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FYI

Music Biz Headlines: Katy Perry Jokes About Justin Trudeau Dating Rumours, Drake's UMG Lawsuit Dismissed

Also making news this week: Taylor Swift's new concert film was filmed in Vancouver, The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees talk tunes & more.

Justin Trudeau, Katy Perry

Justin Trudeau, Katy Perry

Harry How/Getty Images; Amy Suss

Drake returns to the headlines with the news that his controversial lawsuit over the Kendrick Lamar track "Not Like Us" has been dismissed. A federal judge dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over the cut, ruling that a “war of words” during a “heated rap battle” did not violate the law and that some of the case was “logically incoherent.” Drake’s lawyers vow to appeal.

Elsewhere, Amazon is the latest target of Neil Young's ire, as the rock legend states he will remove his discography from Amazon Music, while The Boss says he is flattered by the choice of actor portraying him.


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Read these stories and more in this week's collection of music biz headlines.

Canadian Music Biz Headlines

Drake’s Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Dismissed by Judge

Less than a year after the rapper filed his stunning lawsuit, a federal judge says nobody thought Kendrick was really calling him a pedophile. – Bill Donahue, Billboard

Katy Perry Jokes About Justin Trudeau Romance Rumours at Concert: ‘You Heard I Was Single?’

The pair was recently photographed smooching on a yacht. – Hannah Dailey, Billboard

Neil Young Will 'Soon' Remove Discography from Amazon Music, Encourages Listeners to 'Buy Local'

Along with withdrawing his catalogue from the major streaming service, Young is encouraging fans to "buy local," in protest of the corporation. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2025 Inductees and Their Inductors Talk Tunes

The Globe and Mail asked each of the inductors of the new CSHF entrants to select a song written by the songwriter they are inducting and pose a question. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

Despite ‘70s Superstardom, This Singer Struggled with Self-doubt. Then Came a Spiritual Awakening.

Now Gino Vannelli is joining the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. – Nick Krewen, Globe and Mail

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Sarah McLachlan Ahead of Cross-country Tour: 'I'm an Incredibly Proud Canadian'

'I love this country. I love that I was born here and that I get to experience life the way I have,' singer-songwriter says ahead of cross-country tour. – Mark Daniell, Postmedia

Burlington, Ontario's Sound of Music Festival Faces Uncertain Future After Funding Requests Declined

“While the city has provided extensive support, the organization continues to face some hardships and financial challenges,” shared Burlington's commissioner of community services. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard

Have You Heard Judi Singh? A Gifted Black Punjabi Singer Returns to the Spotlight

Judi Singh was a gifted and beautiful Edmonton-based jazz singer of African American and Punjabi descent. A song stylist with a buoyant clarity to her tone and sophisticated phrasing, Singh recorded and appeared on Canadian television shows in the 1960s and '70s. – Liam Lacey, Original Cin

Time’s Slippery Slope

Local ‘yearn-core’ band Living Hour gears up for first album release since 2022. – Eva Wasney, Winnipeg Free Press

Royal Strays: a Vancouver Supergroup Featuring one Wolf and two Dons

Ani Kyd Wolf fronts a new band, Royal Strays, alongside Sons of Freedom alumni drummer Don Short and bassist Don Binns. – Allan MacInnis, Georgia Straight

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International Music Biz Headlines

Taylor Swift Announces ‘Eras Tour | The End of an Era’ 6-Episode Disney+ Docuseries & Full Concert Film Filmed In Vancouver

The singer will also drop 'The Eras Tour | The Final Show' on Dec. 12. – Gil Kaufman, Billboard

Here Are All the Billboard Chart Records Taylor Swift Breaks (or Extends) With New Album

The album breaks the modern-era records for most albums sold and units earned in a single week. – Xander Zellner, Billboard

Eurovision Organizers Push Back Vote on 2026 Israeli Participation in Wake of Gaza Peace Deal

The annual singing competition's executive board will reconvene in December to consider calls to bar Israel from next year's event. – Gil Kaufman, Billboard

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No Doubt Reunites for Sphere Residency

In 2016, Gwen Stefani will be first woman to headline the Vegas venue. No Doubt’s last residency, titled “Seven Night Stand,” took place in Los Angeles in 2012. – Maria Sherman, Associated Press

‘When Did I Get That Good-looking?’: Bruce Springsteen on Seeing Jeremy Allen White Play Him on Screen

At a Q&A in London, the Boss reflected on watching his story being brought to life in Deliver Me From Nowhere, while the star of The Bear discussed his anxiety at playing a legend. – Laura Barton, The Guardian

‘Almost 30m Plays on Spotify!’ When Fake Bands Hit the Real-life Big Time, From Spinal Tap to the Flaming Dildos

How do you invent a convincing fictional band for your play, film or novel? And what happens if they actually top the charts? The creators of Scott Pilgrim, the Commitments, Stereophonic and more reveal all. –The Guardian

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Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance of Bob Moses at the W Toronto in September, 2025.
Lane Dorsey

Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance of Bob Moses at the W Toronto in September, 2025.

Music

Bob Moses Talk Collaboration, Retracing Their Roots in Vancouver and Their New Album ‘Blink’

Ahead of an exclusive Billboard Canada LIVE performance, the electronic duo talked about coming to terms with their younger selves and striving for longevity in the industry.

Bob Moses are searching for something few get to achieve: a lifelong career in music.

That might not have seemed obvious when the Vancouver-born electronic duo of Jimmy Vallance and Tom Howie were igniting dance floors at Brooklyn raves in the early 2010s. Now, they’re thinking a lot about what it means to be an adult.

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