Ahead of a two night run at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall earlier this week, Canadian country star Johnny Reid was presented with a Gold Album Award plaque for his 2017 album Revival by Universal Music Canada. The album marks Reid’s eight full length to be officially certified Canadian Gold, with 2009’s Dance With Me earning a Triple Platinum certification.
Reid will continue his Revival Live tour throughout Ontario in April before making his way to The Maritimes for the final leg.
Watch the video for Revival‘s single “Heart Of A Woman” below.
Universal Music Canada President Jeffrey Remedios (middle) with James Barker Band (Photo Credit: UMC)
Ontario-crafted country outfit James Barker Band had a sensational 2017, raking in two Canadian Gold Singles for tracks of their breakthrough debut EP Game On. During JUNO weekend in Vancouver, the band was surprised by Universal Music Canada with a third Single Award plaque for the “Just Sayin.” The group also took home some more hardware from Vancouver, winning the JUNO for 2018 Country Album of the Year during the Gala Dinner and Awards, where they also performed.
The band announced the news to their fan in an Instagram video, popping champagne while overlooking the beautiful Downtown Vancouver scenery.
Canadian country star Jess Moskaluke was surprised with a Gold Single Award plaque from MDM Recordings for her single “Kiss Me Quiet” during JUNO weekend in Vancouver. “Kiss Me Quiet” is the Saskatchewan singer-songwriter’s second solo Gold track certification, with “Cheap Wine & Cigarettes” earning Platinum status in 2016. Moskaluke has also received a Gold certification for her collaboration with Paul Brandt on “I’m An Open Road,” which was certified in June of 2017.
Moskaluke spent the better part of the JUNO Awards festivities recovering from the flu, but that did not stop her from sharing the news with her fans through Instagram as soon as she could.
Minister Joly, Ministers Beare and James, Mayor Robertson, Mark, Allan, industry colleagues and friends, it is my pleasure to speak to you this evening on behalf of Music Canada.
Before I go any further I also want to thank the BC government for its confidence in the music sector and continued investment. The excitement is palpable. Amplify BC will produce great dividends for BC communities, artists and the broader ecosystem. Thank you.
Tonight I’d like to focus my remarks on the idea of challenging the status quo.
And to underline the importance of action – both individual and organizational.
Music Canada is proud to have made a commitment to leadership in our industry by among other things – refusing to do things one way simply because it’s the way it has always been done.
Our board – Shane, Steve and Jeffrey – and our staff team led by Graham are proud of our efforts to embrace and encourage new ideas with a bias towards action.
But don’t just take my word for it. Let me give you a few examples.
It’s why we did something no one had done before in taking on the issue of Music Cities.
Why in 2011 we began to examine the way municipalities interact with their music communities and how they can grow the music economy for the benefit of the entire city but also specifically for artists and the larger music ecosystem.
Challenging the status quo is why our work resonated and is used on every continent. It has led a dozen cities in Canada alone to begin the process of developing music strategies – most recently reflected in the exciting announcement yesterday by Mayor Robertson.
Our commitment to challenge the status quo also led us to broaden the conversation with provincial governments, stressing the importance of music as a regional economic driver, in addition to a cultural powerhouse.
Our commitment to challenge the status quo is why we won’t give up on our advocacy for quality music education for all young people – no matter where they live, or their family’s income. There are simply too many benefits. The focus on STEM – Science – technology- engineering and math – is deficient. Arts and humanities must be on equal footing. STEAM should be our goal.
Our commitment to challenge the status quo has also led us to help artists voice their concerns and solutions. It’s why we champion the work of the brilliant artist advocate Miranda Mulholland and encourage creators to get involved in the current copyright review.
And it’s why the theme of our JUNOs participation this weekend is our advocacy support for artists at every stage of their career.
One of the biggest challenges for music creators is the Value Gap. In an era of unprecedented music access and consumption, creators are receiving a fraction of what they should be paid for the use of their music, and a middle class of musicians – the JUNO nominees of today and tomorrow – is in serious jeopardy.
But we don’t have to simply accept the outdated laws that contribute to the Value Gap.
The status quo.
No. We should all call upon the federal government to address safe harbours and industry cross-subsidies that undermine a viable marketplace. And we – our friends at SOCAN and other partners – are doing just that.
