|
Canada has been a source of rock and roll music for decades, beginning with Paul Anka who in 1957 went to New York City where he recorded his own composition, "Diana". The song brought him instant stardom and went to No. 1 on the U.S. and Canadian charts. Since then, Canada has produced many internationally-popular rock and roll artists.
History of rock in Canada
-
Main article: Rock and roll
Rock and roll itself arose in the United States in the late 1940s after World War II, from a combination of the rhythms of the blues, from the African American culture, and from America's country music and gospel music scene. Though elements of rock and roll can be heard in country records of the 1930s, and in blues records from the 1920s, rock and roll did not acquire its name until the 1950s. An early form of rock and roll was rockabilly, which combined country and jazz, with influences from traditional Appalachian folk, and Gospel music. Going back even further, rock and roll can trace one lineage to the Five Points, Manhattan district of mid-19th century in New York City, the scene of the first fusion of heavily rhythmic African shuffles and sand dances with melody-driven European genres, particularly the Irish jig. Rock and Roll spread to Canada in the early 1950s and across the world beginning in about 1956.
1950s-1960s
Rock was heard first in Canada on US radio stations with broadcasts reaching into Canada from US stations close to the Canadian border, and U.S. recordings. Canada has remained a major market for US and later, British and European acts. Many US musicians toured Canada in the late 1950s, usually appearing in nightclubs. Those Canadians with successful recording careers in the 1950s usually had moved to the US like Paul Anka, the Crew-Cuts and The Diamonds. These bands would leave an indelible mark during the Doo-wop days. The Four Lads, originally known as The 4 Dukes, first hit the charts in 1952 with "Mocking Bird". The first Canadian-made rock recording to achieve international popularity was 'Clap Your Hands' in 1960 by a Montreal quartet, The Beaumarks. Bobby Curtola's first single was released in 1960, "Hand In Hand With You". He would go on to crack Billboard's Top 100 several more times in the 1960s with gold hits such as "Hitch Hiker", "Aladdin", "3 Rows Over" and his biggest chart-topper "Fortune Teller" . With the rise of The Beatles in the mid-1960s and the subsequent popularity of many other British bands, Canadians began to form rock groups in numbers. Often, however, Canadian records were simply covers of American or British pop hits. One important example was a Winnipeg band called Chad Allan & the Expressions, which had a 1965 hit with a version of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates' "Shakin' All Over". Ronnie Hawkins, an Arkansas born rockabilly singer, became the most prominent figure in Canadian rock beginning in 1958. He did more than any other to popularize Canadian Rock. The popularity of US rock in Canada encouraged young Canadians to form bands and led to existing groups, especially those devoted to country music, to change styles or to incorporate some rock hits in their repertoires. Country rock and folk rock singers like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Denny Doherty (of The Mamas & the Papas), David Clayton-Thomas, Neil Young, Andy Kim, Zal Yanovsky (of The Lovin' Spoonful), John Kay (of Steppenwolf), and Ian & Sylvia also found international audiences. Their success paved the way for a new wave of Canadian singer-songwriters, including Stan Rogers, Murray McLauchlan, Bruce Cockburn and Willie P. Bennett.
