Countermeasure Performs Their Final Concert, One More Spin, Saturday June 6

Fri May 29 2026
Countermeasure Photo Credit Brian Jensen

From the much-heralded artistry of the contemporary a cappella ensemble that has earned standing ovations worldwide, Countermeasure is bringing it home to where they started. On the heels of the release of the fifth album, Guest Sessions Vol II, they are giving their final concert, One More Spin, on Saturday, June 6 at Hart House Theatre as part of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival. Tickets are available  https://harthouse.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1772

Juno Award-Winning Francois Bourassa Quartet Announces Landmark 30th Anniversary Summer Tour Across Canada

Fri May 29 2026
Francois Bourassa Quartet

Juno Award-Winning Francois Bourassa Quartet Announces Landmark 30th Anniversary Summer Tour Across Canada

Montreal's Celebrated Jazz Piano Quartet Marks Three Decades Together with New Music and Dates from Victoria to the Montreal International Jazz Festival 

Bruce Cockburn Announces Extensive 2026 North American Tour

Fri May 29 2026
Bruce Cockburn

Bruce Cockburn Announces Extensive 2026 North American Tour

Bruce Cockburn, one of Canada's most celebrated and enduring singer-songwriters, today announces a sweeping North American tour spanning 2026, bringing his extraordinary catalogue of songs to stages from coast to coast across Canada and the United States. The run of dates represents one of the most anticipated live events of the concert season, uniting longtime devotees, and new listeners around a body of work that has shaped the very soul of Canadian music for more than five decades.

Picture This! With Tracey Savein

Thu May 28 2026
Tracey Savein

Tracey Savein brings an incredible eye (of the lens) capturing special moments in time. Because as the saying goes – A picture is worth a thousand words. “Any kind of photography, as I see it, is all about capturing motion and emotion. Whether the subject is raucous and rockin’ or the location is silent and still, if you can transport the viewer into a moment in time with an image and relay the energy of that moment, well, there’s your photograph.” 

Yacht Rock Show - May 16th @ The El Mocambo, Toronto

Yacht Rock Show - May 16th @ The El Mocambo, Toronto

The mellow sounds of the 70’s anchored with groovin’ rock classics launch a smooth sailing trip to the Yacht Rock universe, as captain hats and Hawaiian shirts ebb and flow under the neon palms of the El Mocambo in Toronto

LUMINATO Presents THE POWER OF THE LAND - a Landmark MULTI-INDIGENOUS COLLABORATION

Thu May 28 2026
SULTANS OF STRING

A Landmark Multi-Indigenous Collaboration of Live Performance, Teachings, award-winning Feature Film with Elder Dr. Duke Redbird, Shannon Thunderbird, Marc Meriläinen, Sultans of String & More!

On Sat June 6, 2026, LUMINATO brings the magic of collaboration to the Harbourfront Stage with The Power Of The Land, a full day of free programming that showcases award-winning First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists from across Turtle Island joined by Billboard-charting/6x CFMA winners Sultans of String’s Walking Through The Fire project.  Walking Through The Fire is a three-tiered offering – a profoundly collaborative Album, live Performance, as well as a feature Film - all created in direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action.

The Canadians Are Coming! The North2North Winners Head to Sweden to Represent Canada June 12 & 13

Thu May 28, 2026

Canadian independent artists to perform at Lilla By Festivalen June 12-13, 2026 - in a landmark first for Canada-Sweden musical exchange

The inaugural North2North Competition named three extraordinary Canadian indie artists who will be heading to Sweden, to not only perform at featured showcase shows but to proudly represent Canada at a time when we are being recognized as a country with amazing musicians.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, states that Canada is the 3rd largest exporter of music: www.youtube.com/shorts/ppP2s72e3Fs

Fresh Breath, Irish Millie, and Donita Large have each earned a spot in a Canadian landmark event, where they will perform on the main stage and in the beloved festival's very own Canada Barn, where our Canadian flag is flown with pride. This is the first time a competition of this kind has opened a direct performance pipeline between Canadian indie artists and one of Sweden's most warmly regarded independent festivals.

Mystery Romance Releases New Hit Single “Losing You” from the New Album Faces of You

Fri May 22 2026
Mystery Romance

Mystery Romance Unveils the first single “Losing You” from the new album FACES OF YOU. Following the success of their 2025 pop-R&B album ELECTRIC LOVE Canadian alt-rock collective Mystery Romance returns with “Losing You,” a polished new single from their forthcoming album FACES OF YOU.

Cashbox Canada has been following this band for a few years now and under the management and direction of Current Records label owner Gerry Young,  each release is top quality and “Losing You” is proving to be another hit on the horizon.

The Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) and Rbcxmusic Announce National Collaboration to Support Emerging Canadian Country Talent

Fri May 22 2026
The Canadian Country Music Association®

Country Crawl, supported by RBCxMusic, will showcase emerging artists through a series of free performances in Saskatoon, SK during Country Music Week 2026 (September 16–19). All Country Crawl events are free and open to the public.

CCMAU – the CCMA's professional development platform – expands with support from RBCxMusic, including an in-person session in Montreal on May 28, 2026.

