Print media
143-417: Music television Rock music of Canada is a wide and diverse part of the general music of Canada , beginning with American and British style rock and roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock . Canada has produced many of the genre's most significant groups and performers, while contributing substantively to
286-463: A variety of regional scenes . Government support programs, such as the Canada Music Fund, assist a wide range of musicians and entrepreneurs who create, produce and market original and diverse Canadian music. The Canadian music industry is the sixth-largest in the world, producing internationally renowned composers , musicians and ensembles . Music broadcasting in the country is regulated by
429-622: A Canadian female of African descent, her popularity helped to open previously closed doors for talented women who followed. She has been declared " A person of national historic significance " by the Government of Canada . In 1964 she performed for Queen Elizabeth II , at the opening of the Confederation Centre of the Arts . Following World War II a growth phase for Canadian bands was experienced, this time among school bands. Rapid advances in
572-609: A Deadman , Protest the Hero , Default , Bedouin Soundclash , Neverending White Lights , Hedley , Tokyo Police Club , Death from Above 1979 , Age of Daze , Metric , Broken Social Scene , Monster Truck , The Sheepdogs , Walk Off the Earth , City and Colour , No Sinner , Priestess and PUP . Arguably the most successful Canadian group of the decade was Nickelback . The album Silver Side Up sold over six million copies (6× Platinum) in
715-492: A Québécois version of a French reality music competition , several new artists including Marie-Élaine Thibert , Marie-Mai , Émily Bégin and Stéphanie Lapointe became better known among francophones after participation in the reality show. Charlotte Cardin , a finalist on TVA's singing competition La Voix in 2013, went on to critical and commercial success in pop and rock in French and English Canada. Quebec has also produced
858-400: A fund to help emerging artists produce their videos. Canadian women at the end of the 20th century enjoyed greater international commercial success than ever before. Canadian women set a new pinnacle of success, in terms financial, critical and in their immediate and strong influence on their respective genres. They were the women and daughters who had fought for emancipation and equality
1001-539: A fund to help emerging artists produce their videos. New wave , glam rock and heavy metal had become the most popular style of rock in the mid-1980s. Acts such as Platinum Blonde , Helix , Toronto , Parachute Club , The Box , Strange Advance , Spoons , Trans-X , Rational Youth , Men Without Hats , Norman Iceberg , Images in Vogue , Headpins , Sheriff , Frozen Ghost , Teenage Head , Idle Eyes , Eight Seconds , The Northern Pikes , Brighton Rock and Martha and
1144-534: A generation before. Like Shania Twain , Alanis Morissette and most notable is French-Canadian singer, Celine Dion , who became Canada's best-selling music artist, and who, in 2004, received the Chopard Diamond award from the World Music Awards for surpassing 175 million in album sales, worldwide. The turn of the millennium was a time of incredible nationalism, at least as far as Canadian radio
1287-519: A great love of song, dance and fiddle playing. Beginning in the 1630s French and Indigenous children at Québec were taught to sing and play European instruments, like viols , violins , guitars , transverse flutes , drums, fifes and trumpets . Ecole des Ursulines and The Ursuline Convent are among North America's oldest schools and the first institutions of learning for women in North America. Both were founded in 1639 by French nun Marie of
1430-451: A group with two other St. Michael's students, Rudi Maugeri and John Perkins, who were later to found The Crew-Cuts . The group was known variously as The Otnorots ("Toronto" spelled backwards) and The Jordonaires (not to be confused with The Jordanaires who sang background vocals on Elvis Presley 's hits). When Maugeri and Perkins left the group to concentrate on their schoolwork, Codarini and Toorish joined with Arnold and Busseri in
1573-474: A life line to civilization. One of the earliest surviving publications in Canada of a song on the piano in sheet music format is "The Merry Bells of England" by J. F. Lehmann, of Bytown (later Ottawa) in 1840. It was published by John Lovell in the literary magazine Literary Garland . The Great Migration of Canada from 1815 to 1850, consisting largely of Irish , and British immigrants, broadened considerably
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#17328847931631716-424: A limited distribution infrastructure. Two internationally renowned bands to arise from this industry were Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Rush , both featuring acclaimed managers. Bachman–Turner Overdrive's manager, Bruce Allen , went on to produce Loverboy and eventually manage such major pop stars as Bryan Adams and Anne Murray. Randy Bachman (formerly of The Guess Who) released his new band's first album under
1859-566: A long and healthy career featuring continuing stadium tours. The Hip achieved a record for most number one debuts on the Canadian Albums Chart with a total of eight albums. They were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Canada's Walk of Fame, Royal Conservatory of Music , have won over a dozen Juno Awards from more than thirty nominations, Our Lady Peace , from Toronto were one of the most successful Canadian rock groups of
2002-531: A medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint . Canada also has many specific music awards, both for different genres and for geographic regions: Distinctive music scenes have been an integral part of the cultural landscape of Canada. With Canada being vast in size, the country throughout its history has had regional music scenes, with a wide and diverse accumulation of styles and genres from many different individual communities, such as Inuit music , music of
2145-435: A new quartet. At home, they practiced until they achieved their clean-cut harmonies, whether for spirituals , sacred music, or pop . They originally called themselves “The Four Dukes”, but found out that a Detroit group already used that name, so they changed it to The Four Lads. In 1950, they began to sing in local clubs and soon were noticed by scouts. Recruited to go to New York , they were noticed there by Mitch Miller ,
2288-436: A new wave of Canadian thrash metal bands began to rise up and earned a dedicated following like Anvil , Razor , Voivod , Sacrifice , Sword , Exciter and Annihilator , Canadian metal's biggest selling artist, with sales of close to 2 million units worldwide, with industrial bands Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly in the mix, as well as black/death metal band Blasphemy . Canada's most successful rock artists by
2431-437: A number of significant Anglophone artists, including Arcade Fire , Patrick Watson , The Dears , Godspeed You! Black Emperor , Riverbeds , Stars , The Stills , The Unicorns , Wolf Parade , Rufus Wainwright , Sam Roberts , Paul Cargnello , We Are Wolves , Corey Hart , Corky Laing , The New Cities , Chromeo , Simple Plan and the infamous spoken-word musical career of William Shatner . Quebec artists have dominated
2574-591: A part of civil life and typically featured a dozen woodwind and brass instruments, performing at parades, festive ceremonies, minuets , country dances and balls. After the 1760s, regular concerts became a part of the cultural landscape, as well as a wide variety of dancing. Operatic excerpts began to appear, and before the end of the century Canada had its first home-grown opera. A "Concert Hall" existed in Québec by 1764 and subscription concerts by 1770, given, one may presume, by band players and skilled amateurs. Programs for
2717-429: A popular dance craze well into the '60s alongside dances like "The Twist" and "The Mashed Potato". The first Canadian-made and produced rock recording to achieve international popularity was "Clap Your Hands" in 1960 by a Montreal quartet , The Beaumarks . Shortly thereafter, they appeared on American Bandstand and a charity concert at Carnegie Hall . Bobby Curtola from Port Arthur, Ontario had several songs on
