When it comes to making music in Canada, there are several myths that may come to mind. Attitudes like “Canadian music only matters when they make it big in United States.” But how much water should they hold for Canadians? I should say, right off the bat, that some of these myths can be relevant critiques to the cultural system, or star system, that exists in Canada. What can we do going forward about these myths, and how can we make changes? With my blog, however, I think it is more important than ever to celebrate our Canadians artist and champion their work.

Consider this: Heated Rivalry has exploded with popularity in the United States and beyond. The production of Heated Rivalry is uniquely Canadian: funded by tax dollars, produced by an iconically Canadian director Jacob Tierney (anyone else fan of The Trotsky?), and filmed in Canada. On top of all that, the show does feature Canadian music and put certain artists and bands on the radar for non-Canadian music fans. Prime example of this are increased streams for both Wolf Parade and Feist.

What does this Heated Rivalry example mean for the context of Canadian music? It means that Canadian media has value, not just for us but for the world too. This includes music. We have incredible artists that we should be proud of, well before they acquire recognition from the international stage.

So, let’s talk about the myths that impact Canadian musicians and Canadian music.

Myth 1: Canadian artists only matter once they make it big in the United States.

Across Canada, there are factions of people who have made their career in Canadian media for Canadians. But there is no doubt that due to our small population size, it can be easy to sleep on small artists until they have made it big on the international stage.

An artist might make it big on the world stage but it does not mean that they want to live there. In my previous post about Sebastian Gaskin, his Nation was so proud of Gaskin’s accomplishments. You do not have to wait until someone wins an award to give their art a chance.

While it is difficult to make a living as a musicians in Canada because of the scarcity of urban centres, there are plenty of examples of musicians that have accomplished that. It is doable and can happen. CanCon laws and radio play are crucial to bringing awareness to local talent.

Myth 2: Canadian music only caters to whiteness.

As a first generation Canadian, I understand where this point of view comes from. In her thesis for Carleton University, Michelle MacQueen writes, “unmarked Canadian identity permeates Canadian music.” Historically, this has been true and Canadian music has been linked to white Canadian music, like Rush or The Tragically Hip. The reality of the matter is that Canadian music is as diverse as the country itself.

At the core, however, the Canadian music scene must always remember its foundation. Indigenous musicians have been creating music, long before the formation of the CRTC, as part of cultural practice. The sākihiwē festival in Winnipeg exists to bring Indigenous artists to the forefront. A Tribe Called Red has long made their mission to question the concept of Canada itself!

Similarly, there are Black artists in Canada who have long been established as juggernauts but rarely get mentioned when the phrase “iconic Canadian artist” comes up. I think of Jully Black or Fefe Dobson, seldom do people bring these women up – lest they say Celine Dion or Alanis Morissette and continue exacerbating a monolithic understanding of Canadian music.

Yves Jarvis is a fantastic example of a contemporary Black artist who is making a name for himself on both national and international stage as the winner of the 2025 Polaris Music Prize.

Whether the artist is a contemporary or a longstanding Canadian musician, there are plenty of musicians who are ready to have their music heard and appreciated by the right audience. It is up to us who we decide to spend our time listening to, either through a recommendation or finding someone on Spotify.

Myth 3: Canadian artists and bands cannot have a thriving career in Canada.

The sheer vastness and desolate nature of Canada makes touring within the country itself an incredible feat. Transporting expensive equipment and instruments cannot be sniffed at when concerning the costs of taking those things across the country.

What we must consider is the amount of artists who live in Canada and still have thriving careers. Coeur de Pirate, also known by her real name Beatrice Martin, lives in Montreal, runs a Canadian record label championing the plethora of talent in Quebec/Canada, and recently was met with a surge of new listeners after being featured on Amazon Prime’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. She is still Canadian, and was even honoured with the Trailblazer Award at Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025.

Musicians can do other types of work, such as production and film scoring. There are government grants, such as FACTOR or Ontario Arts Council, that will support artists to make their music.

Myth 4: There is no star system in place to cultivate a large following for an artist in Canada.

Our population is small, and susceptible to other larger anglophone zeitgeists. The Canadian music scenes has a systemic barriers to artists applying to the Canada Music Fund, especially to artists of colour.

Arkells is an exceptional case when it comes to star systems in Canada. They are unabashedly Hamiltonian, and make references to it in their music. It makes sense why Hamilton has clung on, and champions them, especially when they perform at Hamilton Field.

Quebec has a well-defined star system. Many artists in Quebec can have thriving careers without ever leaving the province. What can the English Canadian star system learn from Quebec? Primarily, pride in local culture. Attending local shows, and having interest in the art made by your neighbour.

Myth 5: There is nothing we can do to improve our local music scene.

Elbows Up, a term popularized by the legendary comedian and actor Mike Myers on Saturday Night Live, should not be limited to purchases in your local supermarket or beauty purchases at the drugstore. We can use this to support Canadian arts and culture.

It is my opinion that this final myth is completely untrue. It will be hard. But perhaps, one of the ways we can increase interest in local music is by seeking new music. If you live in a rural area, using YouTube, Apple Music, or even TikTok, to find new artists is the first step to expanding your personal musical catalogue.

What is the solution here? I am not an expert or a fortune teller, so I cannot give definitive answers. I do, however, have some suggestions. If we want to build strong local cultural spaces, we should consider looking into supporting local.

In order to have a thriving life in arts and culture, we have to get off our phones and go to shows. If there are no shows, we have to create the shows. Support small music venues. We have to make the fun. It is on us to make the culture we want to see. I think this is why festivals like Veld and Boots and Hearts are still popular. If you make it, we will go.

What ways do you find Canadian artists to support? Who is your favourite Canadian singer or performer? Let me know in the comments below. Alternatively, you can get in touch with me about ways we can make the Canadian music scene stronger, together.