The President of Sony Music Canada has been instrumental in shaping the careers of some of the country’s most successful artists and continues to lead the label with a sharp focus on innovation, artist development and global impact. Over the past year, Carter has overseen a banner period for Canadian artists on Sony — the RCA-signed Tate McRae, whose single “greedy” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, and Charlotte Cardin (under the Sony Music Canada umbrella through her Montreal label Cult Nation), who charted multiple times in Canada and was named a Global Woman of the Year at Billboard Women in Music 2025. Carter’s leadership has also driven a broader strategic push to champion diverse and genre-expanding Canadian voices, including the signing of Indigenous hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids for their first major label release, RED FUTURE, and R&B rising star Tia Wood. The biggest wins, though, came through one of the best-selling artists of all time: Quebec icon Celine Dion, whose comeback while dealing with Stiff Person Syndrome has been nothing short of inspiring. Her performance atop the Eiffel Tower at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony was one of the musical high points of the year. Carter served as an executive producer of the deeply personal and authentically powerful Prime Video documentary I Am: Céline Dion. "It was a highlight of the year," he says, "and also my career."

With Kristen Burke at the helm, Warner Music Canada is staying relevant in a transforming industry. As the music industry globalizes, Warner is forging international partnerships and putting resources behind rising movements. In 2024, Burke renewed Warner’s deal with one of Canada’s biggest new stars, Karan Aujla, as well as deepening the label support for Punjabi music. Aujla took home the Juno fan choice award in 2024, completed his first Canadian arena tour and fostered new cross-genre collabs like his Billboard Canadian Hot 100 charting hit “Tell Me” with OneRepublic. Warner Canada’s joint label with Warner India, 91 North Records, is also a growing success, signing powerhouse lyricist Chani Nattan in 2024. Burke has also overseen the launch of ADA Canada, Warner’s independent distribution arm in the country. Signees include major legacy stars like Nickelback and emerging names like Jamie Fine. Producer Intense, who has worked with Aujla, AP Dhillon and Sidhu Moose Wala, also signed with ADA for his Double Up label, which is fostering the next era of Punjabi Canadian stars. ADA has also signed deals with Punjabi artist management and content company EYP Creations, as well as country label MDM Recordings. Andy West is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Warner Music Canada, and his leadership at ADA has put artists first in terms of revenue streams. Between operational changes and creating connections between artists and their superfans, Burke, West and Warner continue to modernize.

Universal Music Canada made a big move this year, promoting Julie Adam to President & CEO in early 2025. She succeeds Jeffrey Remedios, who shifted roles to president of strategic development for Universal Music Group's REPUBLIC Collective after a decade at the helm of UMC. Adam brings more than two decades of experience in media – including her two-and-a-half-decade tenure at Rogers Sports & Media, where she served as President of News & Entertainment, her continued role as the Chair of the Board of CARAS, the organization behind The Juno Awards, plus two years as Executive VP and General Manager of UMC – where she has consistently championed artists. According to Universal Music Canada, seven of the 10 best-performing albums of 2024 were released by the label thanks to Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, The Weeknd, Morgan Wallen, Noah Kahan and Taylor Swift. Domestically, Sofia Camara is making inroads in the U.K., country breakout Josh Ross tied for the most Juno nominations this year, while acclaimed comedian Mae Martin signed to the label for their debut album as a musician. A champion of kindness in leadership (she wrote a book about it), Adam has a chance to do big things and set the tone for an empathetic culture at a major that bills itself as Canada's top record label. "Stepping into my new role as President & CEO was, and continues to be, a total pinch-me moment," she says. "It is my absolute honour to lead Universal Music Canada and work with the best team in the business supporting the most incredible roster of artists."

An artist and cultural tastemaker in his own right, Kardinal Offishall is also Global A&R lead at iconic New York-based hip-hop label Def Jam, where he shapes the global sound of hip-hop. He’s a recognizable figure both behind the scenes and publicly as a judge on Canada’s Got Talent alongside stars like Howie Mandel and Shania Twain, he's also returning to recording with his upcoming EP Everyday, Sometimes. “Lately, I’ve been surrounded by a powerful mix of new artists who feel deeply and create fearlessly, and many icons who continue to uphold a certain standard…that energy was the perfect storm for me," he said recently, while releasing his new song "Let Em Out." It's part of an enviable career that spans the studio to the boardroom.

As CEO of Nettwerk Music Group and through his philanthropic efforts, Terry McBride continues to be one of the most powerful forces behind the development of independent musicians in Canada. His label Nettwerk, the 40-year-old Vancouver label famous for breaking Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies, Skinny Puppy and other indie success stories, stayed relevant in 2024 with singer Paris Paloma, who boasts 6 million monthly listeners on Spotify and nearly 300 million streams on her single “labour.” Nettwerk also partnered with Music BC’s ARC accelerator program in 2025, giving artists access to its direct-to-streaming and social media benefits, furthering the label’s commitment to fostering sustainable, long-term careers. Along with serving on the Board of Directors for A2IM (the American Association of Independent Music), McBride remains dedicated to creating opportunities for Canadian artists on the global stage. Nettwerk started with a simple mission statement and has kept it up: “Release music we love.”

