In 1971, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) established Canadian Content regulations in order to support Canadian artists and Canadian content. According to current regulations, radio stations (in both English and French) must ensure that at least 35% of the music broadcast each week is Canadian content, and at least 35% of the music broadcast between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday is Canadian content (50% if the station is owned by CBC or Radio-Canada). What is "Canadian Content" is defined by the MAPL system (Music Artist Performance Lyrics) as described here
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According to the CRTC, the purpose of CanCon regulations can be summed up as:
- "Canadian attitudes, opinions, ideas, values and artistic creativity are shaped by our history and geography, our institutions and our linguistic and cultural diversity. They're part of our shared experience and our Canadian identity. The Broadcasting Act recognizes this and declares that the Canadian broadcasting system should encourage the development of Canadian expression"
To the layman, the purpose of CanCon is evident in the explosion of Canadian artists and musicians since the 1970s; there are now more than enough artists to support 100% Canadian Radio stations (check out one here). Similarly, MuchMusic, the Canadian version of MTV, never had a significant problem with CanCon for itself and helped give native acts a big boost both by passively abiding by those regs and actively funding new talent itself.
Famous musicians from Canada:
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Alberta
- Jann Arden
- Ruth B
- Paul Brandt
- Cadence Weapon
- Cikwes
- Mac DeMarco
- Faunts
- Feist (see Ontario below)
- G.NA (based out of Korea, but born in Edmonton)
- George Fox
- Revenge
- iVardensphere
- k.d. lang
- Loverboy
- Corb Lund
- Michael Mc Cann
- Joni Mitchell
- Nickelback (Now based out of Vancouver)
- Northern Cree
- OMFG
- Purity Ring
- Alyssa Reid (now based out of Ontario)
- The Rural Alberta Advantage
- Shiloh
- Shout Out Out Out Out
- Stereos
- Striker
- Tegan & Sara
- Weapon (temporarily relocated to Dhaka, Bangladesh in the mid-00s before later returning to Alberta)
- Women
British Columbia
- 3 Inches of Blood
- 54-40
- Angelmaker
- Antwood
- Archspire
- Art of Dying
- Armistice (members are from Ontario and Quebec, but they formed in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics)
- Geoff Berner
- Baba Brinkman
- Bad Batch
- Chad Brownlee
- Blasphemy
- Michael Bublé
- Chilliwack (and earlier, The Collectors)
- Judy Collins
- cun
- D-Cru
- Craig Smart (currently based out of Toronto)
- Dan Mangan
- Daniel Powter
- The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets
- The Dayglo Abortions
- Default
- Delerium
- Destroyer
- DirtyRadio
- D.O.A.
- Thomas Donovan
- Doug And The Slugs
- Victoria Duffield
- Econoline Crush
- The Evaporators
- Excision
- Faber Drive
- FM Attack
- Frog Eyes
- Front Line Assembly
- Norman Foote
- Nelly Furtado
- GOB
- Grimes
- Hedley
- Heart (though the members themselves are from Seattle, they formed in Vancouver)
- Hey Ocean!!
- Shawn Hook
- Hot Hot Heat
- Japandroids
- Carly Rae Jepsen
- Kiesza
- Diana Krall
- The Dreadnoughts
- Limblifter
- Jessica Lowndes
- Marianas Trench
- Matthew Good Band
- Miami Nights 1984
- Moist
- Mother Mother
- The New Pornographers
- Nomeansno
- As well as their hockey-themed Ramones-esque side project, The Hanson Brothers
- The Pack AD
- Ashley Park
- Orville Peck
- Prism
- Raffi (though he's Armenian-Egyptian, he's officially a Canadian citizen)
- Rare Americans
- Rascalz
- Revocation (Ash Pearson lives in Vancouver)
- Said The Whale
- Tyler Shaw (Not to be confused with Tyler Shaw of Aviators, who is from Vermont
- Howard Shore
- Skagos
- Skinny Puppy
- soulDecision
- Spirit Of The West
- Spiritbox
- Stabilo
- State Of Shock
- Strange Advance
- Swan Lake
- Sweatshop Union
- Swollen Members
- Theory of a Deadman
- Thor
- Devin Townsend
- 1997 - Ocean Machine: Biomech
- 2007 - Ziltoid the Omniscient
- 2009 - Ki
- 2014 - Dark Matters
- Trooper
- Unleash the Archers
- The Veer Union
- The Vincent Black Shadow
- Kris Wu
- You Say Party
- Formerly You Say Party! We Say Die!