2860-794: A popular solo artist in soft rock . Also notable is folk rocker Gordon Lightfoot's " The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald ", a song written in commemoration of the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on 10 November 1975. The incident is the most famous disaster in the history of Great Lakes shipping. The single reached #2 on the Billboard pop charts in November 1976, making it Lightfoot's second most successful (in terms of chart position) single, with " Sundown " having reached number one in 1974. Another of this period's most influential and popular rock bands, Heart , resulted from
3003-735: A pressing plant (the largest of its day) in 1918 at Lachine, Quebec . Compo was originally created to serve the several American independent record companies such as Okeh Records which wanted to distribute records in Canada. The 1920s saw Canada's first radio stations, this allowed Canadian songwriters to contribute some of the most famous popular music of the early 20th century. Canada's first commercial radio station CFCF (formerly XWA) begins broadcasting regularly scheduled programming in Montreal in 1920, followed by CKAC , Canada's first French language radio station, in 1922. By 1923, there were 34 radio stations in Canada and subsequently proliferated at
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#17328847931633146-651: A prominent figure in Canadian blues and rock devoting his life to popularizing Canadian musicians. He formed a backing band called The Hawks , which produced some of the earliest Canadian rock stars. Among them were the members of The Band , who began touring with Bob Dylan in 1966, and then struck out on their own in 1968. As the late fifties gave way to the sixties, stars of the previous decade were still producing hits, but they were quickly losing ground as they struggled to find material that clicked with this new and energetic generation. However, " The Stroll " continued to be
3289-599: A reader poll conducted by Canadian music industry trade magazine RPM Weekly in December 1964. A similar balloting process continued until 1970 when the RPM Gold Leaf Awards , as they were then known, were changed to the Juno Awards . The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences held the first Juno Award ceremony in 1975. This was in response to rectifying the same concerns about promotion of Canadian artists that
3432-549: A remarkable rate, and with them spread the popularity of jazz . Jazz became associated with all things modern, sophisticated, and also decadent. In 1925, the Canadian Performing Rights Society was formed to administer public performance and royalties for composers and lyricists. It became known as the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of Canada (CAPAC). Toronto-born Murray Adaskin (1906–2002)
3575-667: A rock band. Following the hard rock scene a small wave of acts emerged from all across Canada, including Moxy , A Foot in Coldwater and Triumph from Toronto, Trooper from Vancouver, and April Wine from Halifax . April Wine experienced massive success in Canada from the early-1970s to the mid-1980s, but also had some success in United States and Britain , though many music critics have felt their music has been overshadowed by more successful bands. Canadian cultural critics have noted that
3718-517: A second Canadian-born priest, Charles-Amador Martin , is credited with the plainchant music for the Sacrae familiae felix spectaculum , in celebration of the Holy Family feast day in 1700. Historically, music was composed in Canada's colonies and settlements during the 18th century, although very few popular named works have survived or were even published. The French and Indian Wars began and left
3861-607: Is Hank Snow (1914–1999), who signed with RCA Victor in 1936 and went on to become one of America's biggest and most innovative country music superstars of the 1940s and 1950s. Snow became a regular performer at the Grand Ole Opry on WSM in Nashville and released more than 45 LPs over his lifetime. Snow was one of the inaugural inductees to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame started in 2003. Canada during
4004-601: Is also a Companion of the Order of Canada. Folk legend Joni Mitchell is an Alberta native, and has been inducted into both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Walt Grealis of Toronto started in the music business with Apex Records in 1960, the Ontario distributor for Compo Company. He later joined London Records , where he worked until February 1964, when he then established RPM weekly trade magazine . From
4147-454: Is concerned. The 1971 CRTC rules (30% Canadian content on Canadian radio) finally come into full effect and by the end of the 20th century radio stations would have to play 35% Canadian content. This led to an explosion in the 21st century of Canadian pop musicians dominating the airwaves unlike any era before. In 1996, VideoFACT launched PromoFACT, a funding program to help new artists produce electronic press kits and websites . At about
4290-556: Is frequently played over sound systems at National Hockey League (NHL) games in both Canada and the United States. At the start of the 1990s Canadian rock took a distinctive turn. Just as artists from the 1970s competed with disco, artists from the 1990s were competing with Canadian hip hop and American hip hop on the Video and Radio charts. Glam metal and arena rock had lost its position as Hip hop, alternative rock and grunge became
4433-470: Is held each year as part of Canada's main annual music industry awards, the Juno Awards . The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement are the foremost honours presented for excellence in the performing arts, in the categories of dance , classical music , popular music , film , and radio and television broadcasting. They were initiated in 1992 by then Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn , and winners receive $ 25,000 and
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4576-405: Is more difficult to travel nationwide as well due to the vast size, creating regional communities that revolve around major music scenes in cities such as Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal or Halifax, each with a handful of offshoot suburban town scenes that produce the next wave of fresh bands. Most notable is Arcade Fire , who have won numerous awards, including the 2011 Grammy for Album of
4719-702: Is on record as one of the first classically trained practicing musicians in New France, although history has recognized him more as an explorer, hydrographer and voyageur . Jolliet is said to have played the organ, harpsichord , flute, and trumpet. In 1700, under British rule at this time, an organ was installed in Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal and military bands gave concerts on the Champ de Mars . A French-born priest, René Ménard , composed motets around 1640, and
4862-631: Is part of Universal . He later joined London Records , where he worked until February 1964, when he then established RPM weekly trade magazine . From the first issue of RPM Weekly on February 24, 1964, to its final issue on November 13, 2000, RPM was the defining charts in Canada. The popularity of US rock on the two Canadian charts led to many existing groups, especially those devoted to country music, to change styles or to incorporate some rock style hits in their repertoires. Country rock and folk rock singers such as Gordon Lightfoot , Joni Mitchell , Leonard Cohen , Denny Doherty (of The Mamas &
5005-520: Is the primatial church of Canada and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec . It is the oldest Catholic " Episcopal see " in the New World north of Mexico and site of the first documented choir in Canada. In what was then known as New France, the first formal ball was given by Louis-Théandre Chartier de Lotbinière (1612–1688) on 4 February 1667. Louis Jolliet (1645–1700)
5148-654: The 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and becoming one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time . In 1969, drummer Corky Laing , from Montreal, joined pioneering American hard rock band Mountain . Another one of the most prominent players of the late 1960s and early 1970s rock scene was Neil Young , who was a member of the folk rock band Buffalo Springfield , before joining Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young . Young also recorded music with Crazy Horse throughout his solo career. The song " Ohio ", written by Neil Young and recorded with CSNY,
