By Kerry Doole
Rock isn’t dead, and Dan Boeckner is proof as he readies his latest salvo with Operators
All darkness-on-the-edge-of-town sullenness and plenty of post-punk power under the hood, live-wire Montrealer Boeckner is one of the last true rockers left standing. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
The Matador dies, and Toronto takes another step toward generic sameness
The death of the famed honkytonk is as good an illustration as any that Toronto will not allow any more of the kind of interesting and unique places that have, in the past, made this a city worth living in. – Edward Keenan, Toronto Star
Toronto’s immaturity costs us the magic of the Matador
The Matador was a catalytic “container” for the memories of countless Torontonians. And those memories have value. – Ben Rayner Toronto Star
Review: Snotty Nose Rez Kids' Trapline is hip-hop as it was intended
On their new album, the Haisla Nation duo builds on the biting and celebratory sound of their first two mixtapes, but this time louder and prouder. – Chaka V. Grier, NOW
This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Chris Taylor, Global President of Music, Entertainment One (eOne).
As Canada’s leading Young Turk music attorney of the ‘90s, Chris Taylor developed and utilized an extensive list of industry contacts that lead to the international recognition of such clients as Drake, Nelly Furtado, Death From Above1979, MSTRKRFT, and Sum 41. He remains a Young Turk with a vision of having eOne as a leading and special global music player. – Celebrity Access
Alessia Cara proves she’s got the chops and talent to insinuate her best days remain ahead
Against a backdrop of R&B rhythms and brandishing her soulful warble, Cara bridged the gap between star and commoner, preferring to sing with her audience rather than sing at them while offering an air of approachability. – Nick Krewen,Toronto Star
Amazing! Canada just came up with a brilliant new digital copyright regime — finally
A blockbuster new report on the future of copyright in Canada was released recently, and its ideas are breaths of fresh air in a Canadian copyright and intellectual-property scene too long smothered and defiled by the negative views of the antis — anti-copyright and anti-IP activists and academics. – Financial Post
New report examines weak spots in Canada's copyright act, urges DSPs to be regulated like other services
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has released its report on remuneration models for artists and creative industries, as part of the federal government’s review of the Copyright Act. – Karen Bliss, Billboard
Review: Lizzo proved her star status at Danforth Music Hall
With a bigger Toronto show already announced, the ascending R&B/hip-hop show's concert was like a group hug or a motivational seminar with catsuits. – Natalia Manzocco, NOW
Canada has a solution for growing local talent: Make streaming services pay for it
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has unveiled its report on the Copyright Act, and the local music industry is rejoicing. – Daniel Sanchez, Digital Music News
International
Rhiannon Giddens and what folk music means
The roots musician is inspired by the evolving legacy of the black string band. – John Jeremiah Sullivan, New Yorker
Review: Gordon Lightfoot melts hearts at Tarrytown Music Hall in New York
On May 17, acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot headlined the exquisite Tarrytown Music Hall in upstate New York for a great turnout of fans. – Markos Papadatos, Digital Journal
The Persuasions sue UMG, WMG, Sony/ATV, more over 48 years of unpaid royalties
The Brooklyn a cappella group claim that they are owed millions of dollars in royalties. – Madison Bloom, Pitchfork
Madonna dancers, Iceland band criticized for showing Palestinian flag during Eurovision TV final in Israel
Eurovision Song Contest organizers say they were taken aback by the display of a Palestinian flag during Madonna’s guest appearance, which defied contest rules. Separately, the Israeli broadcaster of the Eurovision Song Contest said on Sunday that an unauthorized display of Palestinian flags by Iceland’s band could draw “punishment” from the event’s organizers. – Dan Williams, Reuters
How one local sound engineer revolutionized rock and roll
In the 1970s, sound engineer Bob Heil didn't even know who The Who was when the band asked him to improve their concert sound. The rest is rock and roll history. – Art Holliday, ZDTK
An interview with Blue Note boss Don Was
He’s the shamanic funk star who produced everyone from the Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan. Now, he is steering jazz’s most iconic label into the future – by embracing its ‘secret scene.’ – Ammar Kalia, The Guardian
John Prine, Margo Price raising money to fight Alabama abortion ban
The pair will release a new recording of Prine’s ‘Unwed Fathers’ to benefit Alabama chapter of the ACLU. – Jon Freeman, Rolling Stone
Whitney Houston’s estate plans a hologram tour and a new album
Whitney Houston, who had 11 No. 1 hits, died seven years ago. Last week, her estate signed a deal with Primary Wave Music Publishing, a music and marketing company. – Ben Sisario, NY Times
The Strokes debut new song, cover Erasure at group's first concert in two years
Plus, the band plays "Ize of the World", "On the Other Side", and "The Way It Is" for the first time since 2006. – Alex Young, CoS
Sony Music to deliver 'real-time' royalty data to artists
The company, run by CEO Rob Stringer out of its HQ in New York, will launch two new payment features for its acts – ‘Real Time Royalties’ and ‘Cash Out’ – via its Artist Portal this fall. The company says the new launches will “allow our artists and royalty participants to view and withdraw earnings faster than ever before”. – Tim Ingham, MBW
Apple, Amazon, Google, and others sued for selling thousands of pirated recordings
The estate of Harold Arlen, the man responsible for composing Over the Rainbow and numerous other classic songs, is suing Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Pandora for selling unauthorized recordings of some of the songwriter’s most famous music. – Jon Porter, The Verge
7 Nashville record labels and what genre of musician they sign
Here are seven of Music City's hippest indie labels and a look at who they sign. – Liam Duncan, Musicindustryhowto.com
MGM Resorts faces up to $800 million in settlements over Route 91 Festival massacre
Two years after the horrific Route 91 Festival shootings, MGM Resorts International may finally settle with hundreds of victims. That’s according to a recent quarterly filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). – Daniel Sanchez, DMN