- Yukon Blonde
- Zumpano
Manitoba
- Susan Aglukark
- Comeback Kid
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- Bif Naked
- Broadway Jane
- Tom Cochrane
- Crash Test Dummies
- Burton Cummings
- The Guess Who
- Harlequin
- KEN mode
- Kittens
- Chantal Kreviazuk
- (Married to Rain Maida the frontman of Our Lady Peace, below)
- Daniel Lavoie
- Loreena McKennitt
- Holly McNarland
- Venetian Snares
- The Watchmen
- The Weakerthans
New Brunswick
- Black Banshee
- Mort Garson: Born there, but spent almost his entire life in the United States.
- Thrawsunblat
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
- April Wine
- Kay “My Name Is Kay” Boutilier
- Buck 65
- Classified
- Dali Van Gogh
- Jenn Grant
- Ashley MacIsaac
- Matt Mays & El Torpedo
- Sarah McLachlan
- Anne Murray
- Joel Plaskett
- Plumtree
- The Rankin Family
- Sloan (now based out of Ontario)
- Hank Snow
- The Trews
- The Unchained
- Wintersleep
Ontario
- 88GLAM
- Bryan Adams (born and lived till age 3, now based out of Vancouver)
- Alexisonfire
- Paul Anka
- Annihilator
- Anvil
- The Arkells
- The Arrogant Worms
- Austra
- Princess Century (Solo project of Maya Postepski; after leaving Austra, she relocated to Brussels, Belgium)
- Ayria
- Baby Blue Soundcrew
- Aidan Baker
- BA Johnston
- The Band - four of five members were Canadians, one of them half-native.
- Barenaked Ladies
- Bedouin Soundclash
- Bent Wind
- Justin Bieber (moved to Atlanta after signing a major label deal with Usher)
- Big Sugar
- Big Wreck (from Boston, but their front-man Ian Thornley is very Canadian, thus making them most successful there).
- Billy Talent
- The Birthday Massacre
- Jully Black
- Blood Ceremony
- Blue Rodeo
- Brand Of Sacrifice (though several members live in the US)
- Broken Social Scene
- Feist (from Alberta, but her professional career has been based in Toronto, with some time recording in France)
- Divine Brown
- Buffalo Springfield (Canadian Members Dewey Martin, Bruce Palmer and Neil Young were from the province, all based in Los Angeles during their time in the band)
- Basia Bulat
- bülow (born in Germany and also based in the United States and the Netherlands)
- By Divine Right - Feist was once a member of this band as well
- Daniel Caesar
- Cancer Bats
- Alessia Cara
- Cauldron
- Choclair
- City and Colour, the acoustic/folk/roots act of Dallas Green, former co-lead singer and guitarist of Alexisonfire.