5291-660: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission had. Canadian music changed course in the 1980s and 1990s, the changing fast-paced culture was accompanied by an explosion in youth culture . Until the mid-1960s, little attention was paid to music by Canadian daily newspapers except as news or novelty. With the introduction during the late 1970s of the " music critic ", coverage began to rival that of any other topic. Canadian publications devoted to all styles of music either exclusively or in tandem with more general editorial content directed to young readers,
5434-575: The Double diamond award Other female Canadian musicians have achieved international success in the highly competitive world of popular music, including Joni Mitchell, Ginette Reno , Diane Dufresne , Diana Krall , Avril Lavigne , Loreena McKennitt , Amanda Marshall , Holly Cole , Chantal Kreviazuk , Diane Tell , Jann Arden , Deborah Cox , Sarah Harmer , Susan Aglukark , Melissa Auf der Maur , Emily Haines , Kittie , Bif Naked , Nelly Furtado , Colleen Rennison and Feist . The early first decade of
5577-1141: The Félix award for Best Anglophone Artist for her English-language debut, Unison , but she refused the award as she did not view herself as an Anglophone artist. After the controversy caused by this incident, Dion has been careful not to clearly declare herself as either federalist or sovereignist . Recent Quebec performers include Richard Desjardins , Daniel Boucher , Marie-Chantal Toupin , Éric Lapointe , Vilain Pingouin , Mes Aïeux , Les Trois Accords , Kaïn , Dumas , La Chicane , Les Colocs , Cindy Daniel , Daniel Bélanger , Paul Cargnello , Laurence Jalbert , Jean Leloup , Celine Dion , Les Stups , Dan Bigras , Isabelle Boulay and more recently Cœur de pirate . Some bands, such as Les Cowboys Fringants have known success in Europe (primarily in France) while Karkwa , Vulgaires Machins and Malajube are also recognized elsewhere in Canada. In 2003, TVA began to broadcast Star Académie ,
5720-516: The Scottish traveler and artist George Heriot (1759–1839), who wrote: The whole of the Canadian inhabitants are remarkably fond of dancing, and frequently amuse themselves at all seasons with that agreeable exercise. Among the earliest musical societies were Halifax 's "New Union Singing Society" of 1809 and Québec's "Harmonic Society" of 1820. One of the first registered all-civilian musical ensembles
5863-536: The artists and repertoire man at Columbia Records , who asked them to sing backup for some of the artists he recorded. One of those artists, Johnnie Ray , became a major hit in 1951 with " Cry " and " The Little White Cloud That Cried ", with the Four Lads backing him. After the success of Ray's first hit songs, the Four Lads signed a recording contract with Columbia. In early 1952, they recorded their first song, "Turn Back", penned by group member Bernie Toorish under
Rock music of Canada - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-462: The gramophone at the beginning of the 20th century allowed Canadian songwriters to broaden their potential audiences. Following quickly on the gramophone's spread came World War I . The war was the catalyst for the writing and recording of large numbers of Canadian-written popular songs, some of which achieved lasting international commercial success. The 1920s saw Canada's first radio stations, this allowed Canadian songwriters to contribute some of
6149-566: The new world . They made gourds and animal horns into rattles which were elaborately carved and painted. In woodland areas, they made horns of birchbark along with drumsticks of carved antlers and wood. Drums were generally made of carved wood and animal hides . These musical instruments provide the background for songs and dances. For many years after European settlement, First Nations and Inuit peoples were discouraged from practicing their traditional ceremonies. However, impacts varied significantly depending on such aspects as
6292-490: The war in Vietnam and the rise of feminism . This led to the Canadian government passing Canadian content legislation to help Canadian artists. On January 18, 1971, regulations came into force requiring AM radio stations to devote 30 percent of their musical selections to Canadian content. Although this was (and still is) controversial, it quite clearly contributed to the development of a nascent Canadian pop star system. With
6435-555: The "Union Harmony" in 1801. Folk music was still thriving, as recounted in the poem titled " A Canadian Boat Song ". The poem was composed by the Irish poet Thomas Moore (1779–1852) during a visit to Canada in 1804. "The Canadian Boat Song" was so popular that it was published several times over the next forty years in Boston , New York City and Philadelphia . Dancing likewise was an extremely popular form of entertainment as noted In 1807 by
6578-564: The 1950s. The Four Lads , from Toronto , were one of the first groups to capitalize on this sound and become a prominent act in the Canadian rhythm and blues scene, producing their first hit in 1952 called " Mocking Bird ". Their most famous hit was " Moments to Remember ", which first reached the Billboard magazine charts on September 3, 1955. Emerging in the mid-1950s, on near equal-footing to American popular music , Canadian popular music enjoyed considerable success at home and abroad. By 1954
6721-556: The 1960s and 1970s. German born frontman, John Kay, would later become a Canadian citizen and was the only member of Steppenwolf to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame . Steppenwolf is most famous for the songs " Born to Be Wild ", " Magic Carpet Ride " and " The Pusher ". "Born to be Wild" is the group's biggest hit, making it to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968, becoming one of
6864-508: The 1980s) finally came into full effect and by the end of the decade, radio stations would have to play 35% Canadian content. This led to an explosion of Canadian bands ruling the Canadian airwaves unlike any era before. This includes The Headstones , The Tea Party , Matthew Good Band , Moist , Sloan , The Gandharvas , Change of Heart , Skydiggers , Eric's Trip , Limblifter , Salmonblaster , supergarage, The Misunderstood, Shyne Factory , Doughboys , Crash Test Dummies , The Lowest of
7007-461: The 1980s, in particular the need to conform to the taste of a Canadian audience that has had its standards and expectations formed by constant exposure to US and British acts for the prior three decades. The popularity of Chilliwack , for example, rose dramatically after the band turned from the experimental nature of its first few LPs to a mainstream pop style consistent with the US style. The band first hit
7150-412: The 1990s; their 1997 effort Clumsy was certified Diamond in Canada and going Platinum in the U.S. which was something that a lot of the Canadian rock groups didn't do in that time. In 1996, VideoFACT launched PromoFACT, a funding program to help new artists produce electronic press kits and websites . This helped Indie rock , that would see a new dominant phase in the mid-1990s just as rock and roll
7293-424: The 21st century was dominated by post-grunge and continued to see the expansion of alternative rock, pop-punk, hard rock, and indie rock both artistically and commercially. The main musical phenomenon was the emergence of a new generation of singer songwriters that were the direct consequence of the previous generation's intellectual ambitions. The biggest factor that has contributed to the resurgence of rock music in
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#17328847931637436-551: The American music charts. The late 2010s and early 2020 saw the deaths of Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip and Neil Peart of Rush . Patriotic music in Canada dates back over 200 years as a distinct category from British patriotism, preceding the first legal steps to independence by over 50 years. The earliest, " The Bold Canadian ", was written in 1812. The Canadian Music Hall of Fame established in 1976 honours Canadian musicians for their lifetime achievements. The ceremony
7579-490: The Billboard pop charts. The Four Lads were quickly switched over to the Columbia label, where they continued to garner more hits, and stayed there until 1960. In 1953, the Four Lads had their first gold record , with " Istanbul (Not Constantinople) ", a song that gave them their first U.S. top-ten hit and propelled them to even more stardom. The group's most famous hit was 1955's " Moments to Remember ." Another famous hit
