Music Biz Headlines: Neil Young Turns 80, A Look at Canadian Grammy Nominees
Also making headlines this week: The 50th anniversary of a Gordon Lightfoot classic, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings reunite as The Guess Who and announce a major tour and the British music industry reports record revenues.
Neil Young
A genuine Canadian music icon makes headlines this week. Neil Young turns 80, and that milestone is being celebrated by a star-studded tribute concert at Massey Hall in Toronto, one of Young's favourite venues.
Elsewhere, two major Quebec stars shine at the annual ADISQ Awards, Joni Mitchell's birthday is declared Music Creator Day in Canada and Canadians figure strongly in this year's Grammy award nominations.
Read these stories and more in this week's roundup of the music biz headlines of the week from Canada and beyond.
Canadian Biz Headlines
On Nov. 12, a star-studded grouping of Canadian artists will celebrate the Ontario native’s birthday at Toronto’s Massey Hall. – Brad Wheeler, Globe & Mail
Now 80, Neil Young was shaped artistically by pivotal years in Winnipeg. – John Einarson, Winnipeg Free Press
Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings to Tour as The Guess Who for First Time in More Then Two Decades
After regaining rights to the band name, the two principal songwriters are now able to tour as The Guess Who again. Dates have been announced throughout Canada. – Kerry Doole, Billboard Canada
Justin Bieber, Tate McRae, Kaytranada and More: Full List of 2026 Canadian Grammy Nominees
From Bieber’s Swag to Tate McRae’s first-ever Grammy nomination, read on for all of the Canadian Grammy nominees, including PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake, Joni Mitchell, Spiritbox and Laila Biali. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Abracadabra! Halifax Producer Cirkut on How Lady Gaga’s Spell Landed him Grammy Noms
While Henry Walter isn’t a magician, it’s clear Grammy voters believe he can work some real magic. The Halifax-raised music producer, known by his alias Cirkut, found himself all over the Grammy nominations on Friday. – David Friend, Canadian Press
The 46th edition of the Premier Gala de l’ADISQ was a vibrant celebration of Quebec music — setting the stage for the main gala on November 9. – Yasmine Seck, Billboard Canada
ADISQ Gala 2025: Klô Pelgag and Lou-Adriane Cassidy Shine as Big Winners
The 47th edition of Quebec’s biggest music awards celebrates creativity, diversity, and the next generation of francophone voices. This year, two artists stood out. – Yasmine Seck, Billboard Canada
SOCAN and Canadian Senate Declare Joni Mitchell's Birthday as Music Creator Day in Canada
The newly-marked date, November 7, celebrates homegrown music and the songwriters, composers and publishers who make the industry go round. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
No Chorus? No Problem: The Improbable Story Behind Gordon Lightfoot’s Beloved hit ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’
The song, recorded 50 years ago, commemorates the sinking of the biggest ship on the Great Lakes. – Stuart Berman, Toronto Star
Re-Opening Act for Hamilton's Coliseum
After 18 months and $300 million in renovations, Hamilton’s downtown entertainment complex will re-open as TD Coliseum on Nov. 21. It’s going to feel familiar — and entirely different. – Meredith MacLeod, Hamilton City Magazine
How Toronto Became the Epicentre of Music and Culture During the Blue Jays’ World Series Run
From Drake to Justin Bieber, Jonas Brothers to Geddy Lee, the city became a global hub for baseball, music and culture during the 2025 World Series — and that was by design. –Richard Trapunski, Billboard Canada
Guilbeault says the Prime Minister understands the significance of arts institutions and their contribution to the country's identity. In private, though, some key industry stakeholders were quick to point out that long ago Liberal Party promises have yet to be kept. – Barry Hertz, Globe & Mail
Canadian Hip-Hop Icon Shad Starts Anew With First Album in Four Years
His evolution has seen him go from a young Kenyan-born rapper eager to soak up lessons in hip-hop while living in the suburbs of southwestern Ontario to an elder statesman well-versed in all aspects of the genre’s history and industry that has come of age around it. – Eric Volmers, Postmedia
Distractions and Burnout Top of Mind for Mat Elliott in New Single, ‘Video Games’
The Music Nova Scotia award winner is back with a soulful new song, working on a new record. – Brendyn Creamer, The Coast
30 Can't-Miss Vancouver Concerts for November 2025
Shows still to come include The Dirty Nil, Neko Case, The Beths and PUP. – Alisa Prinyarux, Georgia Straight
International Biz Headlines
What Do This Year's Grammy Noms Say About How the Recording Academy Is Doing?
This week's Five Burning Questions looks at the recently released Grammy nominations, and how we feel they're doing at reflecting the current music industry. – Billboard
Music Industry Players Sound Off on the UMG-UDIO Deal
Label execs, songwriters, AI startup founders and more share their thoughts on the agreement — and where the business is headed in its aftermath. – Kristin Robinson, Billboard
British Music Industry Adds Record £8bn to UK Economy, According to UK Music
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour among the big events driving spending, as British artists perform well overseas and job numbers rise. – Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian
HYBE's Weverse Superfan Platform is Growing – and Going Big in China
Weverse is making significant inroads into China through strategic partnerships with two of the market's digital giants: Tencent Music Entertainment and Alibaba. Weverse reached a record high of 11.6 million monthly active users (MAUs) globally in Q3 2025. – Music Business Worldwide
Grammy Museum Announces Selena Exhibit With Items Displayed Outside of Texas for the First Time
Thirty years after Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was killed at 23, regional Mexicana music is now celebrated on the global stage — no doubt a result of her unending influence. – Associated Press
Sony Generated $2.89B From Recorded Music and Publishing in Calendar Q3 2025, up 13.3% YoY
Sony's global music rights operation posted a strong quarter in calendar Q3, with streaming revenues in recorded music up 11.7% YoY, and streaming revenues in music publishing up by a whopping 24.8% YoY. – MBW
GEMA Wins Landmark Ruling Against OpenAI Over ChatGPT's Use of Song Lyrics
German collecting society GEMA has won a landmark copyright case against AI giant OpenAI. The verdict marks the first time a European court has legally examined and ruled in favor of creators whose works have been used by generative AI systems. – Murray Stassen, MBW
A Grizzled Robert Plant Plays Music Both Old and New at Massey Hall
Plant really knows his music: traditional, roots, gospel, country, Americana, North African, blues, you name it. In this show, he presented his eclectic new album Saving Grace, a collection of largely obscure but captivating roots pieces. – Alan Niester, Globe & Mail
