The
State
of the
Industry
By Andrew King
Streaming services. Copyright reform. The value gap. Music cities.
There’s been no shortage of hot-button topics facing the Canadian music industry these last few years,
though that’s basically been the case throughout Canadian Musician’s 40-year history. Still, as we approach a
new decade, it feels like our current series of crossroads is especially pivotal, and that this is simultaneously
one of the most exciting, challenging, and transformative times this industry has ever experienced.
With that, we thought it crucial to take a lay of the land and explore the timely subjects facing various
factions of the creator community by speaking with some of the organizations that represent and serve them.
Of course, some of the ideas and initiatives they discuss may seem a little “insider baseball,” but whether
they pertain to policy, profits, or internal programming, they all directly and significantly affect artists looking to
carve out or continue their careers in this ever-evolving business.
CANADIAN MUSICIAN 49