AGP Executive Report

Tragically Hip 10th Anniversary: CBC re-airs the band’s 2016 Kingston farewell show tonight, with “The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration” streaming on CBC Gem and CBC TV at 7 p.m. local. Canadian Music & Culture in Trade Talks: Prime Minister Mark Carney says the U.S. tried to push Canada on French culture and digital sovereignty during negotiations, calling it a “power play” as tariffs loom. Casino Rama Lineup: Casino Rama announces late-2026 shows including Night of the Living Drag, Jesse Cook, The Righteous Brothers, Colin James and the Celtic Tenors. Local Music Community: RCMP is investigating a mass shooting outside Dirty O’Fergies bar in Fort Smith, N.W.T., that injured three people as the Fireweed Festival wrapped up. Hip-Hop News: BigXthaPlug was arrested in Texas and missed his Winnipeg Country Rising headlining spot. Vancouver Festival: The Indonesian Festival returns Sunday at the Vancouver Art Gallery with live performances, food and vendors—free admission. Live Country/West: The Valley West Stampede rides back to Langley Sept. 5–7 with rodeo action plus live music and line dancing.

Canadian Music Spotlight: The Canadian Musicians Co-operative moved its Barns2Beaches Showcase indoors for severe weather, shifting the Aug. 22 event from Meridian Place to Eastview Arena in Barrie (7–10 p.m.). Ottawa Live-Music Buzz: History Ottawa, a new Live Nation venue tied to Drake, opened Aug. 20 with the Wallflowers, with early-goers noting the venue’s sound and crowd flow. Streaming & Discovery: Spotify is rolling out “Playlist Notes” and “Running Mode” on Android, letting users add context to music picks and pairing playlists with workout features. Canadian Artists Abroad: Drake dominates Spotify’s Global Impact List for the first half of 2026, taking 40 of 50 spots for Canadian tracks outside Canada. Industry/Business: Rogers launched back-to-school internet and wireless deals for students, plus a chance to win $10,000 and perks via Rogers Beyond the Seat. Music Culture: Edmonton Fringe Festival announced 2026 holdovers as the festival wraps.

Jonas Brothers (Canada-ready pop): The band kicked off its Burning Up Tour All Over Again at Madison Square Garden Aug. 20, debuting new single “Listen When Sad” and bringing out surprise guest “Big Rob” for “Burnin’ Up.” Local theatre (Newfoundland-to-Northern Ontario): YES Theatre in Sudbury extended Come From Away through Sept. 4, making it the longest-running show in the theatre’s history. Canadian music spotlight (new releases): Brantford songwriter Greg Zaluski released his second album, Seems Like A Long Time Ago, while Lantzville’s Raymond Salgado dropped “From Afar,” a long-distance love single. Big summer live (Toronto): The CNE officially opened, with major acts and new food hits plus weekend road-closure planning for concert/festival crowds. Indie/arts funding (Kingston): Kingston’s City Arts Fund announced operating and festival grant recipients, with $567,170 awarded across the city’s arts scene. Music + legal news (global): Ariana Grande won expedited subpoenas to identify alleged hackers tied to stolen unreleased music.

Streaming & Pricing: Apple Music is getting pricier via Apple One, with Apple One Family and Premier both rising $2/month in the U.S. starting in September, as Apple Music bundle adoption keeps growing. Toronto Live Music: The city has started installing temporary “BTS Boulevard” signs along Yonge Street ahead of BTS’ sold-out “Arirang” concerts at Rogers Stadium this weekend. Canadian Music History: Kingston marks the 10th anniversary of the Tragically Hip’s final show, with renewed attention on Gord Downie’s legacy and a rebroadcast plan. Local Scene Spotlight: Calgary’s indie community gets a big night with That Party Last Night Vol. X on Oct. 10, headlined by ARDN. Music Tech: Spotify is rolling out playlist notes so users can add personal context to songs, podcasts, and audiobooks. Culture & Performance: Montreal honours jazz pianist Oliver Jones with public farewells and tributes.