7722-549: The CRTC. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presents Canada's music industry awards, the Juno Awards , which were first awarded in 1970. The Canadian Music Hall of Fame , established in 1976, honours Canadian musicians for their lifetime achievements. Patriotic music in Canada dates back over 200 years as a distinct category from British patriotism, preceding Canadian Confederation by over 50 years. The earliest work of patriotic music in Canada, " The Bold Canadian ",
7865-566: The Canadian edition of Sesame Street from 1989 to 1995. Henderson also acted as director of the Canadian Association of Recording Arts and Sciences ( CARAS ) and as president of the Songwriters Association of Canada ( SOCAN ). Music videos assumed a major role in the promotion of pop rock recordings in 1980s for US exposure. Videos produced many mainstream pop-rockers that saw huge success in and outside of Canada. Success in
8008-399: The Canadian music charts beginning with "Hand In Hand With You" in 1960. His biggest chart-topper came in 1962 with the song, "Fortune Teller", which was also successful internationally. In 1966, he won an RPM Gold Leaf Award (The Gold Leaf Awards, which were in effect the first Juno Awards) for being the first Canadian to have a gold album . The CHUM Chart debuted on May 27, 1957, under
8151-574: The Canadian musical culture. 1844, Samuel Nordheimer (1824–1912) opened a music store in Toronto selling pianos and soon thereafter began to publish engraved sheet music . Samuel Nordheimers store was among the first and the largest specialized music publisher in the Province of Canada . They initially had the sole right to publish copies of Alexander Muir 's " The Maple Leaf Forever " that for many years served as an unofficial Canadian national anthem. By
8294-494: The Canadian recording industry made rock a major focus of its activity. In 1971, the Canadian content law was passed ensuring Canadian artists weren't overrun by American media outlets. The Juno Awards began as a reader poll conducted by Canadian music industry trade magazine RPM Weekly in December 1964. A similar balloting process continued until 1970 when the RPM Gold Leaf Awards, as they were then known, were changed to
8437-508: The Doo-wop days. Often Canadian records of this period were simply covers of pop hits, and rhythm and blues oldies. 1958 saw Canada produced its first rock and roll teen idol Paul Anka , who went to New York City where he auditioned for ABC with the song, " Diana ". This song brought Anka instant stardom and he became the first Canadian to have a number one on the US Billboard charts in
8580-559: The First World War . The war was the catalyst for the writing and recording of large numbers of Canadian-written popular songs, some of which achieved lasting international commercial success. The military during World War I produced official music such as regimental marches and songs as well as utilitarian bugle calls . The soldiers had a repertoire of their own, largely consisting of new, often ribald, lyrics to older tunes. Canada's first independent record label Compo Company built
8723-552: The Incarnation (1599–1672) alongside the laywoman Marie-Madeline de Chauvigny de la Peltrie (1603–1671) and are the first Canadian institutions to have music as part of the curriculum. The earliest written record of violins in Canada comes from the Jesuit Relation of 1645. The Jesuits additionally have the first documented organ sale, imported for their Québec chapel in 1657. Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral , built in 1647,
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#17328847931638866-496: The Juno Awards. The first Juno Award ceremony was held in 1975 and played a role in addressing the concern about Canadian content. This led to increased production and with the international popularity of The Guess Who and Neil Young at the end of the 1960s, opened markets outside Canada to the country's musicians. Success abroad usually ensured success in Canada. The early 1970s were a golden age for Canadian music. Many performers from
9009-478: The King/Queen has been sung in Canada since British rule and by the mid-20th century was, along with " O Canada ", one of the country's two de facto national anthems. The beginning of the 19th century Canadian musical ensembles had started forming in great numbers, writing waltzes , quadrilles , polkas and galops . The first volumes of music printed in Canada was the "Graduel romain" in 1800 followed by
9152-545: The Low , 13 Engines , Odds , I Mother Earth , Big Sugar , Glueleg , Age of Electric , Rymes with Orange , Mudgirl , Strapping Young Lad , Bif Naked , Rheostatics , The Watchmen , Moxy Früvous , Rusty , Our Lady Peace , The Philosopher Kings , Junkhouse , Wide Mouth Mason , Pure , Thrush Hermit , cub , The Killjoys , Sandbox , Treble Charger , Big Wreck , The Weakerthans , Propagandhi and The Planet Smashers . Although many of them have not been overly successful in
9295-647: The Maritimes and Canadian fiddle music . The Four Lads The Four Lads were a Canadian male singing quartet that earned many gold singles and albums in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Their million-selling signature tunes include " Moments to Remember "; " Standing on the Corner "; " No, Not Much "; " Who Needs You? " and " Istanbul ". The Four Lads appeared on many television shows, including The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom (1958); Perry Como 's show Perry Presents (1959); Frankie Laine Time (1956); and
9438-648: The Muffins were along for the new Canadian music video ride. Although many of them, in fact, were only "one-hit wonders". In the late 1980s, the Canadian recording industry continued to produce popular acts such as Blue Rodeo . Alternative rock also emerged as an influential genre, with independent artists such as The Tragically Hip , 54-40 , Sarah McLachlan , Spirit of the West , The Waltons , Cowboy Junkies , The Pursuit of Happiness , and The Grapes of Wrath all gaining their first widespread attention during this time. Also
9581-590: The Papas ), David Clayton-Thomas (of Blood, Sweat & Tears ), Andy Kim , Zal Yanovsky (of The Lovin' Spoonful ), John Kay (of Steppenwolf ), and Ian & Sylvia found international audiences. One important example was a Winnipeg band called Chad Allan & the Expressions, which had a 1965 hit with a version of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates ' " Shakin' All Over ". They would eventually evolve into The Guess Who ,
9724-414: The Québec and Halifax concerts of the 1790s reveal orchestral and chamber music by Handel , J.C. Bach , Haydn , Mozart and Pleyel . Canada's first two operas were written, ca. 1790 and ca. 1808 by composer, poet , and playwright Joseph Quesnel (1746–1809). The instrument of favour for the lower class was the fiddle. Fiddlers were a fixture in most public drinking establishments. God Save
9867-481: The Radar , as well the Canadian edition of Time magazine. It can be difficult for an indie group to break through in Canada as there is no nationwide rock station. On the other hand, although rock bands may get some exposure from outlets such as MuchMusic and CBC Radio 3 , bands must largely rely on building an audience city by city, as each commercial radio station makes its playlist decisions independently. Similarly, it
10010-467: The Second World War produced some patriotic songs, but they were not hits in the music industry sense. A number of Canadian singers who learned their craft in Canadian opera companies in the 1930s went on to sing in major international opera houses. Most notable from the 1940s is contralto singer Portia White (1911–1968). She achieved international fame because of her voice and stage presence. As
10153-529: The Slugs , Payola$ and Glass Tiger . As well, the era produced the country cowpunk of k.d. lang . Bryan Adams would emerge as Canada's superstar of the 80s having been awarded the Order of Canada , and the Order of British Columbia and inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998 for his contribution to popular music and his philanthropic work. Also notable is Loverboy who accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and
10296-454: The Top 10 charts in Canada with 1973s "Lonesome Mary", but are perhaps best remembered for three America hit songs from the 1980s "My Girl (Gone Gone Gone)", "I Believe" and "Whatcha Gonna Do". Even though those three hits were their only popular singles in the US, the band has released over a dozen albums with 23 Canadian hit singles . Bill Henderson , the founder of the band, was musical director for
