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BILLBOARD CANADA FYI
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Katia Temkin
Ariana Grande performs at Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, NY for the Eternal Sunshine Tour in 2026.
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Music Biz Headlines: Tate McRae Triumphs at Osheaga, Ariana Grande Announces Break Following Montreal Concert
Also this week: A possible AI-generated hit causes concern, Karol G announces her new album in Toronto and Glen Hansard honoured by major music artists.
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Two female pop superstars grab a large chunk of the headlines this week. Canadian Tate McRae triumphs with her biggest festival headlining show yet at Osheaga, while speculation mounts about her political leanings. American diva Ariana Grande plays some big dates in Montreal (her only Canadian shows), then elicits gasps by announcing a break from showbiz and withdrawal from a big Broadway show.
Read these stories and more in our weekly roundup of headlines at home and abroad.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines
Tate McRae Proves She’s 'Canada Down' at Osheaga 2026: Recap and Setlist
The Calgary-born pop star headlined her first major music festival in Montreal on Saturday night (Aug. 1), closing out the massive festival's second night by launching her new era in front of her home country's fans. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
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The Canadian-born singer's duet with Morgan Wallen last year on "What I Want" had some wondering if she's team Trump. – Gil Kaufman, Billboard Canada
Ariana Grande Debuts 'Like I Do' at Second Montreal Show: Concert Recap
Playing the second of three nights at Centre Bell just hours before her album release, the superstar celebrated the occasion by debuting a new track and performing the previously teased "Petal," while also choosing 2016's "Sometimes" as the night's surprise song. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Karol G Announces New Album ‘No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto' at Toronto Concert
The Colombian superstar will release her new album on August 7. – Lars Brandle, Billboard Canada
Inside the Deadly Cycle of Gun Violence that’s Devastating Toronto’s Rap Scene
The Star investigates the "structural problem with a soundtrack" silencing some of Toronto's rising musical talent. – Jason Miller, Toronto Star
The Tragically Hip’s Lead Guitarist Shares his Travel Guide to Kingston
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Rob Baker on what to do in the city this summer, including events for fans of Canada’s most popular band. – Andrea Yu, Toronto Star
Dallas Smith and Feist headline 50th anniversary weekend for the famed free fest in Hamilton. – Hannah Schneider, Hamilton Spectator
Artists Feeling Burned by the East Coast Music Association Over Late Payments: Report
Musicians across Atlantic Canada have been calling out the East Coast Music Association for late payments stemming from showcases during the East Coast Music Awards in Sydney this May. – Brendyn Creamer, The Coast
Mac DeMarco and the Dip Make the Wait Worthwhile on Pender Island, B.C.
Now an area resident, indie rock star musician Mac DeMarco and his young band turned things up a notch, officially headlining the Island’s annual Mosaic Arts & Music Festival. – Nathan Caddell, Georgia Straight
Jon Nordstrom, 1974-2026: Calgary, Edmonton Musicians pay Tribute to Bassist and Songwriter
In 1998, the Edmonton folk-rock band Captain Tractor was an established entity in Canadian indie music. when they put out a call for a new bassist, Jon Nordstrom was not the obvious first choice. Musically, his playing was melodic and laid-back, very different than the aggressive stylings of the band’s previous bassist. – Eric Volmers, Edmonton Journal
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Save the Last Dance For Ranchman's, as Honky-Tonk Venue Moves to new Location in 2027
Storied dance hall celebrates final Stampede before reopening in new location. – Arianna Lee, Catherine Acheson, Nailah Seale, Calgary Herald
International Music Biz Headlines
Ariana Grande Taking a Break After Tour Amid Ongoing Public Scrutiny
The star will no longer be appearing in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park With George. – Ashley Iasimone, Billboard
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The pop star will step back from "visibility" after the Eternal Sunshine trek concludes. – Hannah Dailey, Billboard
Did an AI Music App Just Snitch on the Song of the Summer?
Fenix Flexin’s hit song “Rubberz” has hip-hop fans arguing over whether it was generated by AI. Some say they have proof it’s machine-made, but will anyone care? – Dexter Thomas Wired
Universal Music Group generated revenues of EUR €3.294 billion (USD $3.83bn) across all of its divisions (including recorded music, publishing, and more) in Q2 (the three months ending June 30, 2026). That’s according to UMG‘s fresh set of quarterly results, published July 30). –Murray Stassen, MBW
A Giddy Patti Smith Meets Fellow Chicago Legend, Pope Leo XIV, and Says “Hi”
Rock legend Patti Smith was giddy and almost at a loss for words when she met Friday with Pope Leo XIV. – Associated Press
Spotify Shares Sink 5% as Weak Outlook Overshadows Premium Subscriber Milestone
The music streaming giant reaches a total of300 million premium subscribers and 777 million monthly active users as of the end of its second quarter. – Lucas Manfredi, The Wrap
The late singer/songwriter was remembered by friends, family & fellow musicians during Tuesday's service. –Alicia Urrea, Billboard
Modest Mouse Replaces Guitarist Simon O’Connor Amid Allegations
Modest Mouse has announced that guitarist Simon O’Connor will not join the band’s upcoming North American tour following allegations that he sent inappropriate social media messages to a minor. O’Connor will be replaced on the trek by Les Savy Fav guitarist Seth Jabour. – Billboard
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AI-assisted Staging Draws Boos at the Richard Wagner Festival in Germany
An experiment with artificial intelligence at the annual Richard Wagner festival in the southeastern German town of Bayreuth drew boos from the audience after producing a staging that appeared to leave some spectators confused. – Associated Press
Singapore Bans Massive Attack For Their Pro-Palestine Statements
Singapore has banned the two core members of British band Massive Attack from reentering the country after they displayed a Palestinian flag and expressed support for the Palestinian cause during their concert in the city-state last week. – Associated Press
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