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Simple Plan receive Gold Single plaques in Toronto

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Photo courtesy of Warner Music Canada

Canadian pop-punk heavyweights Simple Plan took over Toronto’s Air Canada Centre Tuesday night in support of their 2016 album Taking One For The Team. Prior to their set, staff from Warner Music Canada and Coalition Music presented the group with Gold Single plaques for the album’s lead single “I Don’t Wanna Go To Bed.”

“I Don’t Wanna Go To Bed,” which features a verse by rapper Nelly, is the group’s first track to be certified since 2014, when “Summer Paradise” was certified Triple Platinum.

Later this week, Simple Plan will embark on a North American tour commemorating the 15th anniversary of the album No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls, which was certified Double Platinum in 2005. The Montreal-based group plays their hometown tonight at the Bell Centre before embarking on the tour.

The video for “I Don’t Want To Go To Bed” can be viewed below.

Categories: Gold/Platinum
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Rock, pop, and jazz score big at 2017 Canadian Screen Awards

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The 2017 Canadian Screen Awards, which recognize excellence in Canadian film, TV, and digital media productions, were handed out Sunday night at Toronto’s Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. Canadian rock heroes The Tragically Hip picked up the most awards in the music-related categories for the unforgettable broadcast of their August 20, 2016 hometown show in Kingston, ON.

The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration earned six awards for the production’s direction, design, sound, and photography. Hip members Paul Langlois and Rob Baker were on hand to accept their award for Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program, sharing their appreciation for all the support they felt during their Man Machine Poem summer tour.

Born To Be Blue, the Chet Baker biopic starring Ethan Hawke, picked up two awards for the film’s original score. Todor Kobakov, Steve London, and David Braid were awarded Achievement in Music – Original Score, while Braid also won Achievement in Music – Original Song sponsored by Slaight Music for “Could Have Been.” The film was shot in Sudbury, ON.

Trevor Yuile’s win for Best Original Music Score helped Orphan Black earn their leading total of nine ‘Candy’ awards, while Best Original Music Score for a Program sponsored by Slaight Music was awarded to Robert Carli for Murdoch Mysteries.

The 2016 JUNO Awards broadcast won Best Music Program or Series sponsored by Yangaroo. Last year, the 2015 JUNOs broadcast won the Live Entertainment Special category, which was awarded to the Tragically Hip this year.

The full list of winners and nominees can be found here.

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NYC completes first ever Music Report

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A new report has established New York City as one of the largest music ecosystems in the world. The “Music in New York City” report, the first-ever economic impact study of the city’s music industry, was commissioned by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and it found that the music sector supports nearly 60,000 jobs, accounts for $5 billion in wages, and generates $21 billion in total economic output for the city.

When Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Julie Menin Commissioner of the MOME in February 2016, the role of the agency was expanded to include music. This was the first time that a New York City agency had been given a mandate to support and promote the music industry. This study was considered an essential step to help the MOME understand the music sector’s scale, landscape, challenges, and opportunities.

“Music is an inclusive force and economic driver in this City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “As we continue to build good jobs for New Yorkers, we see that raw talent and homegrown energy has built a powerful local industry. Together, we will continue to grow that success.”

“The music industry is a vital part of the city’s creative economy and we are thrilled to be its go-to agency in the City,” Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin said. “This first-of-its kind study details the substantial amount of economic activity that all aspects of this rapidly changing sector of the entertainment industry generate in the City. The study also squarely reaffirms New York City’s status as the music capital of the world. Because of the City’s resilience and resourcefulness, New York has weathered changes in the music industry better than other cities and has come out on top. We look forward to building on that momentum and working with the industry to help it continue to grow and thrive.”

According to the report, the four key pillars of the city’s music ecosystem are local artist communities, mass music consumption, the global record business, and infrastructure and support services. These are directly responsible for approximately 31,400 jobs, $2.8 billion in wages, and $13.7 billion in economic output.