- Bruce Cockburn (pronounced Co-burn)
- Stompin' Tom Connors (born in New Brunswick and raised there, Nova Scotia, and on Prince Edward Island; lived during his professional career in Ontario)
- The Cowboy Junkies
- The Crew Cuts
- Deborah Cox
- The Creepshow
- Crystal Castles
- Crystalyne
- Jim Cuddy
- Heather Dale
- Deadmau5
- Death From Above 1979
- Decoded Feedback
- The DeFranco Family
- Shawn Desman
- Detsorgsekalf
- Die Mannequin
- Hugh Dillon
- Nicole Dollanganger
- Done With Dolls
- The Beaches
- Double Experience
- Down With Webster
- Dragonette
- Drake
- Dru
- dvsn
- Kathleen Edwards
- Electric Youth
- Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine
- Elliot Brood
- The End
- Enter The Haggis
- Evans Blue
- Exciter
- Falsifier
- Danny Fernandes
- Finger Eleven
- Five Man Electrical Band
- The Forgotten Rebels
- The Fringe
- Frozen Ghost
- Fucked Up
- Fuck The Facts (partially based out of Quebec)
- Good Kid
- Grandson
- Emm Gryner
- Hail The Villain
- The Halluci Nation (Formerly Tribe Called Red)
- Hampton The Hamster
- Sarah Harmer
- Hayden
- Jeff Healey
- Coleman Hell
- Henri Fabergé and the Adorables
- The Hidden Cameras
- Holy Fuck
- Honeymoon Suite
- I Mother Earth
- Idle Sons
- illScarlett
- Immersed
- Infernal Majesty
- Livy Jeanne (born in Thunder Bay and raised in Alberta)
- k-os
- K'naan
- Kardinal Offishall
- KILLY
- Kittie
- Klaatu
- Kon Kan
- Barry Harris
- Top Kat
- Outta Control
- Killer Bunnies
- Thunderpuss
- Sick Seconds
- Tory Lanez
- Avril Lavigne
- Len
- Lennon & Maisy
- Glenn Lewis
- Gordon Lightfoot
- Lighthouse
- Lights
- Maestro
- MAGIC!
- Manafest
- The Marble Index
- Amanda Marshall
- Mary and the Black Lamb
- Massari (born in Lebanon and currently based in Ottawa)
- Martha And The Muffins
- Mecha Maiko
- Shawn Mendes
- Alice Merton (born in Germany and also based there and the United Kingdom)
- Metric
- Kim Mitchell
- Also, he's a disc jockey for Q107 (a classic rock station) in Toronto.
- Alanis Morissette
- Moxy Früvous (former drummer Jian Ghomeshi was the host of Q on CBC radio until a major sex scandal emerged)
- NAV
- Neverending White Lights
- Nihilist Spasm Band
- Our Lady Peace
- Owen Pallett
- Parallels
- Sarina Paris
- PartyNextDoor
- Peaches (was roommates with Feist at one point, who also helped out with her stage show early on)
- Dana Jean Phoenix
- Pilot Speed
- Protest the Hero
- Prozzäk
- PRTY H3RO (the members are from Vancouver, but formed in Toronto)
- PUP
- Raghav (currently based in Calgary)
- Razor
- Red Rider
- Jessie Reyez
- Stan Rogers
- DanielRomano
- Rezz (Born in Ukraine but moved to Niagra Falls at a young age)
- Rough Trade
- Rush
- 1974 - Rush
- 1975 - Fly by Night
- 1975 - Caress of Steel
- 1976 - 2112
- 1977 - A Farewell to Kings
- 1978 - Hemispheres
- 1980 - Permanent Waves
- 1981 - Moving Pictures
- 1982 - Signals
- 1984 - Grace Under Pressure
- 1985 - Power Windows
- 1987 - Hold Your Fire
- 1989 - Presto
- 1991 - Roll the Bones
- 1993 - Counterparts
- 1996 - Test for Echo
- 2002 - Vapor Trails
- 2007 - Snakes and Arrows
- 2012 - Clockwork Angels
- Sacrifice
- Saga
- Bob Schinder And The Rainbow Kids
- Ron Sexsmith
- Sofia Shinas
- Sarah Slean
- Radio DJ Chris Sheppard and his dance groups BKS and Love Inc.
