Music Biz Headlines: Tributes to Former Spiritbox Bassist Bill Crook, Toronto Renames Street 'Taylor Swift Way'

Kaytranada is Returning to Montreal with a Parc Jean-Drapeau Show

Who needs festival season when you have the Timeless tour? The hometown hero plays on Sept. 28. – The Gazette

Former Spiritbox Bassist Bill Crook Dies, Sparking a Flood of Tributes from Vancouver Music Fans

The Vancouver music community is mourning the passing of Bill Crook. He was a fixture in the West Coast metal and hardcore community, his most high-profile gig being his membership in Spiritbox from 2018 to 2022. –Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Toronto Will Have ‘Taylor Swift Way’ — Here’s how Other Cities Have Honoured Her Eras Tour

Rio de Janeiro, for one, projected a T-shirt welcoming the singer on its iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. – Abhiraj Lamba, Toronto Star

Bruce Springsteen, Pharrell Williams, Elton John Heading to Toronto International Film Festival 2024

With these superstars plus Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams and the directorial debut of Anderson .Paak, paparazzi will be busy in Toronto this September. – Billboard Canada

DeMar DeRozan On His 'Not Like Us' Cameo: 'Drake’s Still My Man'

In a new interview, the former Raptors star says he approached the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake as entertainment, and that nothing has changed between him and the Toronto superstar. – Billboard Canada

Drake Did More to Boost Toronto's Rep Than any Other Artist. Why Did We Abandon him During his Kendrick Lamar Feud?

Local hip-hop pioneers and culture critics have a few ideas. –Toronto Star

A 3-Day Rave in an Industrial Warehouse: Sojourn Festival is the Newest Showcase for Toronto’s Underground Electronic Scene

“You’re going to feel like you’re in a mixture of an art gallery, a concert and a rave,” says DJ Jayemkayem. – Richie Assaly, Toronto Star

Librettist Matthew Jocelyn Wants to Bring ‘Absoute Clarity’ to Hamlet Production at the Sydney Opera House

Jocelyn wrote the text to Brett Dean’s opera Hamlet, which premiered at the Glyndebourne opera festival in England to acclaim in 2017. It is currently in production at the Sydney Opera House in Australia to Aug. 9. Jocelyn is the general director of Toronto’s Koffler Centre of the Arts and former director of Canadian Stage. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

Biboye, Audrey Ochoa and Others Spicing up 118 Avenue's Jazz Alley Concert Series

Snappy jazz is often a mix of sweet players — exactly what’s happening with the sixth year of Jazz Alley on Edmonton’s 118 Avenue. It is a collaboration between multiple music-boosting organizations, Arts on the Ave has teamed up with MacEwan University and the Edmonton Jazz Society (Yardbird Suite). – Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal

More Concerts Announced for Vancouver and Surrey to Help Fill Your Calendar

Jann Arden, Twin Flames and Ranj Singh play Surrey non-profit gala, Daryl Hall plays PNE and more. Read all the details here. – Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Province

Decoding the Enduring Genius of Neil Young and the Depth of his Toronto Connection

New album “Early Daze” captures the breadth of the musician’s astonishing career. – Luke Savage, Toronto Star

International

Does AI Really Pose a Threat to the Music Industry?

The use of artificial intelligence in creative industries has been a major topic, especially in the music world. To what extent should artists be worried, and what can be done to protect them? – Sonia Chien, Chartmetric

The Music Industry is Engineering Artist Popularity – Listeners are Right to be Angry

Numerous tactics, including payola-like deals on Spotify, are promoting artists people haven’t chosen to hear – but the industry refuses to discuss it.– Shaad D'Souza, The Guardian

Mushroom CEO Signals 'New Era' for Australian-based Indie Powerhouse

Mushroom Group is consolidating its recording, publishing, and neighbouring rights divisions under the unified ‘Mushroom Music’ banner, with CEO Matt Gudinski orming what it says is “one powerhouse operation.” – Murray Stassen, Music Business Worldwide

Can you Guess Olympians’ Warm-up Songs? World’s Top Athletes Share Their Favourite Tunes

Some of the world’s top athletes from the Olympics and Paralympics have shared their favourite warm-up tracks, revealing what gets them pumped before a crucial game, meet or match. The results range from The O’Jays to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Drake, spanning genres and eras. – Associated Press

Megan Thee Stallion to Join Kamala Harris During Rally in Atlanta for Special Performance

Megan Thee Stallion is the next celebrity to support Vice President Harris' presidential run. – Carl Lamarre, Billboard

Go Hard or Go Home: Why is Hardcore Punk Enjoying a Renaissance?

The success of Manchester’s Outbreak festival shows the appetite for the genre isn’t just healthy, it’s on the rise. Its organisers discuss the scene’s evolution, its fragility, and its (very loud) future. – The Guardian

‘It Brings You Back': The Suburban Choir Helping People Living with Dementia Reconnect

Music is stored in different parts of the brain than other memories, experts say, and potentially for longer. For choristers in the Good Life Chorus, communal singing offers benefits beyond memory. – Claire Keenan, The Guardian