Tragically Hip legacy: Gord Sinclair reflects on the band’s final tour and why he can’t imagine going on the road without Gord Downie’s voice, even as he leaves the door slightly ajar. Festival closeout: Tim Hicks will headline the final Troubadour Festival Outdoor Music Series date in Barrie on Sept. 12, with Mitch Zorn and local openers. Streaming feature: Spotify rolls out “Playlist Notes,” letting editors and listeners add written context to tracks and playlists, plus editor profiles. Local live music: Okotoks’ free Thursday Nights @ the Plaza continues Aug. 20 with The Prairie Dogz. Industry spotlight: Canadian music legend Bob Ezrin is back, drawing attention for his ongoing cultural and political commentary. Controversy in politics: Nova Scotia energy minister Marco MacLeod apologizes after misogynistic rap lyrics resurfaced, prompting resignation calls. Music & community: The Souris Valley Theatre reports strong summer attendance, crediting returning audiences and volunteers. Tech watch: Timex delays a Huckberry collab diver after a quality check.

Canadian Reggae Spotlight: Tasha T’s “Ten Foot Wall” has topped the Rebel Vibez Top Ten Canadian Reggae chart, from her album One World: Chapter 1, with the track’s message focused on blocking obstacles and uplifting listeners. Live Music & Festivals (Vancouver Island): Langford’s Starlight Stadium hosts the debut Country Roads Festival Aug. 29, headlined by Doc Walker and Aaron Pritchett, with two stages plus a kids zone and mechanical bull. Community Music: Toronto’s CNE opens this week with new attractions, including the high-flying Big Dip High Dive show and the immersive Space EXperience. Local Album News: The Bard of Cornwall, Jesse Ferguson, released his 12th studio album Carried Forward, a multi-instrument folk project rooted in Irish, Scottish, Canadian and American traditions. Industry Deal: Peermusic has signed My Morning Jacket and frontman Jim James to a worldwide publishing deal.

Jazz Farewell: Montrealers lined up at city hall to pay respects to legendary pianist Oliver Jones, with flags at half-mast and a public funeral set for Thursday in Little Burgundy. Touring & New Music: Winnipeg’s Crash Test Dummies are mixing fresh material with 90s classics for a Sept. 22 St. Catharines show. Indigenous Culture: Treaty 6’s 150th anniversary gets a four-day commemoration at Fort Carlton (Sask.), including performances by Juno winner Fawn Wood and a co-created single “1876.” Arctic Storytelling: APTN’s new docuseries Go North! premieres Sept. 3, featuring Inuk singer/songwriter Terry Uyarak. Community Festival: Surrey’s Salmon Sessions returns Aug. 22 with live music, food, and hatchery-focused events. Legal/Tech & Music: Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac ended his defamation lawsuit against Google over an AI summary that falsely labelled him a sex offender. Music Business How-To: Lisnin hosts “Navigating the Modern Music Business” Aug. 25 in Toronto, with practical guidance for independent artists. Health & Pop: Céline Dion reveals she had stiff-person syndrome symptoms for 17 years before diagnosis, and says she relied on Valium to cope.

Quebec Health Policy: Quebec rejects calls to lower colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45, despite data suggesting Canadians born after 1980 face higher early-onset risk. Music Tech: Spotify expands Android features with Running Mode for Premium subscribers and User Notes rolling out to free and Premium users in select markets. Canadian Live Scene: HISTORY Ottawa opens at 47 Rideau St. with a 2,000-capacity setup and 200+ events planned for its first year. Toronto Tempo & Identity: The Toronto Tempo unveils mascots Dez (she/they snapping turtle) and Dot (she/her arctic hare) during a Fever game, leaning into inclusivity and the “tempo” theme. Canadian Touring Business: MRG Group launches an Australia office in Sydney under live-entertainment veteran Graham Kennedy. Local Music Events: Kamloops’ Labour Day picnic returns with live music from The Dave Coalmine Band, plus family activities and BBQ. Pop Culture Music Moment: Shawn Mendes marks 10 years of “Mercy” with a “Live from Montreal” release.