- Serena Ryder
- Silverstein
- Snow
- Stagehands
- 2009 - The Silent City
- Cassie Steele
- Steppen Wolf
- The Strumbellas
- Suffocation (Eric Morotti lives in Ottawa)
- Sum 41
- Sumo Cyco
- Skye Sweetnam
- Sweet Thing
- Tamia
- The Tea Party
- Teenage Head
- Robin Thicke (father was Alan Thicke, born in Ontario)
- Ian Thomas
- Thornley
- Three Days Grace
- Thousand Foot Krutch
- Tokyo Police Club
- Tonetta
- Toronto
- The Tragically Hip
- Michelle Treacy
- Treble Charger
- Triumph
- TR/ST
- Tupper Ware Remix Party
- 2019 - "Starlight Brigade"
- Twin Flames (formed in Ottawa, though member Jaaji is from the Nunavik region of Quebec)
- Shania Twain
- U.S. Girls (Toronto, born in Chicago)
- Alx Veliz
- Veronica
- Hawksley Workman
- Walk Off the Earth
- The Weeknd
- Woods Of Ypres
- Young Empires
- Neil Young
- 1970 - After the Gold Rush
- 1979 - Rust Never Sleeps
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
- The Agonist
- Arcade Fire
- 2004 - Funeral
- 2010 - The Suburbs
- Jenifer Aubry
- Augury
- Christophe Beck
- Beneath The Massacre
- Beyond Creation
- Bowser And Blue
- The Box
- Gregory Charles
- Chromeo
- Terri Clark (born in Montreal, family moved to Alberta)
- Cœur de Pirate
- Leonard Cohen
- 1967 - Songs of Leonard Cohen
- 1969 - Songs from a Room
- 1971 - Songs of Love and Hate
- 1974 - New Skin for the Old Ceremony
- 1977 - Death of a Ladies' Man
- 1979 - Recent Songs
- 1992 - The Future
- Les Cowboys Fringants
- Creature
- Cryptopsy
- Dead Obies
- The Dears
- Despised Icon
- Deviant Process
- Céline Dion
- First Fragment
- Garou
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor (and their label, Constellation Records)
- 2000 - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
- Also, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra (as they're known as at the time of writing)
- Gorguts
- Handsome Furs
- Corey Hart
- Tim Hecker
- Matt Holubowski
- Imposs
- Ion Dissonance
- Elisapie Isaac
- Ricky J
- Karkwa
- Kataklysm
- Kaytranada
- Lydia Képinski
- Jon Lajoie
- Luba
- Lukay
- Malajube
- Marie-Mai
- Martyr
- Mashmakhan
- The McGarrigle Sisters
- Mes Aieux
- Men Without Hats
- 1982 - Rhythm of Youth
- Frank Mills
- Mobile
- Mononc Serge
- Necronomicon
- Neuraxis
- Aldo Nova
- Bruno Pelletier
- Oscar Peterson
- The Plasmarifle
- Quo Vadis
- Rêve
- RYAN Playground
- Allison Russell
- Safia Nolin
- Sam Roberts Band
- William Shatner
- 1968 - The Transformed Man
- Simple Plan
- Stars
- The Stills
- Story Untold
- Sunset Rubdown
- Manuel Tadros
- Tiga
- Phil Tougas (see First Fragment above, which is probably the most famous of his numerous projects)
- Trans-X
- Les Trois Accords
- Twin Flames
- Unhuman
- David Usher (started his career with Moist, a band formed in British Columbia)
- Gino Vannelli
- Voivod
- Rufus Wainwright
- May Wells
- Alissa White-Gluz
- Karl Wolf (born in Lebanon & based out of Montreal)
- Wolf Parade (although they spend a lot of time in Vancouver and have a more West Coast sound—their first album was produced by Isaac Brock).
- Nikki Yanofsky
Saskatchewan
- Into Eternity
- Colin James
- The Sheepdogs
- Slow Down Molasses
- Streetheart
- The Waltons
- Wide Mouth Mason
- Colter Wall
The Territories
- Susan Aglukark (Nunavut, although it was still NWT when she started her singing career)
- Kim Beggs (Yukon)
- Digawolf (Northwest Territories)
- Gurdeep Pandher (Yukon, primarily a dancer)
- The Jerry Cans (Nunavut)
- Riit (Nunavut)
- Tanya Tagaq (Nunavut)
Other/Unsorted
