THE GOLD STANDARD
Canada is the heart of musical gold. In our first annual portfolio, enRoute went on tour to capture over 70 musical legends, current and future.
Text: JOSHUA OSTROFF
The Canadian music scene has never been more vibrant. So here’s a musical state of the nation followed by an unprecedented portfolio of Canada’s musical legends – past, present and future.
Popular music is a cyclical beast, offering new sounds to swoon over every few years. But one music scene might mean more than others, artistically, historically and commercially. This is what critics (and late-night infomercials) dub a golden age. This tag is usually given in hindsight, but Canadian music is experiencing a golden age right now – one that heeds no boundaries.
Think of any mainstream commercial genre, and you’ve got a Canadian on guard for thee – from Shania Twain to Avril Lavigne to Nickelback to Diana Krall. As Céline might say, the list could go on. This isn’t new, of course – Canada has always thrust artists like Paul Anka and Guess Who onto the world stage – but producing so many at once is. Early government support no doubt provided a step-up for the music industry, but the sheer number of current superstars can also be attributed to talent, charisma and corporate backing.
What’s different now is the newfound love affair with our indie artists, both at home and abroad. Building on the worldwide breakthrough of Broken Social Scene – a Juno-winning, world-touring, Toronto-based collective – an astonishing number of its peers are finding fame with hip and musically progressive albums. International record deals, tours and a forest’s worth of media coverage had music critics from L.A. to London wondering what was in our water.
This wave of cutting-edge CanCon (think Metric, The Constantines and The Dears) emerged across the country just as the recording industry infrastructure lost importance. While the major labels whined about free music downloading, independent artists operated in the shadows – starting up labels, performing and recording together. Using a similar blueprint, Canadians also invaded electronic music and underground hip hop (turntablist Kid Koala, for instance, has opened for Björk and Radiohead), while Quebec’s francophone music has taken off throughout the French-speaking world.
At the 2004 South by Southwest Music Festival, which is like the music industry’s Cannes, northerners dominated the buzz – from capacity Canuck music showcases to the closing party with rockers The Stills and Death From Above. The post-festival coverage in Spin, Rolling Stone and Billboard no longer showed surprise at their passports.
Across the musical map, Canadians are making music that stands beside the world’s best. Maintaining this hold on the commercial and indie scenes will be difficult because, well, all golden ages must eventually end.
But until that time comes, press "play" and feel proud. Our inferiority complex is no longer needed. [ ]
ANNE MURRAY: Makeup by Dana Joon. Stool by Le Belle Arti, Edmonton. AVRIL LAVIGNE: Chair by Le Belle Arti, Edmonton. SUSAN AGLUKARK: Harlow beaded tankini with matching belt by Paul Hardy. MURRAY LIGHTBURN: Stool by Le Belle Arti, Edmonton.
ENROUTE COVER, SEPTEMBER 2004 – Produced by Tina Chang. Styled by Zaneta Bartosova, modeartists. Hair by Michelle Lazlo and Tanya Jackson, modeartists. Makeup by Mary Gordy and Beau Nelson, modeartists and Beau-ty Cosmetics. ANNE MURRAY: Makeup by Dana Joon. Stool by Le Belle Arti, Edmonton. AVRIL LAVIGNE: Chair by Le Belle Arti, Edmonton. Photo montage: Spartan 42.
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Our Portfolio
of Canadian
Musicians
Introduction
The Songbirds
The Rock Gods
The Rhyme Masters
The Architects of Sound
The Sirens
The Roots Revivalists
The Big Voices
The Provocateurs
The Songwriters
The Jazz Cats
The Populists
The Crowd Pleasers
The Showstoppers
The Crooners
The Storytellers
Thank you
SEP '04
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ENROUTE TV
GUIDELINES
© 2004 enRoute is published monthly by Spafax Canada Inc. All rights reserved.
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