Toronto, ON The Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) has announced a new national collaboration with RBCxMusic, rooted in a shared commitment to help strengthen Canada’s country music community and support the next generation of artists and industry professionals. This collaboration will deliver a combination of live performance and year-round professional development opportunities designed to foster sustainable careers in the country music industry.

Marc Jordan The Art of Letting the Song Lead

Fri May 22, 2026

Inside The Rhythm of My Heart — memory, music, and freedom beyond rules

At Rosedale United Church Hall, the room was already holding its breath.

The Rhythm of My HeartI was seated close to the piano—close enough to feel the wood resonate, to hear not just the notes but the air around them. The sound didn’t need to travel far; it simply unfolded. There was an intimacy in the room that felt almost conspiratorial, as if we had all been invited not to a performance, but to a remembering.

This was the world of Marc Jordan—not just the songs, but the space between them.

It is the same space he inhabits in The Rhythm of My Heart, a memoir that reads less like a chronology and more like a series of emotional coordinates. Moments gathered, examined, and—like his music—allowed to breathe.

THE WHISPERING DEBUT DELIVERS WICKED METAL FROM BEYOND

Thu May 14, 2026

Introducing Lucian Fhor Featuring Dirk Verbeuren, Tobias Kellgren, & Loic Colin

THE WHISPERING is a Los Angeles-based heavy metal unit led by newcomer, LUCIAN FHOR on vocals/guitar, with elite players LOIC COLIN on bass (Scarve/One Way Mirror), TOBIAS KELLGREN (Dissection), and DIRK VERBEUREN (Soilwork) on drums.

The band has released the THE WHISPERING – PART 1 EP with four of the ten titles from the forthcoming self-titled THE WHISPERING album out in the fall of 2026.

Check it out on YouTube here:

The Whispering (Official Music Video) - The Whispering

 As the crows fly, it’s a wild ride...

Elis Lovrić Croatian Contemporary Folk Singer-songwriter Performs Legendary Concert in Canada

Tue May 12 2026
Elis Lovrić

                       “My Labin Dialect No Longer Has Barriers” - Elis Lovrić

Elis Lovrić is a Croatian contemporary folk singer-songwriter, actress, and poet from Istria, known for her captivating voice, multilingual performances, and promotion of the Labin Chakavian dialect. Blending traditional Istrian sounds with modern influences, she has released acclaimed works like Merika and Kanat od Mora, earned awards for songwriting, and gained recognition at national festivals including DORA and Zagreb Festival.

Molly Johnson Unites Generations On New ‘Long Time Running’ Ep Featuring Haviah Mighty

Sat May 09 2026
Molly Johnson

On The Three-Song Ep, Johnson Collaborates With Haviah Mighty On “Talk To Me,” Alongside “Long Time Running” And New Original “Slipped Away”

Recognized as one of Canada’s greatest voices, Molly Johnson releases her new three-song EP Long Time Running, a powerful and deeply collaborative project that brings her together with a new generation of artists. Included on the EP is “Talk To Me,” a striking new collaboration with acclaimed rapper Haviah Mighty, produced by rising talent Jonathan “CUBE” Renaud, alongside a reimagined take on The Tragically Hip’s “Long Time Running” with Jim Cuddy and the original composition “Slipped Away,” written by Molly Johnson and Davide Di Renzo.

Birdsong Gives Hope and A Unique Voice To People Who Struggle With Mental Health Issues

Sat May 09, 2026

Check out the four new single releases Available on All Digital Platforms Now with the Birdsong New Music Foundation.

The four releases are:
Arif Jinha – I Am
Producer: Greg Kavanagh

Terry Witzu – Irregardless
Producer: Ted Adler

Nicole McCafferty and Armand Antony (Broadtree) – So Right It’s Wrong
Producer: Bryant Didier

Nick Jones vocals; Rachel Scully – Hope-Holding On
Producer: Bryant Didier

Available globally on all digital platforms today, Birdsong Music Foundation has announced four new releases. The first is I Am, from artist Arif Jinha from Ottawa, produced in Toronto by platinum award-winning producer Greg Kavanagh (who has now produced three Birdsong artists including Robert Priest and D. M Lafortune, both from Toronto). Three of our producers, who work so closely with our artists, and the composers, tell us why they feel this work is so very important.

Picture This! With Tracey Savein

Fri May 01 2026
Tracey Savein

Tracey Savein brings an incredible eye (of the lens) capturing special moments in time. Because as the saying goes – A picture is worth a thousand words. “Any kind of photography, as I see it, is all about capturing motion and emotion. Whether the subject is raucous and rockin’ or the location is silent and still, if you can transport the viewer into a moment in time with an image and relay the energy of that moment, well, there’s your photograph.” 

BEATrio - April 25th @ George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Centre, Toronto

BEATrio - April 25th @ George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Centre, Toronto

International all-star band, BEATrio featuring Béla Fleck, virtuoso Colombian harpist, Edmar Castañeda and sensational, Mexican jazz drummer, Antonio Sánchez dazzle all at Meridian Centre’s George Weston Recital Hall in Toronto

Sing! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival Returns May 19 to June 1, 2026

Fri May 01 2026
The Real Group

15th Annual Festival a Canadian Success Story

TORONTO, ON, April 20, 2026 - The power of the human voice will take centre stage at SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival, running from May 19 to June 1, 2026. 
Now in its 15th year, the festival features more than 20 events, including concert performances, industry workshops, and the second annual SING! Canadian A Cappella Championships. The full festival schedule is available now at singtoronto.com.