10439-599: The United States and 800,000 copies (8× Platinum) in Canada. The band has won multiple Juno Awards, an American Music Award , and a MTV Video Music Award Their hit single " How You Remind Me " reached the top on the Canadian Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, making them the second Canadian band to accomplish this, the first being The Guess Who with "American Woman" in 1970. Nickelback has also sold over 50 million albums worldwide, making them
10582-448: The United States in the late 1940s after World War II , from a combination of the rhythms of African American blues , country and gospel music . Though elements of rock and roll can be heard in Canadian country records of the 1930s–1940s, and in American blues records from the 1920s, rock and roll did not acquire its name until the 1950s. "Rock" or its forerunners electric blues ( Chicago blues ) and rhythm and blues ( Jump blues )
10725-539: The United States, making four multi-platinum albums. The band's hit singles, particularly " Lovin' Every Minute of It " and " Working for the Weekend " have become hard rock staples, and are still heard on classic rock radio stations across the US and Canada. Loverboy received five Juno Awards, Canada's highest award for music, in one year, a record that still stands today. The band would later receive an additional three Juno Awards, bringing their total to eight, which at that time
10868-556: The United States, they remain extremely popular in Canada having much more vitality than their contemporaries from other countries. The Barenaked Ladies brought a spotlight on to the Canadian indie market when their album sales began to steamroll based simply on word of mouth and their live shows. The Yellow Tape , released in 1991, became the first indie release by any band to achieve platinum status (100,000 copies) in Canada. The album Stunt became their greatest success, buoyed by " One Week ", which coincidentally spent one week at
11011-551: The Year , the 2011 Juno Award for Album of the Year , and the 2011 Brit Award for Best International Album for their third studio album, The Suburbs . In the 1960s, some French Canadians of Quebec were beginning to self-identify as Québécois (Quebecers). [See the Quiet Revolution .] The tensions between Quebec and English Canada have, at times, played out on Quebec's music scene as well. For example, in 1991, Céline Dion won
11154-514: The ability of purchasers to record and copy music from a CD to portable devices. The early 2000s saw Canadian independent artists continue to expand their audience into the United States and beyond. Mainstream Canadian artists with global recorded contracts such as Nelly Furtado , Avril Lavigne , Michael Bublé , Nickelback , Drake , The Weeknd , Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber reached new heights in terms of international success, while dominating
11297-610: The award-winning PBS special, Moments to Remember: My Music. The most recent incarnation of the group featured lead tenor Don Farrar, second tenor Aaron Bruce, baritone Alan Sokoloff, and bass singer Frank Busseri. The original quartet grew up together in Toronto , Ontario , Canada, where they learned to sing at St. Michael's Choir School . The founding and core members were Corrado "Connie" Codarini, bass ; John Bernard "Bernie" Toorish, tenor and vocal arranger; James F. "Jimmy" Arnold , lead ; and Frank "Frankie" Busseri, baritone and group manager. Codarini and Toorish had formed
11440-467: The collaboration of two sisters from Seattle with a supporting band from Vancouver. Some popular francophone bands of the time included the rock group Beau Dommage from Montreal led by Michel Rivard and the progressive rock group Harmonium also of Montreal. Artists like The Kings , Prism , Crowbar , Nick Gilder , Ian Thomas , Goddo , Harlequin , Mahogany Rush , Moxy , Streetheart , Max Webster and Ironhorse saw their greatest success during
11583-470: The course of his career, which began in 1944, Montreal 's jazz virtuoso Oscar Peterson released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards , and received many other awards and honors. Oscar Peterson is considered to have been one of the greatest pianists of all time. Nova Scotia -born and raised Hank Snow who signed with RCA Victor in 1936 and went on to become one of America's most innovative country music superstars. Rock and roll arose in
11726-418: The development of the gramophone , Canadian songwriters' works were published as sheet music, or in periodicals in local newspapers such as The Montreal Gazette and Toronto Empire . Most recordings purchased by Canadians in the early days of the gramophone were made by American and British performers, behind some of these international hits were Canadian songwriters. Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882–1943)
11869-577: The development of the most popular subgenres , which include pop rock , progressive rock , country rock , folk rock , hard rock , punk rock , heavy metal and indie rock . Since before Canada's emergence as a nation in 1867 , the country has produced its own composers , musicians and ensembles . From the 17th century onward, Canada has developed a music infrastructure that includes concert halls , conservatories , academies , performing arts centres , record companies , radio stations and national music video television channels. The success of
12012-409: The emerging new wave ruled the landscape, Canadian groups such as D.O.A. , The Viletones , The Forgotten Rebels , Rough Trade , Diodes , Teenage Head , The Demics , The Young Canadians and Subhumans emerged and continued in the 1980s with popular bands like SNFU , Dayglo Abortions and Nomeansno . Rough Trade were particularly notable for their 1980 hit " High School Confidential ", one of
12155-741: The first Canadian rock group to have a No.1 hit that reached the top on the Canadian Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, with " American Woman " in 1970. Their success paved the way for a new wave of Canadian singer-songwriters, including Stan Rogers , Murray McLauchlan , Bruce Cockburn and Willie P. Bennett . Unlike the generation before, the late sixties American and British counterculture and hippie movements had diverted rock towards psychedelic rock, heavy metal, progressive rock and many other styles, most dominated by socially and politically incisive lyrics. The music
12298-411: The first decade of the 21st century is the rise of paid digital downloads . The vast majority of songs bought on paid download sites are singles bought from full albums; songs that are bought on a song-by-song basis off artist's albums are considered sales of singles, even though they have no official single for purchase. The boom of independent music at the turn of the millennium changed the dynamics of
12441-596: The first explicitly lesbian-themed pop songs to crack the Top 40 anywhere in the world. Things changed course in the 1980s, the changing fast-paced culture was accompanied by an explosion in youth culture. Until the mid-1960s, little attention was paid to rock by Canadian daily newspapers except as news or novelty. With the introduction during the 1970s of the " rock critic ", coverage began to rival that of any other music. The 1980s saw Canada support and promote many of its own talent in pursuit of true originality. Canadian rock generally had been discouraged by market forces before
12584-412: The first issue of RPM Weekly on February 24, 1964, to its final issue on November 13, 2000, RPM was the defining charts in Canada. The American and British counterculture explosion and hippie movement had diverted music to that which was dominated by socially and American politically incisive lyrics by the late 1960s. The music was an attempt to reflect upon the events of the time – civil rights ,
12727-711: The girls. They were the daughters of the women who had fought for emancipation and equality in the 1960s. Canadian women by the end of the decade enjoyed greater international commercial success than ever before in the popular music field. As Alannah Myles, Lisa Dalbello and Lee Aaron had a decade earlier, four women in particular rose out of the 1990s, setting new pinnacles of success in terms financial, critical, and in their immediate and strong influences on their respective genres: Sarah McLachlan , Céline Dion , Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain . Alanis Morissette kicked off another revolution in Canadian music, launching an era in which Canadian women like Avril Lavigne would rule