And finally challenging the status quo is why we’ve begun an organizational review to ensure that we are ready to tackle current issues facing our community and to prioritize the values of inclusion and diversity. It’s why we have led conversations on these vital topics – including last year at CMW’s global forum when we focused on indigenous communities – and at our fall meeting – on gender inequality. We’ll continue the conversation on inclusion and accountability in May at CMW.
Change will not happen naturally. If it did, we wouldn’t be where we are today. In our industry. Or in society. We would not be faced with inequality.
We can’t wait for a natural evolution to occur.
Sometimes change needs to be forced even if it’s uncomfortable and each one of us – as individuals – and as organizations have a responsibility to do our share.
So, to all our partners in the room who are also challenging the status quo, whether by diversifying your boards, mentoring and empowering women or other underrepresented groups to have a greater presence in music production or management, or across nominations categories right here at the JUNOs, we stand with you and we support you. To all who understand the contribution of Canadian artists and believe in the power of music to our economy, our culture and our educational system, let’s continue to work together to create the change we all believe in. Thank you.
Vancouver’s Mayor, Gregor Robertson, announced this morning at the JUNO Host Committee’s Music Cities Forum that the Vancouver Music Strategy will be presented to council in summer of 2018. The strategy has been in development since mid-2016, led by the Vancouver Music City Steering Committee with input from an Advisory Committee.
“There’s no doubt we have enormous potential in music and sound, particularly given the scale of our creative industries,” Robertson told the Music Cities Forum crowd.
In a City of Vancouver release, Robertson expanded on the Strategy’s goals: “Vancouver is home to a growing number of world-class artists who are building a vibrant and diverse music scene in our city. The Vancouver Music Strategy will help our artists to thrive—not just survive—by boosting our creative economy and seizing opportunities to grow our local music industry.”
The Strategy will be informed by two concurrent studies that received support from the BC Music Fund’s Research Program: Music BC’s City of Vancouver Music Ecosystem study, also funded by FACTOR and conducted by Sound Diplomacy, and Music Canada Live’s Economic Impact Assessment of Live Music in BC, facilitated by Nordicity. Both studies are expected to be completed in spring of 2018.
“This is a pivotal time for the City of Vancouver and British Columbia as we look to safeguard the long-term viability of the music sector within the creative economy. Music BC and the [Vancouver] Music City Steering Committee are committed to ensuring that these findings are used to reach our common goals of a vibrant and sustainable industry that will allow our artists and music industry professionals to thrive on the global stage,” said Alex Grigg, Executive Director of Music BC and Co-chair of the Vancouver Music City Steering Committee, in the City release. “This will be a benchmark for Music BC to work with other cities and municipalities across the province to implement like-minded strategies. Music BC would like to thank the City of Vancouver, the Province of BC, FACTOR and all of our stakeholders for your continued support.”
It is a thrilling day for music in Vancouver and the province of British Columbia, as the Government of BC also announced a new music fund this morning called AMPLIFY BC. The excitement over the two announcements was palpable at the Music Cites Forum.
Vancouver, March 22, 2018: Music BC and Music Canada today applaud the Government of British Columbia’s announcement of a new music fund for the province called AMPLIFY BC. Administered through Creative BC, the new Fund will provide much-needed support for the development of BC artists and musicians, music companies, skills development and live music production, stimulating economic growth and activity in the sector.
“Music Canada would like to applaud the Government of BC and Minister Beare for this important investment which demonstrates their confidence in the music sector,” says Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada. “The intense interest in the former BC Music Fund’s suite of programs underscores that BC is home to a vibrant, diverse and engaged music community ready to take their songs and businesses to the next level. With this new investment BC will continue to benefit from leveraged private and other government dollars, and ensure the BC music sector remains competitive with other jurisdictions.”
The announcement was made during JUNOs Week, as the Canadian music industry was congregated in Vancouver for the 47th annual JUNO Awards, celebrating excellence in Canadian music while also showcasing Vancouver, and the province’s music sector to the rest of the country.
“This is a great day for the province’s music scene allowing us to build on the momentum of the last two years,” says Alex Grigg, Executive Director of Music BC. “In this time, our industry has focused on helping BC artists develop their careers and showcase their talent around the world, boost business in BC studios, create greater opportunities for live music performances that bolster activity in our communities, and facilitate professional development so that we can build a stronger, more sustainable industry. On behalf of the staff, board of directors and the BC music industry we extend our gratitude to the Government of BC and Minister Beare for their continued support and investment into the BC Music sector.”
