The Weeknd sets a record with a new extravagant stage prop, a gold-plated sculpture designed by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama and officially the tallest fine art piece ever commissioned for a concert.
Elsewhere, Madonna fans will be upset over news of her biopic, Emily Haines reflects upon the so-called "indie sleaze" era and will the Stones be Rolling less now?
Read these stories and more via our roundup of headlines at home and away.
The latest update to the Canadian superstar's historic After Hours Til Dawn tour, the set piece is designed by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama and officially the tallest fine art piece ever commissioned for a concert. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Music Canada — on behalf of its members, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada — has blocked the Canadian operations for three sites that enable the unauthorized copying of music from YouTube and other streaming services. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
When Mervon Mehta was approached by the Royal Conservatory of Music to run its performing arts component, its state-of-the-art centrepiece theatre was nothing more than a hole in the ground. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
The group is asking the CRTC to reject Corus' proposed recapitalization plan unless the broadcaster commits to maintaining editorial diversity. – Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
The Atlantic reported that "four giant datasets of songs” — the largest containing 12 million songs — are being shared in the AI music development community, including data from many Canadian acts, including Luna Li, Lunice, Valley and others. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Emily Haines thinks young people's fascination with the so-called "indie sleaze" era of the early to mid-2000s is less about fashion than freedom. – Alex Nino Gheciu, Canadian Press
An Australian-owned company moving to open a coal mine in the Canadian Rockies has galvanized ranchers, fishers and environmentalists behind a country music star’s effort to stop new developments. – Bloomberg News
For Toronto artist Fiona Smyth, who designed the exterior murals that make Sneaky Dee’s corner location so distinctive, the block’s looming development application brings back memories of a different era and speaks to the inevitable nature of urban change. – Lana Hall, The Globe & Mail
Summer festival tents and concerts outside Stampede Park will adhere to a strict 12 am noise curfew on weekends, however the period of cool-down music following concerts has been extended until 1 am. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
The project titled "Montréal, faites du bruit," or "Montreal, Make Some Noise," aims to increase the discoverability and visibility of Francophone artists through promotion, performances and programs by partnering with cultural sites and media giants. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Marvin remained an integral part of the Calgary music scene for decades, performing until he died in 2023. In 2024, a mural created by Calgary artist Alex Kwong was unveiled in Inglewood that depicts Marvin and a number of the venues he played at along the “Music Mile.” – Eric Volmers,Calgary Herald
The ruling rejected accusations that Spotify broke the law by turning a "blind eye" to bot-fueled fake streams for major artists, but the case isn't quite over yet. – Rachel Scharf, Billboard
Rodrigo was included in last year’s documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery – The Untold Story, which explored the legacy of the '90s all-women music fest founded by McLachlan. When planning her new festival, she says the first person she called was that iconic Canadian singer-songwriter. — Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
Former President Barack Obama, joined by three former presidents, celebrated the opening of his presidential centre in Chicago on Thursday, in an extraordinary event that brought together world leaders, A-list celebrities and athletes. The livestreamed ceremony featured performances from Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Bono, John Legend and more. – Yahoo News
Styles is the curator of the 2026 edition of the festival. He fit in two covers of Montreal singer-songwriter alongside a Simon & Garfunkel cover, plus deep cuts and reinterpretations of his own songs. — Thomas Smith, Billboard UK
The Recording Academy has tweaked some of its rules for the 2026 Grammy Awards, including the addition of five new categories. There will now be a best Asian pop music performance category – celebrating releases across K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and beyond – awarded to the performer. – Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
‘Maybe they just didn’t believe in me,’ the pop star said of Universal, which was set to make a film about her life starring Julia Garner. – Andrew Pulver, The Guardian
Fed up with expensive tickets and omnipresent branding, some festival fans are creating their own anarchic, ticketless events full of glitter and silliness. They explain how it’s done. – Oliver Keens, The Guardian
