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FYI

Music Biz Headlines: February 19, 2018

A Canadian hip-hop anthem turns 20 this year, and Drake's penchant for charity is praised. Also in the headlines are music broadcasts, Joni Mitchell, audio streaming and ticket scalping.

Music Biz Headlines: February 19, 2018

By Kerry Doole

'Northern Touch' at 20: An oral history of the most important rap collaboration in Canadian history

For the 20-year anniversary of its release, the artists and key contributors to the song reflect on its impact, "from the past to the present and the future," for an oral history of "Northern Touch." – q, Tom Powers


Broadcasting live gigs – platforms for music broadcasts reviewed

The platforms include Facebook Live, Periscope, YouTube, YouNow, ConcertWindow, StageIt, and Gigee. They are not all created equal – Chris Huff, Disc Maker Blog

How to be a responsible fan in the age of streaming

According to the data trackers at BuzzAngle Music, more than 99 percent of audio streaming is of the top 10 percent most-streamed tracks. Which means less than 1 percent of streams account for all other music – Damon Krukowski, Pitchfork

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Drake’s giveaways in ‘God’s Plan’ remind us there’s more than beats in his heart

The local rap titan’s new video makes something of a spectacle of charity, but it’s clearly a sincere part of who the superstar is  Vinay Menon, Toronto Star

David Crosby on Joni Mitchell: “She was stunningly good, right off the bat”

The story of Mitchell's rise to fame, as told by her biggest champions  Sam Richards, Uncut

Cracking down on scalpers: Google changes rules to curb deception in ticket sales

Resale sites must show more transparency according to new AdWords guidelines  Dave Brooks, Billboard

Kendrick Lamar's gripping 'Black Panther' soundtrack joins a tradition of black movie music

The new blockbuster proudly adheres to an established tradition of black movie music that stretches back decades — through "Boyz n the Hood" and "Waiting to Exhale" in the 1990s to "Purple Rain" and "Do the Right Thing" in the 1980s to "Super Fly" and "Shaft" in the 1970s  Mikael Wood, LA Times

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The Tragically Hip
Gord Hawkins (CNW Group/Amazon Canada)

The Tragically Hip

FYI

Music Biz Headlines: A Tragically Hip Musical, Trump Fallout In Canadian Music

Canadian artists are boycotting U.S. venues and conferences, Live Nation in ticketing talks with streaming services, Justin Trudeau's son Xavier releases an R&B single, plus more stories making news this week.

Last week, Billboard Canada broke the story of the Canadian Independent Music Association pulling out of SXSW amidst tensions between Canada and the U.S. Since then, a number of other Canadian artists have made headlines with their own actions against Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats. Meanwhile, The Tragically Hip have inspired a new jukebox musical while their classic tune "Courage" is repurposed to support the Terry Fox foundation. Find those stories, plus other legal and business headlines in this week's roundup below.

Canadian News Headlines

This Toronto Singer Couldn’t Wait to Play Washington’s Kennedy Center. Then She Pulled Out

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