Music BC and Music Canada would also like to thank all members of the BC music community who participated in the effort to secure provincial funding and shared their insights, experiences and success stories. The one-year investment of $7.5 million will contribute to BC’s strong and vibrant communities and also benefit BC tourism, arts and creative industries, and small business development.
About Music Canada Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada: 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. For more on Music Canada, please visit www.musiccanada.com
About Music BC Music BC Industry Association is a not for profit association serving the for profit and non-profit music industry, including artists from all genres, industry professionals, service providers, studios, promoters, venues, festivals, producers, agents, managers and educational institutions. For more on Music BC, please visit www.musicbc.org
Throughout March, Music Canada has been highlighting the ways our advocacy supports artists at every stage of their career, including our work on Music Education, Music Cities, and Copyright. As we head to Vancouver for the 47th Annual JUNO Awards, we now share our final instalment of the #EveryStage series outlining how Music Canada celebrates success of Canada’s artists and the music that resonates around the world.
Music Canada is proud to once again return as sponsor of the JUNOS Album of the Year category, as well as the Presenting Sponsor of the Chairman’s and Welcome Reception on Friday, March 23. With our sponsorship of the award, we join music fans across the country in celebrating the works from this year’s nominees – Arcade Fire, Ruth B, Shania Twain, Johnny Reid, and Michael Bublé – and congratulate the dedicated label and production teams involved with each release.
All of this year’s nominated Album of the Year releases have been officially certified through Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum program, which was launched in 1975 to celebrate milestone sales of music in Canada. The Gold/Platinum Certification & Awards Program provides a tangible recognition of national success for artists and their teams with our unique award plaques, who are often surprised with the plaques during tour stops throughout the country.
With over 17,000 albums, singles, digital downloads, ringtones, and music videos certified over the past 44 years, the program provides a unique historical record of popular music in Canada. Over the years, the certification sales criteria for Gold and Platinum records have reacted to market conditions, and are indicative of overall trends in the music industry. For example, we updated the program’s certification criteria in 2016 to begin accepting on-demand audio streaming towards new single certifications, and again in 2017 for albums. As with past updates, the current guidelines provide a more accurate reflection of Canadian music fans’ consumption habits, and has helped reward a new generation of Canadian and international artists who utilize these new digital platforms.
The Gold/Platinum Canada-branded certification announcements and award presentation photos are shared by thousands of fans across the world on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to help congratulate their favourite artists’ for success in our territory. In conjunction with the program’s social media presence and updated guidelines, Music Canada launched the Gold In Canada playlist in July 2017 on Spotify and Google Play, and updates the playlist every Thursday with 50 of the latest tracks across all genres earning the coveted Gold certification. In 2018, Music Canada curated three new all-Canadian playlists from the Gold/Platinum archives – Canada Vibes, Canada Rocks The 2000s, and Forty 45s – which are now available to stream across Apple Music, Spotify, and Google Play.
Music Canada also presents two awards annually at Playback, our annual industry dialogue and celebration. In 2017, Music Canada presented the inaugural Artist Advocate Award to Toronto-based artist, label owner, and activist Miranda Mulholland, in recognition of her outstanding advocacy efforts to improve the livelihoods of music creators.
Since 2015, Music Canada has also presented the President’s Award to an individual working outside the music community who displays a deep passion for music and the people who make it. In 2017, this award was co-presented to London Music Industry Development Officer, Cory Crossman, and Chris Campbell, Director of Culture and Entertainment Tourism at Tourism London, for their incredible commitment to making London, ON, a Music City. Their efforts helped the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences select London as the next host city for the 2019 JUNOS, which will be the first time the city will host the JUNO celebrations.
The 2018 JUNO Awards and portions JUNO Week events will stream live through CBC Music from Vancouver, BC, on Sunday, March, 25 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees, and we look forward to celebrating another year of Canadian music with fans nationwide.
Demi Lovato (middle) with Universal Music Canada staff (L to R) Brian Smiley, Shelley Fremont, Stacey Kerslake & Brian Chick (Photo: Universal Music Canada)
Amidst her 2018 Tell Me You Love Me world tour, pop superstar Demi Lovato paid a visit to Toronto’s Air Canada Centre alongside DJ Khaled and Kehlani. Prior to her highly anticipated show Monday night, Lovato was presented with a custom award plaque backstage by Universal Music Canada. The plaque commemorates the Gold certifications of her 2017 album and title track Tell Me You Love Me, as well as the Triple Platinum status of the album’s single “Sorry Not Sorry.”