The economic impact of the sector is broken down in the report; the key findings are as follows:

  • Through transactions with suppliers and vendors to the music business (such as professional services, IT, and telecom), New York City’s music industry has an indirect economic impact amounting to approximately 10,100 jobs, $900 million in wages, and $3.4 billion in economic output.
  • The induced economic impact – created when those employed within the industry, or in jobs indirectly supported by it, spend their wages in New York City – amounts to approximately 16,100 jobs, $1.0 billion in wages, and $3.9 billion in economic output.
  • The music industry’s ancillary economic impact – tourism spending that can be attributed solely to attending music-related events – amounts to $400 to $500 million.
  • Total music ecosystem jobs and wages are slightly outpacing the broader New York City economy, growing at annual rates of 4 and 7 percent, respectively (by comparison, total city jobs and wages are growing at annual rates of 3 and 5 percent, respectively). Jobs and wages in the mass music consumption pillar grow the fastest, with 5 and 12 percent, respectively.

The report identifies rising real estate prices, high cost of living, and the global disruption ushered in by digital services and technologies as challenges facing the music sector. It notes that many smaller venues have closed in recent years, and that many artists are seeing their income from record sales decrease while the demand for live performance slots increases.

The study recommends that the city capitalize on opportunities to:

  • Support and help to build thriving local artist communities.
  • Create more performance opportunities for local artists.
  • Increase the economic impact of mass music consumption.
  • Harness and expand the presence of digital music services.

You can read the city’s press release here.

And read the report here.

Categories: Industry News, Music Cities
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Clean Bandit presented with Double Platinum plaques for “Rockabye”

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Photo courtesy of Warner Music Canada

During a visit to Toronto, British electronic group Clean Bandit were presented with Double Platinum award plaques for “Rockabye” by Warner Music Canada. The track, which features Sean Paul and Anne-Marie, is the group’s second track to be certified Double Platinum in Canada, joining their 2014 hit “Rather Be.”

Clean Bandit will return to Toronto amidst a North American tour on April 24, 2017, with Zara Larsson and Starley. The tour will also hit Montreal on April 25.

The video for “Rockabye” can be viewed below.

Categories: Gold/Platinum
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Department of Canadian Heritage releases #DigiCanCon consultation report

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On February 21, the Department of Canadian Heritage released its Canadian Content in a Digital World consultation report. The government commissioned the independent data analysis firm Ipsos to synthesize the information gathered from the DigiCanCon consultations. The results contained in the report are described as a thematic overview of submissions received.

The television and film industries are thoroughly discussed, and while the report doesn’t contain many direct mentions of music, some sections have a strong focus on creators and the need to showcase Canada’s cultural sector at home and abroad, as well as “a need to ensure that Canadian creators share in the financial rewards resulting from increased dissemination of cultural content via digital channels.”

The report identifies three main principles that arose during the consultations, and positives for the creative community can be drawn from the feedback the government received related to each of these principles:

  1. Focusing on citizens and creators

This principle involves supporting creators through skills development and ownership protection, investing in creators with a re-evaluated funding model to allow broader access, and respecting citizen choice to afford all Canadians with access to a diverse body of cultural content.

  1. Reflecting Canadian identities and promoting sound democracy

A sentiment expressed by many during the consultations was that “the Canadian ‘brand’ should reflect the diversity of both Canada’s cultural and ethnic populations and also Canada’s geography and landscape.” Per the report, “there was general agreement that a robust Canadian cultural offering contributes to a strong Canadian identity which in turn breeds engaged citizens.” This is how many participants felt that culture can promote a sound democracy.

  1. Catalyzing economic and social innovation

How to create a cultural ecosystem that fuels growth of the middle class was one of the questions the government sought to answer. While participants reportedly had difficulty expressing how a thriving cultural sector would benefit the middle class, it’s important to remember that many members of the creative class earn an income below the poverty line from their creative work. Independent musicians earned an average of $7,228 per year from music-related activities in 2011. In many respects, a strong creative class contributes directly to a strong middle class. This is one of the main reasons the Focus On Creators coalition exists – to ask the government to put creators at the heart of future policy so they can earn a reasonable living from their work, and BE part of the middle class.

We were very encouraged by one of the “next steps” identified by the government to “through both public policy and perception, reposition the cultural sector as an engine of economic growth and innovation in Canada.” We firmly believe that music has incredible potential as a driver of economic growth and job creation and we’re committed to spreading this message.