12870-703: The group in 1980 to become a voice teacher in Sacramento, California . Busseri remained with the group, and performed regularly with various members until late 2018. Johnny D'Arc died in 1999, aged 60, in Riverside , California . Jimmy Arnold died in 2004, aged 72, in Sacramento, California . Codarini died on April 28, 2010, in Concord, North Carolina , aged 80. Frank Busseri died in Rancho Mirage, California , on January 28, 2019, aged 86. Aaron Bruce (Aaron Bruce Grattidge), who
13013-454: The group's re-recording of "The Mocking Bird" became their last Top 40 pop hit. In 1959, their final pop chart appearance was with "Happy Anniversary", a song from the movie of the same name that peaked at #77. When their Columbia contract expired in 1960, the group spent the rest of the 1960s recording for the Kapp , Dot and United Artists labels without ever hitting the charts again. Codarini
13156-580: The inclusion of instrumental music study in formal school curricula brought about fundamental changes to the philosophy of the band movement and the type of repertoire available. The CHUM Chart debuted on May 27, 1957, under the name CHUM's Weekly Hit Parade, was in response to the fast-growing diversity of music that needed to be subdivided and categorized. The CHUM charts were the longest-running Top 40 chart in Canada ending in 1986. 1958 saw its first Canadian rock and roll teen idol Paul Anka , who went to New York City where he auditioned for ABC with
13299-452: The introduction in the mid-1970s of mainstream music on FM radio stations, where it was common practice to program extended performances, musicians were no longer limited to songs of three minutes' duration as dictated by AM stations for decades. Other notable musicians who have been one of the largest Canadian exports include the progressive rock band Rush , Triumph and Bryan Adams . In the classical world, homegrown talent Canadian Brass
13442-427: The larger US market remained the major goal of most, if not all, post-1970 Canadian rock acts; a goal in fact reached with some greater or lesser degree of consistency by several, among them Bryan Adams, Kim Mitchell former guitarist and vocalist of Max Webster , Aldo Nova , Loverboy , Saga , k.d. lang , Red Rider , Corey Hart , Alannah Myles , Lee Aaron , Tom Cochrane , Honeymoon Suite , Haywire , Doug and
13585-994: The last decade. Canada joined 50 other nations in 2008 to update its Copyright Act , and in doing so aimed to allow artists and others to seek compensation for their work, no matter how it is distributed. In 2010 Canada introduced new copyright legislation. The amended law makes hacking digital locks illegal, but enshrine into law the ability of purchasers to record and copy music from a CD to portable devices. The wide and diverse sound in 21st century rock has resulted in such acts as The Glorious Sons , Mother Mother , Arkells , Devin Townsend , Strapping Young Lad , Billy Talent , Silverstein , Thornley , Sam Roberts , Joel Plaskett , Avril Lavigne , Cleopatrick , Finger Eleven , Simple Plan , Marianas Trench , Gob , Hot Hot Heat , Immaculate Machine , The New Pornographers , Sum 41 , Evans Blue , Parabelle , Three Days Grace , The Trews , Matt Mays & El Torpedo , Alexisonfire , Theory of
13728-408: The late '70s period. Many acts have had equally vital, if less remunerative careers outside the mainstream in punk rock and its derivations, generally distinguished by a tendency to extremes of one sort or another. Whether in instrumental intensity, lyric content, or performance style Canadian pop music evolved with the times, reflecting worldwide trends. In the late 1970s, as punk rock, disco , and
13871-602: The late 1960s came to the forefront in the following years, among them The Bells and Andy Kim from Montreal, Chilliwack from Vancouver , Five Man Electrical Band from Ottawa , Lighthouse from Toronto, Wednesday from Oshawa, and The Stampeders from Calgary . With the introduction in the mid-1970s period of rock music on FM radio stations, where it was common practice to program extended performances, musicians were no longer limited to songs of three minutes' duration as dictated by AM stations. The still nascent Canadian music industry had little independent music media and
14014-631: The late 1970s were a lesser era for Canadian music. Many of the acts who had defined the earlier half of the decade were no longer recording, and the new artists emerging in this era simply didn't seem to be able to capture the Canadian pop zeitgeist in the same way. Nevertheless, a number of established Canadian acts, including Rush, Bachman–Turner Overdrive, Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush, Bruce Cockburn, April Wine, Pat Travers , FM , and Neil Young, remained influential and recorded some of their most popular material of all during this period, and former "The Guess Who" lead singer Burton Cummings emerged as
14157-761: The late 1980s worked in a relatively generic, mainstream pop rock style of the day. Some from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, may be ascribed to more specific substyles like Colin James , David Wilcox and Jeff Healey to blues-rock (see Canadian blues ). With Stompin' Tom Connors , Great Big Sea and Ashley MacIsaac to folk rock, that saw the start for both styles, a very large following all across Canada. Most notable would be Stompin' Tom Connors who typically wrote about Canadian lore and history, some of Connors' better-known songs include Big Joe Mufferaw , The Black Donnellys , Reesor Crossing Tragedy , Sudbury Saturday Night and The Hockey Song (aka "The Good Old Hockey Game"), that
14300-480: The long and short lists of the Polaris Music Prize . Among them, Arcade Fire , Patrick Watson , Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Karkwa have all won the award. Music of Canada Print media Music television The music of Canada reflects the diverse influences that have shaped the country . Indigenous Peoples, the Irish , British, and the French have all made unique contributions to
14443-583: The mid-1920s selling an estimated 250 million phonograph records , and were the first Canadians to have a #1 single on Billboard ' s top 100. In 1932, the first Broadcasting Act was passed by Parliament creating the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission . It was to both regulate all broadcasting and create a new national public radio network. 1936, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation came into existence, at
14586-457: The most famous popular music of the early 20th century. Canada has produced a number of notable international recording artists who appeared on the Billboard record sales chart called Hit Parade first published in 1936. Among them was the World War II era bandleader , Guy Lombardo , who with his brother has sold an estimated 250 million phonograph records during their lifetimes. Over
14729-499: The music industry. At about the same time, the CD (cheap to manufacture) replaced the vinyl album and cassette tapes (expensive to manufacture). Shortly thereafter, the Internet allowed musicians to directly distribute their music, thus bypassing the selection of the old-fashioned " record label ". Canada's music industry has suffered as a result of the challenging times for the better part of
14872-413: The musical heritage of Canada . The music has also subsequently been influenced by American culture because of the proximity between the two countries. Since French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1605 and established the first permanent French settlements at Port Royal and Québec in 1608, the country has produced its own composers , musicians and ensembles . Canadian music reflects
15015-407: The name Bachman–Turner Overdrive in spring 1973, which won two Juno Awards despite being largely ignored in the US. Their second album Bachman–Turner Overdrive II hit No. 4 in the U.S. BTO II was certified gold in eight countries. It also yielded their best-remembered and most enduring single, " Takin' Care of Business ", written by Randy Bachman. 1974's album Not Fragile went straight to
15158-538: The name "Dazz Jordan". Released by Columbia subsidiary Okeh Records (Okeh 6860), the song failed to make an impression. Sometime later that year, the group scored their first-ever hit record with " The Mocking Bird " (Okeh 6885), another Toorish composition. Based on a melody from the second movement of Antonin Dvorak ’s Symphony No. 9 (known as the “New World Symphony”) and featuring an extremely limited accompaniment of percussion and bass, "The Mocking Bird" peaked at #23 on