Music Industry Launchpad: TikTok’s Music On Stage is teaming with All Things Go to send the US winner to perform at the festival’s New York edition this September, with live TikTok battles running through August and regional finals on Aug. 28. Local Impact Tour: Rose Cora Perry is bringing her Warrior Women Series to Niagara Falls (Sept. 4 at Taps Brewhouse), pairing rock-fronted lineups with a fundraiser for Yellow Brick House. Streaming & Discovery: Spotify is rolling out Playlist Notes, letting users add short explanations to songs, podcasts, and audiobooks inside playlists—plus editor context on major playlists. Canadian Music in the Spotlight: Ashley MacIsaac has ended his defamation lawsuit against Google after the search AI overview falsely labelled him a sex offender. Live & Community: Parksville’s Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition just wrapped with 119,480 visitors, with April Wine and other summer music events part of the broader Beachfest run. Pop Culture Crossover: Polaroid and Pokémon are launching a limited-edition 30th-anniversary instant camera lineup in Canada, with preorders opening Aug. 25.

Spotify Feature: Spotify is rolling out “Playlist Notes,” letting users add context not just to tracks but also to podcasts and audiobooks inside a playlist—aimed at making listening feel more personal than purely algorithmic. Canadian Live Culture: The Dock to screen The Tragically Hip’s final concert as part of CBC’s 10th-anniversary rebroadcast, with a free event in Brandon, Man. Industry Leadership: RCS Worldwide promotes Alissa Pollack to President of Mediabase, expanding her role across music marketing and global music intelligence. Canadian Music Scene: SFU Pipe Band wins the World Pipe Band Championship in Glasgow, beating 12 top Grade 1 crews. BTS x Retail: ARIH, the BTS-collab food brand by Paldo and hy, expands into Japan and Canada via 7-Eleven Japan and Loblaws, with pop-ups tied to the Arirang tour. Tech Meets Music: Columbia House shuts down again, ending new orders after 9/15/26. Community Festival: Rhythm & Roots returns to Saskatoon as a free 3-day Rhythm & Roots Asian Festival and Night Market.

Montreal & Canada music buzz: Lasso Montréal pulled in 43,000 country fans, with headliners including Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion and Mumford & Sons. Local arts & live music: Stratford’s Thousand Islands Playhouse is leaning into summer theatre with picks like The Last Five Years and upcoming Come From Away plus a Kingston premiere featuring The Tragically Hip songs. Canadian music industry moves: Alissa Pollack has been elevated to President of Mediabase (RCS Worldwide), expanding the radio/airplay analytics shop into broader music intelligence. Radio in the spotlight: Mountain FM in Canmore is still on-air after Rogers cuts, but its local studio ties are gone—raising questions about keeping community connection. Big Canadian pop moment: Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry danced to Xav Trudeau’s “Downtown” at a Montreal Home Hardware, as the track lands on Billboard Canada charts. Remembering a legend: Montreal jazz icon Oliver Jones gets a public funeral in Little Burgundy. Tour news: The Jonas Brothers announce a 45-date 2026/27 “Burning Up” run including Toronto.

Canadian Music Spotlight: Montreal’s Emily Hampshire is set to headline the Smash Out Skin Cancer Celebrity Pickleball Tournament in Dollard-des-Ormeaux on Aug. 27, mixing celebrity play with fundraising for Melanoma Canada. Legacy on CBC: The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration returns Aug. 22 for its 10th anniversary rebroadcast, with special CBC programming and a commercial-free airing of the Kingston finale. Pop Culture North: Ariana Grande reunited with Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo for two duets during her London O2 concert, including “For Good” and a “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again” medley. Community & Culture: Thunder Bay’s Summer Matsuri drew crowds for Japanese drumming, martial arts demos, and Asian food despite the weather. Music Beyond the Stage: MOSAIC marked 50 years helping newcomers settle in Canada with a Burnaby walkathon featuring food trucks and live music. Folk & Roots: The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championships hit High River Aug. 27–30, with new junior (16 and under) and senior (60+) categories plus free fiddle jam and barn dance events. Local Live Music: Campbell River’s CR Live Streets wraps Aug. 19 with a free all-ages finale headlined by Yukon Blonde and a night market. Global Win for Canada’s Sound: Simon Fraser University’s pipe band won the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Green, beating 211 groups from 14 countries.