One of the key themes of the consultations, identified on page 10, is “Modernizing Canada’s legislative framework and national cultural institutions.” According to the report, the Copyright Act was one of the institutions that participants said has “not kept pace with the shifting digital environment and should be examined.” The upcoming government-mandated Copyright Act review in 2017 was identified as a vital opportunity for Canada to stand up for creators, noting that “most agreed that changes to IP legislation that divert the flow of revenue back to the hands of the idea generators is essential to the future of the cultural ecosystem in Canada.” The Copyright Act is also included as a legislative framework in the government’s “federal cultural policy toolkit.” We hope that the opportunity presented by the 2017 Copyright Act review is used to its full potential to benefit Canada’s cultural industries.

Although it was not mentioned in the Ipsos report, The Copyright Board of Canada also has enormous potential to act as a business development force for our cultural industries. In a report released in December of 2016, The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce stated “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.” The Senate committee report recommended that an “in-depth examination of the Copyright Board of Canada’s mandate, practices and resources” be included as part of the 2017 Copyright Act review.

Music Canada would like to commend Minister Joly and the Department of Canadian Heritage for undertaking such a thorough consultation at this crucial moment in time for Canada’s cultural industries. We are very encouraged by the commitment to creators displayed by both the government and participants in the consultation, and we are hopeful that these consultations will result in new policies to better support our creative industries in the digital age.

Categories: Advocacy, Industry News
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Hitting the Town for Music Therapy: A Night Out For Music Heals

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The following is a guest blog by Zoe Peled, Community Outreach Specialist of Vancouver-based charity Music Heals:

It’s a familiar practice for most of us: the end of the Monday-to-Friday stretch arrives. We shift into weekend mode, and head to our favourite haunts for food, beverages, music, and general merriment. It is not uncommon that gatherings progress to bars, concerts, clubs, or venues. What happens when we incorporate a non-profit component into this social ritual? Enter: A Night Out For Music Heals.

A Night Out For Music Heals, the first major initiative of the year for Canadian charity Music Heals, invites bars, venues, nightclubs, pubs, breweries, and more to come together on one night to support the organization. Participating businesses support #NightOut4MH by donating $1 per patron from their cover charge, offering a flat donation, or highlighting a feature drink or menu item (and donating partial proceeds from sales).

Music Heals works to raise awareness about music therapy, and funds programs across Canada. The Music Heals Charitable Foundation supports a wide range of music therapy services to communities in BC and across Canada. Funding is directed to increased access to music therapy for patients in children’ hospitals, seniors’ centres, palliative care, AIDS & HIV programs, at-risk youth, rehabilitation, bereavement support, and more.

A Night Out For Music Heals 2017 will take place on Saturday, March 4, and kicks off a month of activations for Music Therapy Awareness Month. Music Heals is aiming to work with more than 100 businesses across Canada, and are still waiting for participants to come on board from arts and culture hubs Toronto and Montreal.

Money raised in each province stays in that province, giving participants the opportunity to engage with local initiatives and programs. A unique fundraising event model, #NightOut4MH encourages cross- Canada business relations, is formatted to permit businesses of all sizes and scales to participate, and simultaneously celebrates several components of the diverse Canadian music industry.

For more information, visit www.musicheals.ca, email the organization via nightout@musicheals.ca, or follow via social: musicheals_ca. 

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Notes from the Road: Bleeker – Back to California

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Canadian alternative rock outfit Bleeker is currently on the road in support of their debut album Erase You. Following a tour of the UK, the three-person band returns to California, and shares their experiences in our Notes from the Road tour blog series.

 

We’re baaaaack. After sleeping for 20 hours straight we woke up, and headed out for breakfast. American breakfast! We sat on a patio in the sun. This was a great meal. We filled our manager in on all of our stories and talked about what was next on the agenda…

Three quick shows and all in a row! We rented a large SUV and headed to Tucson the next day to play a festival with Weezer. Then a really fun bar show in Phoenix where we hopped back on the party train. Lots of people, and lots of fun. Then to San Diego… a little bar with 8 very nice people, and one drugged-out crazy blonde lady who came on stage and spray painted the other bands drum set while we were playing. Three very different shows, all with their own distinct charms. 

