Music Biz Headlines: Celine Dion Sets a Record, Bob Dylan Meets The Pope
Also this week: A milestone for The Weeknd, Leonard Cohen is remembered a decade after their death, Rush set a residency at the Sphere and more.
Celine Dion is the headlines for setting a residencies record and headbanging to Metallica while fellow Quebecer Leonard Cohen is remembered a decade after his death. It's a big week for Canadian music news, with Rush announcing a Sphere residency, Angine de Poitrine debuting a new member and much more.
Read these stories and more in this week's music news headlines.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines
The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour Becomes the Highest-Grossing Tour Ever by a Male Artist
Live Nation reports that the tour grossed over $1.3 billion and sold 9 million tickets across 176 shows worldwide, surpassing Elton John's record for the highest-grossing tour by a male artist in history and third highest-grossing tour overall. — Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Rush Bringing Reunion Tour to Sphere With ‘Elevate From the Norm’ Residency
The five-date run is slated to kick off next May. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard Canada
He’s Their Man: Montrealers Honour Leonard Cohen, Ten Years After his Death
Juan Merchan has made a ritual of coming to Leonard Cohen’s grave in since he first arrived to Montreal in 2017. Merchan, who was born in Colombia, visits the site in Montreal twice a year, for Cohen’s birthday and the anniversary of his death. — Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman The Canadian Press
Leonard's son honours his mempry with star-studded tribute concerts. — Brad Wheeler, Globe & Mail
Céline Dion Has Three of the Biggest Concert Residencies of All Time
According to Billboard Boxscore, the Canadian hitmaker has had three major residencies between 2003 and 2026, with A New Day... and Celine ranking among the top two residencies ever. — Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Celine Dion Shares Metallica Backstage Photos After Rocking Out at Sphere: ‘Loved the Show’
The Grammy-winning singer was spotted enjoying the show alongside Jack Black. — Mitchell Peters, Billboard
Angine de Poitrine Surprise History Toronto Crowd with a Third Member and a New Song
The polka-dotted duo invited a new cube-headed member onstage to deliver an energetic triangle solo while debuting a new song at their sold-out show at History Toronto on Nov. 6. — Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Simple Plan Are Meeting a Whole New Generation of Fans, 25 Years In
Drummer Chuck Comeau talks TikTok, Good Things Festival, and why a farewell tour is "not in the cards". — Jessica Lynch, Billboard
Former Hamilton City Centre Plays Backdrop for New Arkells Music Video
The music video for “Handshake Thugs” was released on Friday . A derelict Hamilton downtown landmark is featured. — Fallon Hewitt, Hamilton Spectator
Geese Plays Surprise DJ Set, Gets Serenaded by Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ in Toronto
Following a crowd singalong to the Canadian hitmaker’s 2010 hit, the New York rockers played a surprise DJ set at Sneaky Dee’s on Nov. 3. — Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Following this year’s Halloween resurgence on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, the critically acclaimed art-rock band makes their first appearance on the Canadian charts with their 1977 hit. Plus: the first Christmas tracks have re-emerged. — Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Quebec Music Industry Reacts to Lack of Diversity in ADISQ's Rap Award Category
The five nominees in 2026's rap category were white, prompting many francophone rappers, including Calamine, Aswell and more, to speak out about the lack of Black artists. ADISQ tells Billboard Canada that it plans to “strengthen" its processes and meet with stakeholders to find a positive resolution for the future. — Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
The Rankin Family Reunites for First Cross-Canada Tour in Almost 15 Years
Next spring, the Canadian sibling trio, Heather, Cookie and Jimmy, will play coast-to-coast shows with stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, Moncton, Halifax and more. — Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Alanis Morissette Shares She Identifies as Pansexual
The singer-songwriter chatted about it briefly in a podcast appearance the week of releasing her new holiday album. — Ashley Iasimone, Billboard
International Music Biz Headlines
With God on Their Side: Bob Dylan & Pope Leo XIV Commune at the Vatican
After meeting with the Pope, Dylan went on to play a show at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard
'It's a New World and a Little Fascistic': U2 on 30 Years together - and Trump
After some so-so albums, can U2’s new one, Carnaval de Luz, restore them to glory? They discuss male egos, working with Dolly Parton, and explain why, despite Trump, they still believe in democracy – at least in their band. — Alexis Petridis, The Guardian
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Prison Release Date Moved up Following Transfer
The dsgraced music and alcohol mogul is now set to be released on Feb. 6, 2028, nearly a month sooner than his projected release date last month, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate database. — LA Times
Lady Gaga, Shakira and Jack White Lead the 2027 Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees
Lady Gaga, Shakira, Pink, Boy George, Jack White, Sia, Vince Gill, Ne-Yo, Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein and many more are among the impressive list of nominees for the 2027 Songwriters Hall of Fame class, an especially eclectic mix of pop, hip-hop, Latin, funk and rock innovators.‘ — Associated Press
With a surprise smash album (her first in over a decade) and her biggest tour in a 25-year career, she’s reclaimed arena pop star status — and, next, stages around the world. — Katie Bain, Billboard
The Cure’s Robert Smith Teases 2027 Tour Dates Will Be ‘Bursting With New Songs’
The veteran band has not yet announced any shows next year.The Cure to release new music in 2027, says Robert Smith,. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard
25 years After ‘Britney,’ 5 New Britney Spears Songs Showcase a Pop Icon at a Transformative Moment
Britney Spears was at a crossroads — and not just because the film “Crossroads” was soon to be released, marking her acting debut. — AP
Sony Generated a Record $3.15B from Recorded Music and Publishing in Calendar Q3 2026, up 8.9% YoY
Sony‘s combined revenues from recorded music and music publishing topped $3 billion for a fourth consecutive quarter in calendar Q3 2026, hitting a new quarterly high in the process. The company’s operations generated USD $3.15 billion in the three months to end of Sept. 2026, according to MBW’s calculations. — Music Business Worldwide
Jane Wiedlin on the Go-Go’s, Fame and the Freedom of Sex Dungeons
As she releases a brutally honest memoir, the new wave icon opens up about industry sexism, living with bipolar disorder and becoming ‘the world’s first atheist ordained minister.’ — Jim Farber, The Guardian
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers’ Debut Album Turns 50
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will mark 50 years since the release of their self-titled debut album on 9 November 2026, the record that introduced the band to the world and laid the foundations for one of the most enduring catalogues in American rock. — Paul Cashmere, Noise11
