full list of the 2016 album and track certifications.

We also unveiled new logos and branding for the program, which can be found on our award plaques and in our certification announcements on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The new branding has allowed us to further interact with artists and their fans, who often share our announcement banners to to their followers. A new online certification portal was also introduced for our member labels, and we expect to reveal non-member certifications and award plaque orders through this portal in early 2017.

As a result of the new guidelines, we experienced a drastic increase in the total number of track certifications from 2015. Combining 2016’s Digital Download and Single awards, there were 495 track certifications in 2016 – a 75% increase from the 283 track certifications in 2015. 119 track certifications were from Canadian artists, a 72% increase from the 69 Canadian track certifications in 2015.

As well, we witnessed a new generation of artists receive their first Canadian certifications, including A Thousand Horses, Alan Walker, Alx Veliz, Andy Grammer, Chris Lane, D.R.A.M., Dan + Shay, Flume, Frenship, Gnash, Jon Pardi, Jonas Blue, Kelsea Ballerini, Kiiara, Klingande, Maren Morris, Miike Snow, Mike Perry, Niall Horan, Snakehips, Sonreal, Tinashe, Tory Lanez, Zara Larsson, Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion Mccall, and Zeds Dead.

Mark Ronson had the highest certified track of 2016 with the Diamond certification of his Bruno Mars collaboration “Uptown Funk.” Adele‘s track “Someone Like You,” along with Pharell Williams‘ “Happy” and Hozier‘s “Take Me To Church” received the second highest certifications at 8X Platinum. The highest Canadian track certifications belonged to Justin Bieber with his tracks “Love Yourself” and “Sorry” reaching 7X Platinum.

The highest certification for a track released in 2016 belongs to Sia for “Cheap Thrills.” The Chainsmokers landed two Six Times Platinum certifications for their 2016 tracks “Closer” and “Don’t Let Me Down”. Country singer Blake Shelton earned seven Gold certifications, the most of any artist in 2016.

 

There were 75 album certifications in 2016, down from 133 in 2015. 26 of these album certifications were from Canadian artists, down from 51 in 2015.

Adele had the highest certified album with the Diamond certification of 25, while Justin Bieber‘s Purpose was the highest certified Canadian album at Quadruple Platinum. Celine Dion‘s Double Platinum certification for Encore un soir was the highest certification for an album, both international and Canadian, released in 2016. Drake‘s Views, 2 Freres’ Nouse autres, and Michael Buble’s Nobody But Me were the second highest Canadian album certifications, each earning Platinum status.

Canadian artist Danny Fernandes received the final Physical Single certification for his “Dear Life” CD single. 5000 physical CD singles were sold across National Basketball League of Canada arenas benefiting World Vision Canada/Artist Collective. Francophone artist Yoan‘s live concert DVD Live Au Centre Videotron was the only video released in 2016 to be certified, and it earned a Platinum certification.

Some of 2016’s Canadian Gold/Platinum certified artists were presented with awards plaques and a collection of photos of these artists can be viewed below:

 

Categories: Gold/Platinum
Tags: , , ,
Comments
view

Nominations open for Canada’s Volunteer Awards

Posted by

Header 625x190Nominations are now open for Canada’s Volunteer Awards, which recognizes a not-for-profit organization, an individual, a group, or a business who is making a positive impact in their community. As Canada prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2017, it is important to acknowledge the tireless efforts volunteers put in to improve lives in our communities and country.

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

  • One (1) national award – Thérèse Casgrain Lifelong Achievement Award;
  • Five (5) regional awards – Emerging Leader, for young volunteers aged 18 to 30;
  • Five (5) regional awards – Community Leader, for individuals or groups of volunteers;
  • Five (5) regional awards – Business Leader, to recognize businesses that demonstrate social responsibility; and
  • Five (5) regional awards – Social Innovator, to recognize the contributions of not-for-profit organizations.

Nominees will be assessed according to six criteria: role, impact, reach, engagement, challenges, and inspiration. Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony and will be able to choose a not-for-profit organization to receive a grant of $5,000 (regional awards) or $10,000 (national award).

The nomination period closes Friday, February 3, 2016.

Categories: Advocacy, Industry News, Music Education
Tags: , ,
Comments

This website made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation.