Music Biz Headlines: The Weeknd Unretires, Ottawa Venue History Opening Next Week
Also this week: Brooklyn Vegan is gutted, Charli xcx joins The Strokes, Ariana Grande reflects on her hiatus and more.
The Weeknd
Local music-focused headlines were dominated by the return of Rush, with the veteran rock trio selling out four nights at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and announcing that all these shows are being filmed.
Elsewhere, AC/DC are rocking Western Canada, a new documentary explores the life of Blink-182's Travis Barker and Taylor Swift has her songs removed from Trump's social media posts.
Check these and other stories dominating music headlines this week.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines
The Weeknd Appears to Do About-Face on Retiring Stage Name: ‘Imma Be Here Forever With You’
The artist born Abel Tesfaye said in 2025 that he'd "mastered" his alter ego and needed a new challenge. – Gil Kaufman, Billboard
Rush Filming Sold-Out Toronto Shows for a Potential Concert Film
The legendary Canadian band is set to play four sold-out nights at Scotiabank Arena this week on Aug. 7, 9, 11 and 13 as part of its milestone 50th anniversary reunion tour, and will film the four homecoming shows in their entirety. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Rush Makes Long-awaited Toronto Return, With a Little Help From Geddy Lee’s Vocal Coach
So far, the reunion tour has been nothing less than a triumph. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
Crown Lands, Sean Kelly and Molly Johnson also weigh in on the significance of the iconic Toronto prog-rockers, who returned to town this weekend. – David Friend, Toronto Star
History Ottawa Is Opening Its Doors On August 20
The 2,000-capacity theatre-sized venue co-owned by Drake and Live Nation is kicking off its inaugural season with a headline show by The Wallflowers next week. The first-ever expansion of the Toronto venue will also include a dedicated event space and VIP lounge. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Ride On: The Stats Behind AC/DC's Sunday Commonwealth Stadium Concert
AC/DC performed to 50,047 fans on Sunday night in Edmonton.– Chad Huculak, Edmonton Journal
Canadian Hacker Pleads Guilty in 2024 Ticketmaster Hack and Snowflake Inc. Breach
A 26-year-old from Kitchener, Ontario was one of several hackers who stole customer data and payment information from over 560 million Ticketmaster accounts. He currently faces up over 30 years in prison on counts of computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and a related conspiracy. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Made in Manitoba Pays Tribute to Christian Music Artist Brian Doerksen
Recognizing the impact of Canadian Christian music artist Brian Doerksen. The singer-songwriter was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in July, and passed away only weeks later at the age of 60. – Steinbach Online
Chris Stapleton Returns the Favour and Brings Out Guns N' Roses in Toronto
A night after the rock legends brought him out at their show at Rogers Stadium, Stapleton returned the favour last night (Aug. 6) wth a version of the GnR song "Patience" and a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well." – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Joe Keithley's Tireless Punk Rock Work Ethic is a Perfect Match for Politics
That's one of the more unexpected takeaways from watching Something Better Change, American documentarian Scott Crawford's movie about the long-time D.O.A. frontman and Burnaby city councillor. Keithley's a hero of the scene here, both in Vancouver and in his stomping grounds in Burnaby. – Allan MacInnis, Georgia Straight
Cancer Bats: “In a Way, Not Having a Specific Goal Has Allowed Us to Succeed so I'll Continue Until my Body Gives Up.”Liam Cormier, frontman of the Canadian hardcore heroes, discusses the creative journey the band took for their new album ‘Give Me Dirt.’ v13.net
Passing the Tune Forward: Sask. Fiddlers Carry Tradition to Grand Masters
From a 12-year-old rising star to a Métis fiddler carrying forward John Arcand’s legacy, two Saskatchewan musicians are part of a new chapter in Canada’s fiddle tradition. – Saskatoon Star-Phoenix
International Music Biz Headlines
The sweet note to Arianators came a week after the singer said she is planning to take a step back from public life when the tour's European run wraps on Sept. 1 in London. – Gil Kaufman, Billboard
Frankie Grande Voices Support for Sister Ariana After Hiatus Announcement
"Family forever. I will have your back until the end of time," Frankie wrote in a heartfelt post to Instagram. – Jessica Lynch, Billboard
Spotify to Label AI Artists on the Platform With New ‘AI Persona’ Badge
The music of artists tagged with the label will be excluded from personalized recommendations on the service. – Ariel King, Billboard
BrooklynVegan, AltPress, Revolver, and Goldmine Hit by Mass Layoffs
The Live Nation-owned Veeps, founded by Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden, unceremoniously gutted each publication’s staff. – Grace Robins-Somerville, Paste
Blink-182’s Travis Barker Almost Died. A New Documentary Celebrates his Life Before and After
The inferno rages onscreen three minutes into “ Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear.” – Associated Press
Taylor Swift Songs Removed from Trump and White House’s Social Media Posts
Rage-baiting efforts of Trump accounts silenced after posts such as a video linking her Red album to Republicans. – Eric Berger, The Guardian
Drake Listened to Tate McRae’s ‘You Broke My First’ Ahead of His ‘20 v 1’ Kick Livestream
Calling the track “some OG Tater,” the Toronto rapper revealed that he put on the Canadian pop star’s 2020 breakout single while heading to set to film. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Charli xcx Joins The Strokes at Outside Lands to Sing an ‘Is This It’ Classic
Both acts headlined San Francisco's Outside Lands the weekend of Aug. 7-8. – Thomas Smith, Billboard UK
