Music Biz Headlines: Jagmeet Singh Apologizes to Drake, Billie Joe Armstrong Warns of Fascism
Also in this week's headlines: Oscar Peterson's 100th birthday, Rogers Stadium on track to open soon, the challenges facing music festivals and more.
The rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has heated up again, and is back dominating the headlines. Lamar's concerts in Drake's backyard were considered a success, showing that not every Torontonian is on Drizzy's side.
Elsewhere, there are plenty of stories previewing the summer concert season, Live Nation is spending royally on U.S. music venues, record label mogul Sir Lucian Grainge gives a revealing interview and Bengali pop superstar Arijit Singh is profiled.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines Of The Week
Drake Calls Out Jagmeet Singh for Attending Kendrick Lamar Concert in Toronto
The Toronto-born rapper appears to call the former NDP party leader a "goof" in their Instagram private messages. – Anastasia Blosser, Toronto Star
Toronto Crowd Chants 'One More Time' After Kendrick Lamar Plays 'Not Like Us'
Kendrick and SZA played in Drake's hometown at Rogers Centre on June 12. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard
Kendrick Lamar Blithely Asserts his Dominance in Drake’s Hometown
Appearing in his first Toronto concert since his ballyhooed beef with hometown pop-rap superstar Drake, the 37-year-old rap virtuoso performed Not Like Us, the Grammy-winning earworm and chart-topping coup de grâce that finished off his nemesis Drake in their rap war from a year ago. – Brad Wheeler, Globe & Mail
Fans of Drake’s Arch-Nemesis Turn Toronto into Kendrick Lamar Territory: A ‘Ballsy’ Move
Lamar, the superstar Compton rapper who’s been embroiled in a year-long feud with Drake, performed the first of two back-to-back shows at the Rogers Centre Thursday night. – Reagan McSwain, Toronto Star
The Glorious Sons and Triumph Play Free Concert in Edmonton Before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final
The hit Canadian rock bands performed at Play Alberta Fan Parkfor Rogers Festival at the Final, a free outdoor concert series in the ICE District. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Rogers Stadium is ‘On Track' To Open This Month in Toronto,
Live Nation Canada confirms the news, after images of the concert mega-venue emerge on social media. The 50,000-seat colossus at the former Downsview Airport site plans to kick off its inaugural summer season on June 29. – Richie Assaly, Toronto Star
On the Occasion of Oscar Peterson’s Centenary, Canada Celebrates its Jazz Piano Giant
This summer will see a series of shows across North America celebrating Oscar Peterson, the great Canadian jazz pianist. – Brad Wheeler, Globe & Mail
Pianist Robi Botos on the Impact of Oscar Peterson
Growing up in Budapest, Robi Botos and his father, who was a jazz enthusiast, bonded over Oscar Peterson’s music, which he says they discovered through the contraband of the few albums that made it past the ban on jazz music under Soviet control of Hungary. – Canadian Press
Keeping it Live: Changing Habits a Challenge for City’s Music Venues
Former owners says business strategy for live music venues is “under attack.” – Cheyenne Bolla, Hamilton Spectator
In a World of Curated Playlists, the Eclectic Concert Lineup is Out
There are multiple reasons festivals like Field Trip and the Toronto Urban Roots Fest (and others) failed. An artistic problem was their eclectic programming. Trying to please too many people with too many genres, the festivals had no identity. – Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail
30 Can't-Miss Vancouver Concerts for June 2025
Recommended show this week include Motherhood, Drive-By Truckers and Art d'ecco. – V. S. Wells ,Georgia Straight
Seven Local Nova Scotian Albums and Artists to Help You Step Into Summer
These acts all have the vibe you need to make this summer season the best one yet. – Brendyn Creamer, The Coast
Adam and the Ants’ “Dog Eat Dog.” The Smiths’ “Hand in Glove.” Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love.” Fleetwood Mac’s “Sara.” This was the soundtrack to writer Pete Crighton’s queer awakening and in his memoir, “The Vinyl Diaries” (Random House Canada), he describes the transformative potential of music. – Jean Marc Ah-Sen, Toronto Star
At Banff World Media Festival, Canadian Fiilm and TV Players Push a New Kind of Star System
At the Banff World Media Festival, The Globe and Mail sat down with key players in the country’s screen industry for an on-stage discussion about rethinking Canadian talent, how we might be able to elbows-up our way into developing the next generation of homegrown stars. – Barry Hertz, Globe & Mail
From The Who to Cyndi Lauper, these artists are leaving the stage, plus 25 shows to see this summer. – Brad Wheeler, Globe & Mail
International Music Biz Headlines Of The Week
Live Nation to Invest $1bn in US Music Venues Over Next 18 Months
Live music giant Live Nation plans to invest $1 billion in 18 new and renovated venues across the US over the next 18 months, stressing the positive impact of the investment on the US economy. It says it 'invested $14bn in artists' globally in 2024. – Music Business Worldwide
Suno, the AI music-making platform being sued by the record majors over copyright infringement, has once again unveiled upgrades to its platform’s capabilities. – Music Business Worldwide
Sir Lucian Grainge's Interview with Spotify's Alex Norstrom: 5 Things We Learned
Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge CBE sat down for a fireside chat with Spotify's Alex Norström (Co-President, Chief Business Officer) at the Brilliant Minds conference in Stockholm last week. The conversation touched on everything from Grainge's approach to managing creative talent, to his views on the role of AI in music creation. – MBW
The singer's comments came on the same day that President Trump held a rare military parade on the streets of D.C. and millions turned out for massive "No Kings" protests. Gil Kaufman, Billboard
Fever Acquires Ticketing Platform Dice
The deal comes a day after Fever announced the close of a $100m funding round this week. – Ethan Millman, Hollywood Reporter
This was secured via a private securitization backed by its music portfolio. This latest transaction follows a previous $500 million in debt financing secured by HarbourView in March 2024. – MBW
Mike Love celebrates Brian Wilson and George Clinton shines at 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Beach Boys’ Mike Love was inducted into the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday night, just one day after it was announced that his inimitable bandmate Brian Wilson had died. – Maria Sherman, Associated Press
‘Once-in-a-Generation Artist’ Arijit Singh to be First Indian Musician to Headline UK Stadium
Bengali singer who has more Spotify followers than Taylor Swift to bring ‘sheer power’ to same London stage as Beyoncé. – Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian
