Music Biz Headlines: FireAid Benefit Concert Unites Streamers, Drake Returns to the Stage in Australia
This week's headlines also include one artist's issues submitting to the Junos, criticisms of CBC programming, the Nirvana reunion and more.
Dave Grohl, Violet Grohl and Kim Gordon performs onstage during the FIREAID Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief at The Kia Forum on January 30, 2025 in Inglewood, Calif.Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for FIREAID
This week, Drake returned to the stage on his Anita Max Wynn tour in Australia, where he commented cryptically about bouncing back from the Kendrick Lamar feud. That produced plenty of headlines, as did the FireAid concert in L.A. Read about those stories and more in this week's music news headlines.
This Week's Canadian Music Headlines
Drake Declares ‘Drizzy Drake Is Very Much Still Alive’ While Closing Out First Australia Tour Show
The Anita Max Wynn Tour kicked off in Perth on Feb. 4. – Billbaord
Down Under, But Not Out: Drake Returns in Australia, Dons Bullet-riddled Hoodie
Drake has kicked off his tour in Perth, Australia with a message for his detractors: he’s still standing after a historic rap war with Kendrick Lamar. – David Friend, Canadian Press
This Acclaimed Toronto Singer Says She's Getting a Raw Deal from the Junos
A technicality that prevented Lori Yates from submitting her album “Matador” for consideration exposes the conflict between what an indie artist needs and an industry behemoth requires. – Nick Krewen, Toronto Star
The Drastic Price Differences for Concert Tickets in Canadian Cities
We took a look at how much a ticket costs to see Katy Perry in different Canadian stops. They can vary greatly in certain cases. – Ryan Rocca, InSauga
St. Lawrence College Spikes Music Theatre Program Owing to Cuts
It’s curtains for another postsecondary musical theatre program in Ontario. St. Lawrence College, with campuses in Kingston, Cornwall and Brockville, announced this week it will suspend approximately 40 per cent of its programming, including its musical theatre programs. – Aisling Murphy, Globe & Mail
CBC Programming Used to be Adventurous. Why Has it Bowed to Lazy Ideas and Copycat Shows?
In the pursuit of reclaiming eyeballs, the network came to feel more and more like any other network, down to the licensing and representing of familiar formats. See also: “Dragon’s Den,” ”The Great Canadian Baking Show,” ”The Great Canadian Pottery Throwdown,” and so on. – John Semley, Toronto Star
Hamilton-produced Music Featured in Indigenous Land Fight Documentary
The documentary YINTAH, added to Netflix in the fall, follows the Wet’suwet’en people’s ongoing fight for their rights as Indigenous people in British Columbia. It has a Hamilton connection with the presence of rapper Lee Reed. – Sarah Jessica Rintjema, Hamilton City Magazine
Shaping a ‘Blacker Future’: The KUUMBA Festival Celebrates 30 Years in Toronto
Through music, dance, theatre, spoken word and more, the festival champions the voices of Black artists. This year's edition features Breakdancing, Voguing, a live theatre reading, a Bob Marley tribute performance, mental-health workshops and more. – Briony Smith, Toronto Star
Mirvish to Bring Jukebox Musicals to Toronto in 2025/2026 Season
Mirvish Productions is bringing a bevy of hit musicals to the Toronto stage as part of its main 2025/2026 subscriber season, including productions that celebrate the careers of Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond and pop super-producer Max Martin. – Nicole Thompson, Canadian Press
This New Canadian Opera From the COC Deserves to Take the World by Storm
“La Reine-garçon,” penned by Julien Bilodeau and Michel Marc Bouchard, features luscious music and a gripping story ripped from the history books. – Joshua Chong, Toronto Star
International
Historic FireAid Concert Unites Streamers for the First Time, Bypassing Linear TV
The benefit concert, featuring performances from 27 artists, marks the first time a live event has been simulcast on all the leading streaming services. – Tess Patton, The Wrap
Inside FireAid: Stevie Nicks, Dr. Dre, A Nirvana All-Star Jam & More Best Moments From The Forum
FireAid took over The Forum and Intuit Dome on Thursday night with two stacked lineups supporting wildfire relief and recovery. – Billboard
Nirvana Reunite at FireAid, a Mix of Music and Stories of Loss to Raise Money for LA Wildfire Relief
Pop stars, first responders, rock stars and those who’ve lost everything in the devastating LA-area wildfires came together for FireAid, a massive benefit concert that combined spectacular performances with moving storytelling from survivors and reminders of the destruction.– Maria Sherman, Associated Press
Read Sir Lucian Grainge's 2025 Memo to UMG Staff
The wide-ranging letter, sent on Feb. 3, covers UMG’s successes in 2024 and the company’s advocacy for the responsible use of AI, UMG’s various charitable, environmental, health, and education efforts; and the progress made on the company’s artist-centric strategy. – MBW
The Financial Times reports that the deal is worth more than USD $1 billion. – MBW
Spotify Wins 'Bundling' Lawsuit as Court Dismisses Legal Action Brought By the MLC
has beaten a lawsuit brought by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) over the streaming service’s decision to reclassify its Premium subscriptions as “bundles”. On January 29, Judge Analisa ruled in Spotify's favour. – MBW
Spotify Stock Jumps After Reporting Its First Full Year Of Profitability, Strong User Metrics
Spotify Technology (SPOT) posted fiscal fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday, beating revenue expectations, and reported its first full-year profit. The audio giant also posted another strong quarter of subscriber gains, as churn levels remain low despite recent price increases. –Yahoo Finance
Pitchfork Fest Co-founder Says he Felt "Pressure" From Condé Nast to Book Justin Bieber
Festival co-founder Mike Reed told WBEZ that booking the festival since Condé Nast purchased Pitchfork had become “increasingly difficult,” and that the mass media company was trying to push the fest in a more pop direction:– Amanda Hatfield, Brooklyn Vegan
Concord has Acquired a Portion of Songwriter and Producer Johnny McDaid’s Song Catalog
McDaid is a key collaborator of Ed Sheeran's – co-writing many of the British artist's biggest hits – and is also a member of the band Snow Patrol. McDaid has also written for the likes of P!nk, Lewis Capaldi, Keith Urban, Shawn Mendes, Zara Larsson, Alicia Keys, and Jung Kook. –
Music Week
Music Industry Shares Resources List for L.A. Fire Victims
A new music industry resources list has been made public. Welcome to the list you never wanted to see or be on. This list belongs to the community now, but we are updating and maintaining it daily. Right now the GFM's on this list have raised $13,450,000 collectively. – Music Connection
