Canada

Alberta, Canada, Country, Rock, Songwriter November 15, 2016

Calgary’s JJ Shiplett Offers Something to Believe In

Story by Nick Krewen | November 15, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music.   Guardian angels sometimes arrive in unusual forms. For Calgary singer-and-songwriter JJ Shiplett, after 12 years of constant slogging on the club circuit, his cherub arrived unexpectedly in the guise of Johnny Reid, the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter who has the ability to pack arenas across Canada. After hearing Shiplett sing harmony on some Joni Delaurier songs, Reid called…

British Columbia, Canada, CCMA, Country, Cowboy Music, Dean Brody, JUNO, Songwriter November 2, 2016

Dean Brody: Cinematic Country Flair

Story by Nick Krewen | November 2, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music. Meet the Quentin Tarantino of country music – without all the blood, gore and violence, of course. Dean Brody, the 13-time Canadian Country Music Association Award, four-time SOCAN Award, and two-time JUNO Award winner, name-checks the renegade Pulp Fiction and Hateful Eight Hollywood filmmaker on the title track of his sixth and newest album, Beautiful Freakshow, and…

Alt. Rock, Canada, JUNO, Music Publishing, Producer, Punk, Rock, Songwriter, Toronto September 1, 2016

Billy Talent Soar to New Heights

Story by Nick Krewen | September 1, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music.   Billy Talent was ready. The album had been written, the songs had been rehearsed and the veteran hard rock Toronto quartet – 23 years and four original studio albums deep into their career – was preparing to hit the studio to record what was to become long player No. 5, Afraid of Heights. Then tragedy stuck….

Business, Canada, Music Industry (Trade), Music Publishing, Technology, Toronto July 5, 2016

How Spotify Spotlights Canadian Artists

Story by Nick Krewen | July 5, 2016 FOR SOCAN Words And Music.   Canadian artists and SOCAN members like Dear Rouge and Coeur de Pirate have an unexpected and relatively new champion when it comes to promoting their wares, both at home and internationally: Spotify Canada. The global streaming service, which opened shop in this country in November 2014 after years of anticipation, has been doing its utmost to…

Business, Canada, Music Industry (Trade), Music Publishing, Record Labels, Toronto March 30, 2016

Entrepreneurs: MapleMusic Strikes A New Beat With Cadence

Story by Nick Krewen | March 30, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music.   After 15 years and a business that in 2012 enjoyed $20 million in revenues, multi-faceted MapleMusic has entered a new phase of evolution. At a lavish bash held at Toronto’s Velvet Underground on March 1, 2016, MapleMusic was re-christened the Cadence Music Group and a promising future was set in motion. “It’s a re-focus,” says Iain…