Music Biz Headlines, March 21, 2018

By Kerry Doole

'A lovely country to come to': Rod Stewart on Canada

The 73-year-old U.K. music legend plays Toronto's ACC on Thursday in advance of new album Blood Red Roses – Jane Stevenson, Canoe.com

After 31 years, how does SXSW stay relevant?

There was a political edge to the Austin festival this year and a genuinely impressive gender balance – Toronto artists also made a splash – Mar Sellars, NOW

No tent needed for a Johnny Reid revival

"As long as people keep showing up, I keep being there," says the superstar singer Johnny Reid – Jeff DeDekker, Regina Leader-Post

Lorde's US tour has flopped – but it might be the making of her

The New Zealand star is playing to arenas that are only a third full. But dropping out of pop’s upper echelons may give her the long future she deserves – Laura Snapes, The Guardian

The eight best contemporary country singers from Canada

The list includes Corb Lund, Brett Kissel, Whitney Rose, and Lindi Ortega  – Bobby Moore, Wide Open Country

There’s a new app to tell you which festival is perfect for you

A new tool analyses your Spotify listening and tells you which festival you should be going to this summer – Nick Reilly, nme.com

Pussy Riot protest against Putin election with new song

The punk provocateurs release a statement alongside new track Elections, attacking corruption, censorship and the erosion of democracy in Russia – Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian 

American Idol treats Katy Perry’s flirting as a joke. Some viewers aren’t amused

For some, Perry’s ogling of one contestant, kissing of another and offer to ‘hang’ with yet another strike sour notes in the age of #MeToo – Emily Yahr, Washington Post

State legislation addressing sexual harassment in music business is  killed

Attorney Alex Little: 'Hollywood is standing up for its own. It's time Nashville did the same'  – Cari Gervin, Nashville Scene

Guitar genius rolls from intensity to subtlety, between rock and jazz

"I have the luckiest life because I get to work many different dynamic and stylistic parameters" – Nels Cline – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

How the indie-pop behemoth Superorganism achieved the impossible

They’re the first new band from this generation who sounds like no one else and make exhilarating, meaningful music for every damn age – Ryan Bassil, Noisey

Pharis and Jason Romero prep a new album, Sweet Old Religion

The acclaimed Canadian roots music duo has had a difficult couple of years, having lost their instrument shop to a fire in the summer of 2016 – No Depression

Sir Ringo Starr is now a Knight! Prince William awards the Beatle a royal title

The drummer joked that he would wear the insignia “at breakfast” –  Simon Perry, People

Got some old band T-shirts at home? You might be sitting on a goldmine…

A rare Led Zeppelin shirt fetched $10,000 – and others go for hundreds as nostalgic memorabilia market booms – Rob Davies, The Guardian

Glamorous harpist is believed to be a Russian spy

She performed a 'stern-faced' concert at a provincial British church after arriving in a chauffeur-driven Mercedes –  Daily Mail