We also dug up something we had buried in the desert near the Texas border a few months prior while on tour with Sublime and the Dirty Heads. It was still there…

Back to LA for some time off. Five Days to be exact! This was needed. We weren’t run down anymore, like we were in the UK, but there’s something about having NOTHING to do that really lets you relax to your full potential. By the 5th day we were very ready to play again and start our week of promo. Our first show back was with a band called The Psychedelic Furs. An old-school band with a great fan base. We played an awesome room in Orange County called the Observatory.
Promo! My girlfriend Sam flew down to visit me just in time for promo week. We spent the next couple of days travelling to different sync agencies playing acoustically for their staff. In and out of office buildings, home studios, and warehouses shaking hands and meeting the people who might take our songs and put them into movies, commercials, etc.


The performances are surprisingly low stress situations with no gear to move, and free food and drinks. A cake walk one could say. We met some really great people and got a look into another part of the music industry.

In the five years we’ve been together Sam’s never seen this part of my life. Her eyes were opened just a little bit more. She asked me if this is what people would consider “selling out”. I told her I look at it as “buying in”. I’ve never viewed these things in a negative light. Writing songs that people will like and making money that allows me to continue making music for the rest of my life? Sounds horrible. Musicians that feel any different about this should get over themselves in my opinion. Never take yourself TOO seriously. Anyways, if I haven’t made an enemy out of you after that last comment.. on we go!

Four more days off! But devoted to traveling and sightseeing. Having an “outsider” with us was needed. If Sam wasn’t there we would have drank and ate pizza all day every day until our next set of shows. Instead, we rented a Jeep and travelled to many different places. Some new, some old. Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Malibu, Palm Springs, Salvation Mountain, Joshua Tree, Beverly Hills, and a very weird place called Slab City. If you don’t like uncontrolled desert communities with no running water or laws…this place isn’t for you. To round it all off, we spent Halloween right near the Sunset strip at a gay parade. We walked through some of the craziest crowds and coolest costumes I have ever seen. The thing I remember most is how the whole street smelled like a cologne atom bomb had gone off.  It was intense. Actually, the whole night was intense in general. We finally got home, drank more beer, and ordered Dominos as usual. Amazing.

Sam flew home the next day and we were off to do three more shows before going back to cold Canada. The shows were with The Struts who are always fun. Two of the shows were in some legendary venues. The Fillmore, and my personal fave – The Fonda! Located on Hollywood Blvd. Imagine standing on stage behind a massive curtain with three of your friends. And then that curtain slowly rises to 1200 music fans/industry peeps standing there waiting to watch you play. Always a rush and the reason we love playing live. Honestly, I think I just really liked the idea of the curtain! Old school. More venues should invest.

Then, some very sad goodbyes with Adam, our manager. We thanked him for putting us up in his house for the majority of our trip. Introducing us to his friends and family. Showing us around, feeding us… I could go on and on. One of the bests hosts I’ve ever been lucky enough to have. We hopped in our new 15 passenger van and drove north towards BC and our first show with Canadian rock royalty, The Trews! Finally headed home.

Thoughts and feelings:

  •  Sometimes it’s better not to be cheap and just spend the money…like on nicer hotels
  •  Joshua Tree takes more than 3 hours to see
  •  You can develop a travelling rhythm
  •  Just because people work in a fancy building, doesn’t mean they are fancy people

Categories: Notes from the Road
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London, Ontario, completes first ever music census

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The London Music Census is a first-of-its-kind study of London, Ontario’s music industry. The census originated with the London Music Office, and seeks to further the city’s understanding of the assets that make up the city’s music sector. The census has identified both barriers to prosperity and potential areas for future growth of London’s music sector.

The census was successful in shaping a deeper understanding of the state of London’s live music sector. The results revealed that the city’s music industry is concentrated in the realm of popular music, that there exists a wide variety of music businesses in the city, and that, interestingly, few music businesses are applying for government grants. Several key statistics emerged from the London Music Census, including:

  • London is a hub for emerging talent with 875 students studying music at post-secondary institutions;
  • The live music sector is growing with 4,620 music events held in 2015 and new festivals introduced in 2016;
  • London has a diverse mix of venues which includes 52 live music venues, with total seating capacity of 57,000;
  • Nearly half (44.7%) of musicians surveyed are strictly performing original music; and,
  • Over $ 7 million dollars earned in royalties by 1,203 music writers and publishers in London (2015)

London has made serious efforts in the past few years to support its local music community. This particular initiative is part of the London Music Strategy, which was released in August 2014, and also supports the city council’s 2015-19 Strategic Plan, which includes strong language calling for the strengthening of economic growth in the city’s cultural sector, the support of cultural programming, and celebrating and promoting culture.

