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By David Farrell
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The “freedom” protests from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia are capturing media attention abroad and some want to stir the pot to add heat to a news story that is polarizing political opinion at home and paralyzing politicians and police forces in the nation’s capital.
Carly Rae Jepsen
30th anniversary editions of albums by the Barenaked Ladies and NAV and Metro Boomin's Perfect Timing are receiving their first-ever pressings, while Billy Talent, Hubert Lenoir and Roxane Bruneau lead the list of special releases exclusive to Canada.
Record Store Day is back for Black Friday, and Canadian artists are getting special treatment.
After celebrating its first of two annual events back in April, Record Store Day is gearing up for its second wave of special edition 2026 vinyl drops on Black Friday, which lands on Nov. 27.
Carly Rae Jepsen, Barenaked Ladies and Joni Mitchell lead the list of Canadian artists receiving releases across North America, while Billy Talent and Hubert Lenoir are among the select listings for Record Store Day Canada Black Friday 2026, pressings that will be exclusive to Canada.
2026 marks a milestone year for the Barenaked Ladies, who are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their third studio album Born on a Pirate Ship and their first-ever live album Rock Spectacle, which was recorded during the Montreal and Chicago stops for their tour supporting their 1996 album. Born on a Pirate Ship is getting its first-ever vinyl release as a remastered double LP with bonus tracks, an exclusive cover and an etching on one of the discs, limited to 2000 copies. Rock Spectacle is equally being pressed on wax for the first time, with 2500 copies on orange vinyl.
After landing her new double album Day and Night on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, Carly Rae Jepsen is treating her fans to another offering. She announced the B-sides record to her album just yesterday (Oct. 6), and the eight new deluxe tracks on Day and Night (Continued) will be receiving a vinyl pressing of their own for Black Friday following their digital release on Oct. 9.
NAV and Metro Boomin's Perfect Timing checked off its ninth anniversary this summer, and the collaborative mixtape between the Rexdale-born XO Records signee and the famed hip-hop producer is landing on wax for the first time ever. The project, which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and the top 15 in the U.S., is being released on purple vinyl and will include their 2016 track "Up," which was released on NAV's debut mixtape, as a bonus track.
Record Store Day is also releasing two live albums with deep ties to Canada's music scene. Beloved Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's Live at Carnegie Hall is receiving a one-time release limited to 5000 copies, while English progressive rock legends King Crimson are releasing their June 1974 show at Massey Hall on vinyl.
Beyond celebrating Canadian artists with releases available across North America, Canadian fans will have an exclusive try to grip certain releases that will only be available nationwide. Canadian alternative rock outfit Billy Talent are issuing their debut single "Try Honesty" on a special ten-inch record and Quebec blues group Offenbach are dropping two editions of their 1981 album Coup de foudre on black vinyl and on a picture disc. Hubert Lenoir's soundtrack for Noémie D. Leclerc's documentary film La meilleure façon, c’est par accident is also being pressed, after the album was released to streaming on Sept. 18 following the film's premiere at the Quebec City Film Festival on Sept. 12.
Rounding out the list of Canadian releases are more Quebec releases such as the Félix-winning self-titled album by the progressive Quebec folk rock group Garolou (1978) and the self-titled 1970 debut from Quebec psychedelic rockers Mashmakhan. After playing the final date of her Submergé tour at Montreal's Olympia back in January, singer-songwriter Roxane Bruneau is also putting the performance on wax with an exclusive vinyl edition.