With Secret City Records, Justin West has fostered an enduring indie label brand out of Montreal that reached a modern mileston in 2024, when Patrick Watson's 'Je te laisserai des mots' became the first French-language song in Spotify's Billions Club (one billion streams). Secret City is also the label home for a deep roster of acclaimed Canadian talent, including the first two-time Polaris Prize winner Jeremy Dutcher, increasingly popular contemporary classical composer Alexandra Streliski (who recently played the 80,000-capacity main stage at FEQ in Quebec City) and buzzy indie pop duo Bibi Club. Beyond the label, West is also an advocate for the indie music community, sitting on the boards of indie music licensing company Merlin and the Canadian Independent Music Association, and with Secret City serving as a co-founding member of the Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts (ORCA).

Jonathan Simkin has been a prominent figure in the label and music law for decades. A former criminal and refugee lawyer, Simkin entered the music industry in the early ’90s and quickly became known for his uncanny ability to spot talent, signing acts like Nickelback and Marianas Trench. In 2001, he co-founded 604 Records with Chad Kroeger, building it into one of Canada’s top independent labels, home to multi-platinum artists including Carly Rae Jepsen — whose “Call Me Maybe” became one of the most-streamed Canadian songs ever with over a billion plays on Spotify. In the past year, Simkin launched the archival imprint 604 DECADES, signed breakout country artist Chevy Beaulieu, and celebrated 30 years with Nickelback as they were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame. He also expanded his comedy label, Comedy Here Often? into a full podcast network, where he launched his own I Hate Simkin podcast. This year, he advocated for neighbouring rights reform in an eye-opening guest column for Billboard Canada. He's unflinchingly honest, a proud sh-t disturber, something that is all too rare in the Canadian music industry.

Kevin “Chief” Zaruk is the co-founder and CEO of The Core Entertainment, a full-service management company with offices in Los Angeles and Nashville. One of the top country and rock managers, he's got a big-time roster that includes Nickelback, Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith and Josh Ross. In 2024, The Core made major waves: Nate Smith’s “World on Fire” topped the Mediabase Country Year-End Chart, Bailey Zimmerman landed his fourth U.S. country radio No. 1 and Josh Ross became one of Canada’s most played artists — earning top CCMA and Juno nominations. Chief also helped launch The Core Records in partnership with Universal Music Group, bringing his moth-to-a-flame knack for working with standout talent to the label side. A two-time Billboard Country Power Player, Chief is a prominent Canadian pro on the world stage.

Both Canadians based in Nashville, Brianne Deslippe, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing & Strategy, and co-owner/partner Joey Moi, President of A&R and superstar producer, have been pivotal to Big Loud's remarkable achievements over the past year. Deslippe led the global marketing campaign for Morgan Wallen's One Thing At A Time, which topped Billboard’s year-end Canadian Albums chart. She also championed Canadian talents like MacKenzie Porter, whose debut album Nobody's Born With a Broken Heart amassed 83 million global streams in its first week, and Dallas Smith, who launched the imprint Local Hay with Canadian up-and-comer Hailey Benedict. Moi, originally from British Columbia, continued to shape Big Loud's distinctive sound, producing chart-topping hits such as HARDY’s “wait in the truck” featuring Lainey Wilson. At Big Loud, “we scaled our international business rapidly this year with aggressive global marketing efforts, promotional events, creative social and digital campaigns, multiformat radio No. 1s and nearly 250 tour dates and festivals,” Deslippe said in Billboard's Global Power Players.

Kieran Roy heads one of Canada’s most distinguished labels, indie or otherwise. In the last two decades, Arts & Crafts has made a major mark on Canadian music and beyond with artists like Broken Social Scene, Andy Shauf, Jean-Michel Blais, and many more, and in 2024 celebrated the 20th anniversary of BSS’ breakthrough record You Forgot It In People in multi-media fashion, with a documentary, graphic novel and tribute album. But Arts & Crafts isn’t resting on its previous successes — one of the best-loved Canadian releases of 2024 came from A&C’s Mustafa with Dunya, while the company has also had some significant wins on the publishing side, signing “Texas Hold ‘Em” co-writer Bulow before that track became a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Arts & Crafts Music was nominated for Music Publisher of the Year at the 2024 Libera Awards, A2IM's annual celebration of independent music and industry, and the company continued its relationship with Junos group of the year The Beaches, working on merchandise and music publishing administration. Roy, meanwhile, founded a new company with his partner Lowell (also a Beyoncé songwriter and the winner of the first Non-Producing Songwriter awards at Billboard Canada Power Players and the Junos), For the Love of Pop Music, to sign and develop Canadian pop artists and songwriters — working hard to keep Canada at the forefront of pop at home and abroad.

Joel Carriere has made his mark on Canadian rock over the last two decades, emerging as the manager of Alexisonfire and City and Colour, hailing from his hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario. Carriere has propelled homegrown and international rock acts to major heights through Bedlam Management and label Dine Alone, which has championed acclaimed rock acts like Tokyo Police Club (who played a nostalgic and well-received farewell tour last year) and new buzzy acts like Cam Kahin and Ekkstacy, as well as longtime stalwarts like brand new signing Headstones. Carriere co-founded Born & Raised festival in partnership with Live Nation to celebrate the St. Catharines music scene, while the Dine Alone Store in Toronto serves a local hub for music fans who know rock and roll will never really die.