Canada’s premier a cappella festival features concert performances showcasing an array of musical styles — from pop to jazz, electronic to soul, and even an “aca-singalong” with Pitch Perfect movie Music Director, Deke Sharon. With the theme of Singing Together, this year’s festival celebrates the transformative power of singing, from the youngest kids in the I Love to SING! Education program to the seasoned professionals in FreePlay duo.

This year’s festival takes place at several locations across Toronto, including the Royal Ontario Museum, Koerner Hall in the TELUS Centre for Performance & Learning, the Rec Room, and The Great Hall.

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame to Induct The Tragically Hip, Loverboy, Feist and Roch Voisine

Fri May 01, 2026

2026 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by Amazon Music to take place at Massey Hall on September 26

The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame will induct The Tragically Hip, Loverboy songwriters Mike Reno and Paul Dean, Feist and Roch Voisine at Massey Hall on September 26, 2026, in a ceremony celebrating their enduring contributions to Canadian songwriting. The evening will feature never-before-seen performances and tributes from leading Canadian and global artists, offering fresh interpretations of songs that have defined generations while introducing them to new audiences. Additional performers and special guests will be announced.

The 2026 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees are:

Why Words Endure: The Lyrics That Define Festival Season

Fri Apr 24 2026
Lyric Find

How a few words turn into thousands of voices.

April arrives with a familiar feeling. As the lights came up at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2026, one thing became clear: this year’s lineup offered a real-time case study in how lyrics move from passive familiarity to collective recall, transforming from something we recognize alone into something we experience together.

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That recognition often begins long before the festival gates open. In today’s listening landscape, music discovery happens across platforms, where a single line can surface, repeat, and embed itself in memory.

So, how do the lyrics we read on a screen or hear through headphones become something shouted back in unison, bridging the gap between digital discovery and real-world experience?

Let’s take a closer look at the artists whose words cut through this year’s festival circuit, and uncover what makes them resonate far beyond the setlist.

Jazzintoronto Community Celebration Returns May 29–31, 2026

Fri Apr 24 2026
Jazzintoronto

 Brings GRAMMY And JUNO Winners and Toronto's Most Celebrated Jazz Artists to Venues Across the City
 JazzInToronto, the not-for-profit dedicated to promoting local artists, today announced the return of its Community Celebration, taking place May 29, 30 and 31, 2026 across landmark venues in the downtown core. Produced by acclaimed musicians Lina Welch and Ori Dagan and supported in part by a grant from the Toronto Arts Council, the festival spans three distinct neighbourhoods — St. Lawrence Market, Yorkville, and Yonge & Dundas — and features a curated lineup that moves from swing and bebop to funk, soul and beyond.

"We are really thrilled with the lineup this year," said Ori Dagan, Artistic Director of JazzInToronto. "Besides booking exciting talent from rising stars to Grammy winners, we strive to be as diverse as possible, because that's what makes Toronto unique. And of course, our hope is to connect audiences to their new favourite artists who just happen to live in their own backyard."

One More Spin – Countermeasure A Cappella Closes Out A Long Run on May 22 at SING! Toronto

Fri Apr 24 2026
Countermeasure Photo Credit Brian Jensen

They were 14 friends just out of university in 2010.  They were dubbed “the fresh face of a cappella”.  They started in a classroom, then sang in malls, then moved to small festival stages, co-founded an a cappella festival, and grew. They toured the world, produced five highly praised albums, and earned international accolades.  “5 Stars but should be 12 stars! Extraordinary group, unmissable concert, made for our times, flexible, versatile, highly recommended, breathtaking talent, astoundingly good, world class.” Wandsworth Radio, UK

That’s Countermeasure, one of Canada’s foremost contemporary a cappella ensembles. And now, on the heels of the release of the fifth album, Guest Sessions Vol II, they are giving their final concert, One More Spin, on May 22 at Toronto’s Paradise Theatre as part of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival. Tickets are available at singtoronto.tickit.ca/events/34562

Steve Poltz Releases 14th Studio Album 'Joyride' in Advance of Canadian Tour

Fri Apr 24, 2026

There are artists who make records. And then there are artists like Steve Poltz, who get tricked into making them and end up with something that sounds like a warm hug from a stranger at the end of a very long, very weird road trip.

That's JoyRide. And it is exactly what the title promises.

The story starts the way all the best ones do: two guys in East Nashville, living close enough that one of them just picks up the phone. Producer Dex Green, the kind of musical architect who's helped shape Grammy-nominated records for Shemekia Copeland, Elvis Costello, Margo Price, and Nicole Atkins, called Poltz up one morning and said, essentially, come on over. No grand plan. No concept album vision board. Just a home studio called 3Sirens and a standing invitation to make some noise.

Poltz, characteristically, almost didn't go.