Canadian Music Career at Home: Gravelbourg singer-songwriter Scott Richmond says building a serious career no longer means leaving rural Saskatchewan, after recording and mixing his new single “Lips to Lips” locally with community and Nashville collaborators. Pipe Band Pride: Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) won the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow Green, ending a 16-year wait for a non-UK winner and marking SFU’s first title since 2009. Local Festival Momentum: Yorkton’s inaugural Living Skies Music Festival drew big crowds with acts including Jess Moskaluke, Econoline Crush, Big Sugar and Blue Beach Band. Tribute Tour Stop: “The Bowie Lives: A Bowie Spectacular” returns to Midland Cultural Centre on Nov. 8, led by Canadian performer Michael Bell. Community Music Events: Orillia’s Mariposa Folk Festival season kicks off with an Organ Summit (Nov. 21) featuring three musicians on Hammond B3s. Music + Media Spotlight: Nirvanna the Band’s Matt Johnson is developing “Journalism 101,” inspired by a true story involving a former Vice Canada music editor, starring Finn Wolfhard. Indigenous Rights Through Art: Attawapiskat River land protectors are taking their Ring of Fire message south on a four-city tour with music, storytelling and a documentary screening. Box Office (Music-adjacent): “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” keeps topping charts while “The Odyssey” holds second.

Canadian Rock Spotlight: Motionless In White brought Will Ramos (Lorna Shore) onstage for “Immaculate Misconception” at the Sweat and Blood Tour stop in Indianapolis, with the band’s Vancouver-area run (incl. Rogers Arena, Sept. 20) now in view. Touring R&B: Daniel Caesar lands in Vancouver Aug. 16–17 as part of his first worldwide arena tour supporting Son of Spergy. Live Music in Canada: Saskatoon’s Rock the River kicked off with a wet-but-energetic opening night drawing about 3,000 fans to Rotary Park, with Sloan’s Chris Murphy delivering the standout moment. Community & Culture: Thunder Bay’s Festival of India filled Marina Park with music, dance, food and performances from across Canada and the U.S., running through Sunday. Local Comedy: Sudbury’s inaugural Yuk Yuk’s True North Comedy Festival launches Oct. 1–3 at the Radisson Hotel with Martha Chaves, Sean Collins and Derek Edwards. Tribute in Montreal: The City of Montreal is holding a public visitation for jazz icon Oliver Jones at city hall next week.

Local Festivals: Up Here Urban Music and Arts Festival returns for its 12th edition in downtown Sudbury, mixing live sets at venues like Refettorio with public installations and new murals, plus an Aug. 14 gallery opening tied to Sudbury artist Tarun Godara’s deportation fight. Global Stage: Simon Fraser University’s pipe band has won the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, beating 14 nations in the sport’s top competitive event. R&B Spotlight: Daniel Caesar lands in Vancouver for Aug. 16–17 shows in support of Son of Spergy. Community + Culture: Montreal will hold a public visitation for jazz icon Oliver Jones at city hall, celebrating his Montreal Jazz Festival legacy and Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction. Art as Activism: Victoria’s Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and Open Space Arts Society invite residents to karaoke love songs in “Love Songs to End Colonization,” starting Aug. 28. New Music Release: Chest Fever drops “Acadian Driftwood” ahead of its Massey Hall live album release on Sept. 18, timed for National Acadian Day. Comedy: Yuk Yuk’s True North Comedy Festival debuts in Sudbury Oct. 1–3 with Martha Chaves, Sean Collins and Derek Edwards. Tech + Music Industry: SOCAN partners with a tech platform to help artists control how music is used and compensated in AI.

Canadian Music Spotlight: Wine Lips review highlights the band’s high-voltage garage-punk energy on upcoming album TV Dinner (Aug. 28), with shout-along choruses and riffs built for full-volume nights. New Canadian Releases: A fresh singles roundup spotlights Josh Ross’s “Kicked Out of Bars,” Ella Langley’s “Jaded” (with Koe Wetzel), plus Brock Phillips & Dallas Smith, Hailey Benedict, Mitch Zorn and Riley Taylor. Live & Local: High River hosts the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Competition (Aug. 28–29) with a fiddle jam kicking off Aug. 27. Music Culture in Canada: “Play Me Kingston” brings 11 guitar sculptures to downtown Kingston (Aug. 14–Nov. 1), celebrating local music milestones. Streaming Pick: The Shards lands on Crave (Aug. 16) as Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis’ thriller gets a TV makeover. Wellness Meets Sound: Canada’s sauna boom is spreading, with Toronto’s Othership blending sessions with music and guided breathing.