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BILLBOARD CANADA FYI
A weekly briefing on what matters in the music industry
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Eddy Chen
The Weeknd
FYI
Music Biz Headlines: David Farrell Remembered, The Weeknd Hints at the End of an Era
Tributes are continuing to pour in for David Farrell, the founder of The Record and FYI. This week's headlines also include a look at an indie label coalition, a campaign against AI and more.
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The new year brings new music stories, including new appointments to the Order of Canada, and stories on AI and the plight of indie record labels. We've rounded them up in this week's edition of Music Biz Headlines. Before we move forward, though, we also take a moment to remember David Farrell, who founded this newsletter and made a major impact on the Canadian industry, as the tributes collected here can attest.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines
RIP David Farrell — Influential Music Journalist, Publisher and Billboard Canada Editor
The founder of The Record and FYI Music News, which became Billboard Canada FYI, Farrell had a long and storied career in Canadian music media. Read a tribute from his friends, family and colleagues.– Kerry Doole, Billboard Canada FYI
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‘The Record’ and ‘FYI Music News’ Founder David Farrell has Died
Longtime music journalist David Farrell, the co-founder of industry publications The Record and FYI Music News, has passed away. He was 73. Billboard Canada announced Farrell’s passing on their website. – Connie Thiessen, Broadcast Dialogue
SOCAN Mourns the Loss of David Farrell
One of Canada’s most influential music trade publishers, journalists and co-founder of the original Canadian Music Week, died on December 19 after a brief illness. – Nick Krewen, Words and Music
The CRTC Needs to Focus on the Future of the Music Industry, Not Prop Up Legacy Players
Unfortunately, to date, it’s clear the CRTC is not focused on a new system for our industry’s modern reality, but instead on new funding streams for legacy recipients.– Patrick Rogers, The Hub
New Appointments to the Order of Canada
88 new recipients of the prestigious Order of Canada were named recently. The list includes music mogul Randy Lennox, acting star Ryan Reynolds, and Cape Breton musical heroine Heather Rankin. – Office of Governor General
Here Are Your Best of Halifax 2024 Winners for Music
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We asked, you answered—from Halifax’s best artists, to the best songwriters, DJs, music videos and more in town. – Martin Bauman, The Coast
Music Maker, 88, Creates Unique Horn section, With Moose Antler Bass Guitar and Cello
Eighty-eight-year-old Lorne Collie has been making musical instruments for more than three decades, creations that dazzle for their unique materials as much as their sound. – Canadian Press
Marianas Trench Maps its Own Heroic Journey
Unlike a lot of floppy-fringed bands from the pop-rock days of the 2000s, Marianas Trench has never split up (and then subsequently got back together again). Instead, the group has been steadily and cohesively making music for the last 20-something years. – V. S. Wells, Georgia Straight
Satinder Sartaaj Announces Cross-Canada Tour with a Stop in Vancouver
Dr. Satinder Sartaaj is set to bring his soulful melodies and poetic brilliance to cities across Canada, including Vancouver, in 2025. Sartaaj’s Sphere of Eminence Tour promises to be an unforgettable celebration of music and Punjabi culture.– Vicki Duong, Georgia Straight
Canadian Singer’s Family Says She Was Instrumental in Discovery of George Gershwin
In 2024, Rhapsody in Blue turned 100 years old. As the background music to Leonardo DiCaprio raising his glass in The Great Gatsby or Lisa Simpson biking her way to musical fame in New York, the song has permeated pop culture.– Arty Sarkisian, Globe & Mail
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Sold-out Toronto Concert Cancelled After Air Canada Refuses Seat for Musician’s Cello
The Royal Conservatory cancelled a Toronto concert by globally acclaimed musicians Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason after Air Canada refused a seat for the cello played by Sheku. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
International
The Weeknd Hints at ‘The End’ of an Era With Ominous Billboards Around The World
Signs reading "The End Is Near" in fonts from the singer's various eras have popped up across the globe. – Billboard
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Independent Record Labels Like the One that Launched Adele Are Under Pressure, Coalition Says
14 independent labels, including Beggars Group, Sub Pop, Domino and Canada’s Secret City Records, banded together earlier this year to form the Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts (ORCA). – Jonathan Dekel, Globe and Mail
Q&A: Avicii Documentary Director on Celebrating the Late DJ Without Exploiting his Death
Avicii, the groundbreaking Swedish DJ-producer, died six years ago at 28. Two new movies hitting Netflix next week aim to celebrate his life. – Maria Sherman, AP
Kate Bush Joins Campaign Against AI Using Artists' Work Without Permission
Singer-songwriter follows Paul McCartney and others in speaking out as ministers consider opt-out system. –The Guardian
$1Bn-Valued Create Music Group Acquires 50% Stake in U.K. Label/Publisher Enhanced
It’s been a busy year for California-headquartered Create Music Group. Now the company is making another investment into a UK label and publisher, with a 50% stake in London-headquartered Enhanced. – Daniel Tencer, Music Business Worldwide
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