By barnaby
Boy Golden, Bob Moses, July Talk, The Beaches, Metric, Dear Rouge, The Glorious Sons, Arkells, Billy Talent, The Darcys, Monowhales, Anyway Gang, Mother Mother, and Dear Rouge stand out in the year-end Alt category.
Tia Wood
Other Canadian acts making debuts this week include Loud Luxury & Natalie Jane, JF Pauze, Virginia To Vegas, renforshort and The Strumbellas.
Tia Wood has earned a new entry on this week’s Billboard Canada Hot AC Airplay chart.
The artist, who hails from Saddle Lake Cree Nation on Treaty 6 territory, arrives with "Sage My Soul" at No. 40 on the chart dated Nov. 22.
“Sage My Soul” puts Wood’s songwriting and artistry on full display, with a crunchy guitar and full choir delivering a lush soundscape. Wood weaves together beautiful imagery, slinky hooks and captivating production. The emotional pop ballad is a deeply reflective and honest expression of what it means to be human and long for connection.
“Growing, unfolding / Stripping down my layers / Take me as I am / Despite my bad behaviour,” she sings, mixing vulnerability and soul.
“This song means so much to me. It’s a reflection of where I am at my highest and lowest,” said Wood. “Ultimately, writing this song and performing this song were hopeful acts. The tradition of saging has so much power and meaning in my community and I love using that as a metaphor in this song.”
2025 has been a big year for Wood, who received her first-ever Juno nomination for contemporary Indigenous artist of the year, and shared the stage with pop singer Shawn Mendes at the Vancouver stop of his On the Road Again tour, performing “Youth” to the sold-out crowd.
It’s also not Wood’s first foray onto the Airplay charts this year. In February. her track “Sky High” debuted at No. 47 on All-Format.
One spot above Wood, at No. 39, is renforshort’s “Feeling Good.”
The Toronto-based singer-songwriter’s track overflows with energy and attitude, balancing alt-pop sounds with a '90s pop throwback and a touch of psychedelia.
“Feeling Good” gradually intensifies, culminating in a cathartic release, showcasing the singer’s ability to deliver punchy, vibrant vocals while conveying a relatable message about chasing happiness: “I miss feeling good,” she sings on the chorus.
The track serves as the opening moment on renforshort’s four-track EP, A Girl’s Experience, released in June. It made waves earlier this year, debuting on CHR/Top 40 at No.36 — this week, it rises 20-17 after 22 weeks on the chart.
While the airplay success is a reward, the sound of her future work will continue to evolve. “We live in a time where taking risks with your sound and trying something new is easier than ever,” she told Billboard Canada earlier this year, saying it doesn’t diminish an artist’s distinct personality. “You can figure out an artist by listening to their melodies and the words they choose.”
There are a handful of Canadian artists debuting on this week’s Airplay charts.
Loud Luxury & Natalie Jane arrive at No. 43 on All-Format with “UH OH!”, while JF Pauze’s “Ballon-Sonde” debuts at No. 49, following his entry on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100. Over on CHR/Top 40, “Million Ways” from Ontario native Virginia To Vegas hits No. 36 and The Strumbellas debut at No. 39 with “Come Back Around” on Modern Rock.
At the top, the No. 1 artists are playing a game of switcheroo. While Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” maintains the top spot on All-Format and AC, she dethrones Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” on CHR/Top 40, moving Bieber to No. 2. However, the Canadian pop/R&B singer climbs 2-1 on Hot AC, knocking Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” one spot down.
Country juggernaut Morgan Wallen’s “I Got Better” maintains the top spot on Country for the fourth week, while Aerosmith and Yungblud's “My Only Angel” and The Black Keys’ “No Flowers, No Rain” both sit at No. 1 on Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock for a second week.
Check out the Billboard Canada Airplay charts here.