“The London Music Strategy is a key part of growing our economy and promoting culture in London through our Strategic Plan,” said Mayor Matt Brown. “The results from the London Music Census will give us a detailed look at how we can cultivate and support London’s already eclectic and thriving music scene.”

The census, which obtained over 1,500 responses, took place over the summer of 2016. The survey, which was posted on the music office’s website, was broken up into five categories: Musicians, Venues, Festival/Event Organizations, Music Industry, and Music Fans.

“The London Music Census provided an opportunity to understand our advantages, issues, and gaps faced by the growing local music industry in London,” said Cory Crossman, London’s Music Industry Development Officer. “Through community and industry support we collected a database of assets and baseline figures for future analysis and measurement.”

To read more about the London Music Census, see the article on the London Music Office website.

Categories: Industry News, Music Cities
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Bell Media’s MuchFACT hits $100 million milestone in funding for Canadian music videos and projects

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With the announcement of February’s funding recipients, Bell Media also revealed that its MuchFACT (A Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent) program has surpassed $100 million in contributions to projects by Canadian artists.

Since MuchFACT’s launch in 1984, funding for nearly 9,000 projects has helped propel the careers of some of Canada’s most successful artists. MuchFACT’s press release lists Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” Arcade Fire’s “Sprawl II,” and “Lovers In A Dangerous Time” by Barenaked Ladies as some of the most prominent videos to receive funding. In addition to developing Canadian music artists, MuchFACT has also been an important resource for Canadian directors, many of whom MuchFACT says have gone on to direct feature films, documentaries and award-winning music videos. The program is exclusively funded by Much & M3, divisions of Bell Media Inc.

20 new project funding recipients were confirmed from MuchFACT’s February music committee meeting. Those recipients are:

Music Content Package

Whitehorse – “Boys Like You” and “Pink Kimono”
Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper”

Music Videos

Sam Patch – “St. Sebastian”
Dragonette – “Body 2 Body”
HONORS – “Over”
Dzeko – “Never Gonna Love”
Smalltown DJs – “Erased the Night” (f. Lisa Lobsinger)
Daniel Caesar – “We Found Love”
The New Pornographers – “Whiteout Conditions”
Saya – “Cold Fire”
Cadence Weapon – “My Crew (Woooo)”
Harrison Brome – “Body Heat”
Jacques Greene – “True” (f. How To Dress Well)

Online Music Video / Project

Hoodies at Night – “4 Weeks” (f. KROY)
Chewii – “PuNoni”
TOPS – “Further”
Royal Canoe – “Living A Lie”
Yoko Gold  – “Just a Fling”

Digital Tools

Doldrums – “We Come In Pieces”
BADBADNOTGOOD – “In Your Eyes” (f. Charlotte Day Wilson)

Applications for MuchFACT funding can be submitted though the MuchFACT website. The next upcoming deadline is Thursday, March 9, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

MuchFACT returns this year as a sponsor of the Video of the Year category at the 46th annual JUNO Awards, happening April 2, 2017, in Ottawa.

Below is a showcase of videos that MuchFACT has helped support through the years.

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Arkells receive Gold plaques before massive hometown show

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Photo: Universal Music Canada

For JUNO-Award winning rock group Arkells, Friday, February 10, 2017, will certainly go down as one of the most surreal nights of the band’s career. With the LED sign outside the FirstOntario Centre flashing “Welcome Home ARKELLS,” Hamilton, Ontario was eager to plow through the heavy snowfall and sing along again with their hometown heroes. Around 9 PM, Arkells took to the stage in front of 10,000 adoring fans and kick-started an epic 26-song set that will be talked about for years to come.

Prior to their set, the band was surprised backstage with Gold Single plaques for “Leather Jacket,” from their 2016 album Morning Report. “Leather Jacket” is the band’s first Canadian Single Award certification. In 2015, Arkells received their first Gold plaques for the album High Noon.

You can view the music video for “Leather Jacket” below.

Categories: Gold/Platinum
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