Also this week: A reprieve for Toronto's Sneaky Dee's, Tommy Hunter's role in Canadian country music history, Kneecap to sue Indigenous leader after being denied entry into Canada and more.
Arguably the world's biggest sporting event, the World Cup has also been making headlines for its musical component, which is wrapping up this weekend. Tate McRae also grabs an Emmy nomination this week, Bryan Adams is heading Down Under and the music industry comes together for a solution on AI discolosure.
Read these and other major music stories of the week here.
The British rock singer "reluctantly" cancelled his performance scheduled for Sunday night at the Calgary music festival, stating that he is currently "working on himself and taking time off in the UK." Hip-hop hitmaker Nelly and EDM icon Steve Aoki took his place. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
The "Sports Car" and "Revolving Door" medley performance is nominated for outstanding choreography for variety or reality programming, becoming the first VMA performance to be recognized at the Emmys since Michael Jackson's 1995 medley. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
The Irish band has been allowed by the court of Ireland to file a defamation lawsuit against Harvey Yesno of the Eabametoong First Nation, who signed a statement published by Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem that led to the cancellation of the group's 2025 shows in Canada. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Mr. Hunter was a smooth-singing guitarist and a strapping man of 6-foot-3, with a pompadour that added an inch to his height at least. His deep-set blue eyes twinkled and his broad face broke easily into a smile as he showcased stars such as Johnny Cash and introduced Michelle Wright, Garth Brooks, the Judds and a teenaged Eilleen Twain (later known as Shania) to Canadians. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
The Ontario-born, Nashville-based act’s A Safe Place To Land will be released on Aug. 21. She kicks off this era with a new single, “God Knows I Try,” out now. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Rogers Sports and Media is shutting down its Sportsnet 650 radio station in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 station in Calgary, as well as four other stations across four cities. – Toronto Star
The 2026 World Cup Finals is shaping up to be quite the star-studded event on the pitch itself. FIFA revealed the lineup for the closing ceremony and it features notable global stars. Tom Cruise will also be making a special appearance. – Anna Chan, Billboard
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square is reportedly set to sell around 80.6 million shares in Universal Music Group. According to Bloomberg, the move would see Pershing Square exit its position in UMG via an overnight placing. – Music Business Worldwide
Working similarly to explicit labels on records, the tags will distinguish between "AI-generated" and "AI-assisted" songs. – Kristin Robinson, Billboard
Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine scan the life of a Zelig-like figure who went from pop star to a high-powered position with the Beatles' Apple org. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
Pophouse Entertainment has entered into a partnership with influential British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, acquiring a stake in their publishing and master music rights, as well as the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. The Sweden-based music investment firm confirmed the partnership on July 14. –Music Business Worldwide