The album joins 2013 release Demi as her second Canadian Gold-certified album. Lovato has also received 6 solo track certifications in Canada, with “Sorry Not Sorry” now earning the highest certification level.
Watch the music video for “Tell Me You Love Me” below.
American R&B singer and songwriter Kehlani is currently on tour across North America with Demi Lovato and DJ Khaled. Prior to her opening set Monday at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, the Oakland, CA-born artist was surprised with a custom Gold Single Award plaque by Warner Music Canada. The plaque represents her singles “CRZY,” from 2017 album SweetSexySavage, and “Gangsta,” her contribution to the Suicide Squad original soundtrack.
During the show, Kehlani showed love for her Toronto fanbase and joined DJ Khaled on stage in a custom Toronto Raptors jersey.
Kehalni will return to Canada in July for the FVDED in the Park Festival at Holland Park in Surrey, BC. The music video for “CRZY” can be viewed below.
Leading up to the 47th annual JUNO Awards, Music Canada is highlighting the ways in which our advocacy supports Canadian artists at every stage of their careers. So far, we have profiled our work regarding music education and Music Cities. In this week’s edition, we highlight our advocacy efforts regarding copyright, which is crucial for all artists.
Copyright effectively underpins the entire music ecosystem – it is copyright that allows creators to sell and license their music in today’s wide array of platforms, and it is copyright that protects the investment that artists and labels make in their career. As the Canadian Intellectual Property Office outlines in the video below, copyright allows creators to control how their work is used and allows them to monetize their work when it is used.
Music Canada represents Canada’s recording industry to government and public agencies on many different fronts, including how laws, regulations and policies affect music creators. Federally, copyright advocacy is a big part of that role. In addition, Music Canada plays an important role as a collaborator with artists and other industry organizations in the Canadian music and cultural industries to advocate for the creation of a functioning marketplace where creators are paid fairly every time their work is used. Music Canada is a thought-leader on the importance of strong support for creators in the Copyright Act, particularly in highlighting the real-world effects it has on artists and their livelihoods. Reforming Canada’s Copyright Act to ensure that creators are paid when their work is commercialized by others is our top priority.
Currently, the biggest challenge for the music industry in Canada and around the world is known as the Value Gap. The Value Gap is defined as the significant disparity between the value of creative content that is accessed and enjoyed by consumers, and the revenues that are returned to the people and businesses who create it.
At the heart of the Value Gap for music is misapplied and outdated “safe harbour” provisions in copyright law, which result in creators having to forego copyright royalty payments to which they should be entitled, and amount to a system of subsidies to other industries.
Music Canada’s recent report, The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-in-Canada Approach, examines the Value Gap and its causes, and demonstrates how it impacts artists, businesses and our nation’s cultural foundations, with a particular focus on music. The report includes recommended steps that Canada’s federal government can take today to address the inequities that artists face due to the Value Gap.
In addition to our Value Gap research, Music Canada has been a lead advocate for reforming the Copyright Board. This is another priority for the music sector, as the rates set by the Board directly impact the value of music and the amount that artists and labels receive for their music and investments. Music Canada is calling on the federal government to reform the Board so that tariff rates are set faster, more efficiently and more predictably – all in the name of royalties that better reflect the true value of music in a functioning music marketplace.
As part of Music Canada’s advocacy on Board reform, we have participated in the Senate hearings on the Copyright Board, the government consultation on reforming the Board, and the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s Review of the Canadian Music Industry, each time appearing as a key stakeholder in favour of full and meaningful reforms. Music Canada’s Graham Henderson also raised the issue in a recent Policy Options op-ed, and in a speech before the Economic Club of Canada citing the need for reform of the Copyright Board as a key priority for government.
Next week, as JUNO Week kicks off in Vancouver, we’ll conclude our #EveryStage series by profiling Music Canada’s efforts to celebrate success in Canada’s music sector, including our Gold/Platinum program and partnerships with the JUNOS and other awards that celebrate Canadian music.
Throughout March, Music Canada has been highlighting the ways our advocacy supports artists at every stage of their career, including our work on 
Music Canada