15301-429: The name "rock and roll" had become the common name of the popular music of the day. Rhythm and blues (R&B coined in 1949) was too broad a term, because R&B was a category that included most forms of race music , which generally had adult-based lyrics. The Crew-Cuts , The Diamonds and The Four Lads would emerge from this new marketing of rhythm and blues to appeal to a white audience leaving an indelible mark on
15444-466: The name CHUM's Weekly Hit Parade, to 1986, and was the longest-running Top 40 chart in Canada. During the 1960s Canadian music was regarded with indifference and Canadian recording artists were forced to turn toward the United States to establish their careers. In 1960 Walt Grealis of Toronto started in the music business with Apex Records , the Ontario distributor for Compo Company (founded in 1918), Canada's first independent record company that today
15587-594: The nature and science of sound waves. During the Great Depression in Canada , the majority of people listened to what today would be called swing (Jazz) just as country was starting its roots. The diversity in the evolution of swing dancing in Canada is reflected in its many American names, Jive , Jitterbug and Lindy . Canada's first big band star was Guy Lombardo (1902–1977), who formed his easy listening band, The Royal Canadians , with his brothers and friends. They achieved international success starting in
15730-417: The new sound of the next generation. Canadian publications devoted to Canadian rock and pop music, either exclusively or in tandem with more general editorial content directed to young readers, was expanding rapidly in the 90s. It was a decade of incredible nationalism, at least as far as English-Canadian music was concerned. The 1971 CRTC rules (25% Canadian content on Canadian radio, increased to 30 per cent in
15873-405: The number one spot on the storied Billboard Hot 100. Also notable is The Tragically Hip who signed a long-term record deal with MCA in 1987, but were largely unrecognized until 1989s Up to Here . The Hip went on to establish themselves as one of the most influential bands in Canada. They never had a major breakthrough in the United States, but their Canadian fan base alone was enough to sustain
16016-603: The only Canadian rock band to achieve this. Also very notable is Avril Lavigne, who is one of the top-selling artists releasing albums in the United States, with over 10.25 million copies certified by the Recording Industry Association of America. The end of the decade was notable for a surprising number of ambitious indie rock albums. The Canadian indie rock scene has been the focus of national and international attention in many publications, such as Spin , The New York Times Magazine , Rolling Stone , Under
16159-435: The opportunity for any class level of society to learn music. One Sweetly Solemn Thought in 1876 by Hamilton -based Robert S. Ambrose, became one of the most popular songs to ever be published in the 19th century. It fulfilled the purpose of being an appropriate song to sing in the parlors of homes that would not permit any non-sacred music to be performed on Sundays. At the same time it could be sung in dance halls or on
16302-448: The pop charts worldwide. Quebec-born singer, Celine Dion is the best-selling Canadian artist of all time, and when her 1997 album, Let's Talk About Love was released in Canada, it broke the record for the highest opening weekly sales for any album, selling 230,212 copies, a record which still stands. Alanis Morissette, along with Shania Twain, are the only Canadian artists, male or female to have sold two million units in Canada, receiving
16445-452: The population economically drained and ill-equipped to develop cultural pursuits properly. The part-time composers of this period were nonetheless often quite skilled. Traditional songs and dances, such as those of the Habitants and Métis , were transmitted orally, from generation to generation and from village to village, thus people felt no need to transcribe or publish them. Printed music
16588-454: The rock and roll era. "Diana" is one of the best selling 45s in music history. He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958, making him one of the biggest teen idols of the time. Most Canadians with successful recording careers in the 1950s had moved to the US, where the population level and media exposure would eclipse that of Canada. Ronnie Hawkins , an Arkansas born rockabilly singer, moved to Canada in 1958, becoming
16731-431: The same time, the CD (cheap to manufacture) replaced the vinyl album and cassette tape (expensive to manufacture). Shortly thereafter, the Internet allowed musicians to directly distribute their music, thus bypassing the selection of the old-fashioned " record label ". Canada's mainstream music industry has suffered as a result of the internet and the boom of independent music. The drop in annual sales between 1999,
16874-476: The song " Diana ". This song brought Anka instant stardom as it reached number one on the US Billboard charts . "Diana" has gone on to be one of the best selling 45s in music history. US-born rockabilly pioneer Ronnie Hawkins moved to Canada in 1958, where he became a key player in the Canadian blues and rock scene. The 4th of October was declared "Ronnie Hawkins Day" by the city of Toronto when Hawkins
17017-547: The sounds to reflect in all directions. Studio Victor had artists from across Canada come in and record in both English and French, as well as had many different genres be recorded within their walls such as jazz, chamber music, choirs, classical music, folk and country. The factory is now home to many businesses one being the Musée des ondes Emile Berliner, a museum focused on the work of Berliner, mostly gramophones, flat disks, and later radios when his company merged with RCA, as well as
17160-544: The stage along with selections from operas and operettas . "O Canada" was originally commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec , the Honourable Théodore Robitaille (1834–1897), for the 1880 St. Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony. Calixa Lavallée (1842–1891) wrote the music, which was a setting of a patriotic poem composed by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier (1839–1920). The text
17303-589: The time of Canadian Confederation (1867), songwriting had become a favored means of personal expression across the land. In a society in which most middle-class families now owned a harmonium or piano, and standard education included at least the rudiments of music, the result was often an original song. Such stirrings frequently occurred in response to noteworthy events, and few local or national excitements were allowed to pass without some musical comment. The 1870s saw several conservatories open their doors, providing their string, woodwind and brass faculty, leading to
17446-501: The time period, relative population size, relation quality, resistance, etc. In 1606–1607 Marc Lescarbot collected the earliest extant transcriptions of songs from the Americas: three songs of Henri Membertou , the sakmow (Grand Chief) of the Mi'kmaq First Nations tribe situated near Port Royal , present-day Nova Scotia . French settlers and explorers to New France brought with them
17589-549: The time, a million Canadian households had a radio. Emerging from the Great Depression on near equal-footing to American popular music , Canadian popular music continued to enjoy considerable success at home and abroad in the following years. Among them Montreal 's jazz virtuoso Oscar Peterson (1925–2007), considered to have been one of the greatest pianists of all time, releasing over 200 recordings and receiving several Grammy Awards during his lifetime. Also notable
17732-477: The top of the charts, and the single " You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet " hit No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 2 in the UK. One of the largest exports to date is Rush, that boasts 25 gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records, making them one of the best-selling rock bands in history by 2005. Rush currently place third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold and platinum albums by
17875-536: The world's most influential singer-songwriters during this time. Gordon Lightfoot made his first chart appearance in June 1962. Among the most notable is Neil Young who has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame , Canada's Walk of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. Leonard Cohen has been inducted into both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and
18018-422: The year that Napster 's unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing service launched, and the end of 2004 was $ 465 million. In 2007, Canada joined the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement talks, whose outcome will have a significant impact on the Canadian music industry. In 2010 Canada introduced new copyright legislation. The amended law makes hacking digital locks illegal, but enshrine into law
18161-460: Was " Standing on the Corner ", from the Broadway musical The Most Happy Fella , in 1956. A gospel album with Frankie Laine took them back to their roots and produced the hit single "Rain, Rain, Rain", written by Toorish under the pseudonym "Jay McConologue". The Four Lads' Columbia recordings have seen releases and reissues on numerous studio albums and compilations over the years. In late 1958,
18304-829: Was a religious sect organized from Upper Canada called the Children of Peace in 1820. In 1833, a student orchestra was organized at the Séminaire de Québec the Société Ste-Cécile , as it was known, and was one of the earliest ensembles of its kind in Lower Canada . The first appearance of a piece of music in a newspaper or magazine was in the pages of the Montreal twice-weekly newspaper, La Minerve , on September 19, 1831. Many immigrants during this time lived in relative isolation and music sometimes obtained through subscriptions to newspapers and magazines, provided entertainment and
18447-679: Was a violinist, composer, conductor and teacher at the University of Saskatchewan . From 1923 to 1936 he was an orchestral and chamber musician with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra , he was later named head of music at the University of Saskatchewan. He was a composer-in-residence at the University of Saskatchewan, the first appointment of this type in Canada. The RCA Victor factory located in Montreal, Quebec housed Canada's first recording studio featuring polycylindrical walls which allowed
18590-550: Was adapted into English in 1906. For thousands of years, Canada has been inhabited by indigenous peoples from a variety of different cultures and of several major linguistic groupings . Each of the Indigenous communities had (and have) their own unique musical traditions. Chanting is widely popular, with many of its performers also using a variety of musical instruments. They used the materials at hand to make their instruments for thousands of years before Europeans immigrated to
18733-543: Was among the first Black Canadian composers during the early years of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . His works often appeared among the programs of William Marion Cook 's New York syncopated Orchestra. Dett himself performed at Carnegie Hall and at the Boston Symphony Hall as a pianist and choir director . Following quickly on the gramophone's spread came Canada's involvement in
18876-501: Was an attempt to reflect upon the events of the time— civil rights , the growing unrest in America over the war in Vietnam , and the rise of feminism . In many instances, the "message" within the song was simplistic or banal. Although only two of the five original members of Steppenwolf were born in Canada ( Jerry Edmonton and Goldy McJohn ), the band was among the biggest in Canadian music in
19019-499: Was established in Toronto in 1970. Country music remained popular in Canada in the 1970s thanks to the CBC's The Tommy Hunter show and the adult contemporary radio format which benefited the international stardom of Anne Murray . However, the more mainstream sound would hinder Stompin' Tom Connors until he would have a revival in the 1990s. Canada's first nationwide music awards began as
19162-623: Was expanding exponentially. The influence and innovations of Canadian hip hop came to the foreground in Canada, with musicians Like Maestro Fresh Wes , Snow , and the Dream Warriors , when music videos became an important marketing tool for Canadian musicians, with the debut of MuchMusic in 1984 and MusiquePlus in 1986. Now both English and French Canadian musicians had outlets to promote all forms of music through video in Canada. The networks were not just an opportunity for artists to get their videos played—the networks created VideoFACT ,
19305-482: Was first heard in the late 1940s by Canadians who were living close enough to the American border to tune into American radio station broadcasts. In 1951, Cleveland, Ohio , disc jockey Alan Freed began playing rhythm and blues music for a multi-racial audience, and is credited with first using the phrase "rock and roll" to describe the musical sound of the Doo-wop vocal groups and the rockabilly singers who emerged in
19448-476: Was in response to political events of the time and has since become an America social icon of the period. "Ohio" was written about the death of four students at Kent State University . The students were shot by Ohio National Guardsmen during an anti-war protest on the campus in May 1970. With the introduction of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 's (CRTC) broadcast regulations in 1970,
19591-549: Was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame . He was also inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to rockabilly has been recognized with induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame . Canadian artists and Canadian ensembles were generally forced to turn toward the United States to establish healthy long lasting careers during the 1960s. Canada would produce some of
19734-465: Was most received by a single group or individual aside from Bryan Adams. Music videos became more and more important as a marketing tool for Canadian bands by the mid-1980s with the debut of MuchMusic in 1984 and MusiquePlus in 1986. Now both English and French Canadian musicians had outlets to promote their music through video in Canada. The networks were not just an opportunity for artists to get their videos played—the networks created VideoFACT ,
19877-765: Was originally only in French, before it was translated into English from 1906 on. Leo, the Royal Cadet a light opera with music by Oscar Ferdinand Telgmann and a libretto by George Frederick Cameron was composed in Kingston, Ontario , in 1889. The work centres on Nellie's love for Leo, a cadet at the Royal Military College of Canada who becomes a hero serving during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. The operetta focussed on typical character types, events and concerns of Telgmann and Cameron's time and place. Prior to
20020-469: Was replaced in 1962 by Johnny D'Arc (who remained with the Lads until 1982) and later fell into destitution. As Toorish once recalled, "[Connie] made a terrible mistake. [He] married a model. [She] drove him crazy. He was working in a restaurant for a while." Toorish, who was burned out after twenty years of performing, was replaced by Sid Edwards in the early 1970s and became an insurance businessman. Arnold left
20163-525: Was required, for music teachers and their pupils, who were from the privileged minority where domestic music making was considered a proof of gentility. Music publishing and printing in Europe by this time was a thriving industry, but it did not begin in Canada until the 19th century. Canadian composers were not able to focus entirely on creating new music in these years, as most made their living in other musical activities such as leading choirs, church organists and teaching. Regimental bands were musically
20306-427: Was starting to be a predominant force in the Canadian charts once again. Indie rock was never supposed to be mainstream, but this is the path it took by the end of the decade. Musically, the late 1990s saw the rock genres of the early 1990s completely grow apart rather than fuse. Each of the genres multiplied and evolved in a fashion largely independent of the others. Perhaps the most dramatic change in lifestyle affected
20449-416: Was written in 1812. The national anthem, " O Canada ", was originally commissioned by the lieutenant governor of Quebec , Théodore Robitaille , for the 1880 St. Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony and was officially adopted in 1980. Calixa Lavallée wrote the music, which was a setting of a patriotic poem composed by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier . The text was originally only in French before it
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