The Diamonds
-
Main article: The Diamonds
Formed in 1953, the first recording for Mercury was "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" , a cover of The Teenagers' version. They also covered songs by such artists as The Clovers, The Willows, and The Heartbeats. Their biggest hits were 1957's "Little Darlin'" (originally by The Gladiolas) and 1958's "The Stroll", which was an original song written for the group by Clyde Otis, and came from an idea by Dick Clark. In 1984, they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame;[1] in October 2004, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame[2] in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and in 2006 into The Doo-Wop Hall of Fame.[3]
The Four Lads
-
Main article: The Four Lads
In 1950, The Four Lads began to sing in local clubs in Toronto and soon were noticed by scouts. Recruited to go to New York, they attracted Mitch Miller, who asked them to do backup for some of the artists he recorded. In 1953, they made their first of five gold records, "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", which launched them to stardom and kept them busy throughout the 1950s and 1960s in the USA and Canada. Their most famous hit was "Moments to Remember" in 1955, and their next best known was "Standin' on the Corner" in 1956. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
Paul Anka
-
A singer, songwriter and actor from Ottawa, Ontario, he recorded his first single, "I Confess" in 1955 at age 14. In 1957, he went to New York City where he auditioned for ABC with the song, "Diana". This song brought Anka instant stardom by rocketing to number one on the U.S. Billboard charts. "Diana" is one of the best selling 45s in music history. He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958, making him one of the biggest teen idols of the time. He was elected to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1991, the Government of France honoured him with the title '"Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters". He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6840 Hollywood Blvd.[4] In 2005, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame,[5] and was also appointed an officer of the Order of Canada.[6]
Bobby Curtola
-
Main article: Bobby Curtola
A rock and roll singer and teen idol from Port Arthur, Ontario, Bobby Curtola had several songs on the Canadian music charts beginning with "Hand In Hand With You" in 1960. His biggest chart-topper came in 1962 with the song, "Fortune Teller" which was also successful internationally. In 1966, he won an RPM Gold Leaf Award (The Gold Leaf Awards, which were in effect the first Juno Awards) for becoming the first Canadian to have a gold album. In 1998, in recognition of his long service to the Canadian music industry as well as his humanitarian work around the world, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.[7]
Ronnie Hawkins / The Band
-
Born January 10, 1935 in Huntsville, Arkansas, Ronnie Hawkins was a pioneering rock and roll musician and cousin to fellow rockabilly pioneer Dale Hawkins. Known as "Rompin' Ronnie" Hawkins or "The Hawk", he was a key player in the 1960s rock scene in Toronto and for the next 40 years, performing all over North America, and recording more than twenty-five albums. His 1984 LP, 'Making It Again', garnered him a Juno Award as Canada's best Country Male Vocalist. In 1958, he formed a backing band called The Hawks, which produced some of the earliest Canadian rock stars. Among them were the members of The Band, who began touring with Bob Dylan in 1966, and then struck out on their own in 1968, releasing well-remembered albums like Music from Big Pink and The Band. The Band was also inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[8] Ronnie Hawkins with The Band, helped tear down the Berlin Wall in 1989 and performed at President Bill Clinton's 1992 inaugural party.
David Clayton Thomas
-
Born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England, UK, David Clayton-Thomas moved to Willowdale, Ontario when he was not yet school-aged. He idolized the music of John Lee Hooker and began playing guitar and singing. By 1964, aged 21, he had his own band, "The Shays". In 1967, he joined forces with former members of the Toronto R&B outfit, Jon and Lee & The Checkmates and renamed them his new backing band, The Phoenix. David Clayton Thomas is best known as a vocalist with the band Blood, Sweat & Tears. This band's first album with Clayton-Thomas as lead singer in 1969 produced three gold singles and three Grammy Awards including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The album included his own composition "Spinning Wheel" which became a big single hit on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2002, the album was honoured with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award[9] and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996.
Andy Kim
-
Andrew Youakim, a pop singer and songwriter from Montreal, Quebec, under the stage name of Andy Kim, released the single "How'd We Ever Get This Way-" in 1968, on the Steed label. That record made the US Top Twenty. In 1969, Kim had two hit singles, "Rainbow Ride", which again made it into the US Top Twenty, and "Baby, I Love You", which got to #5 and was popular enough in Canada to earn him a Juno Award as "Top Male Vocalist." The same year, with Jeff Barry, Kim co-wrote "Sugar, Sugar" which was a hit single for The Archies, reaching No. 1 on the US pop music charts and ultimately becoming the RIAA Record of the Year. Kim, along with Barry, would find great success as bubblegum pop songwriters by writing songs for many late sixty's and early seventy's pop groups like The Archies (The Archie Show) and The Monkees.
Gordon Lightfoot
-
A folk singer, composer, lyricist and poet from Orillia, Ontario, Lightfoot was gaining recognition by his early twenties as a songwriter for two of his songs ("For Lovin' Me" and "Early Mornin' Rain") covered by Ian and Sylvia in 1964. During this time, many of Lightfoot's songs were racking up hits for artists like Peter, Paul and Mary, Chad and Jeremy, Marty Robbins, Leroy Van Dyke, Judy Collins, Richie Havens, The Kingston Trio and Harry Belafonte. In 1966, his debut album Lightfoot! was released and it brought him recognition as a singer as well as a songwriter. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a song written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot in commemoration of the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. The single reached #2 on the Billboard pop charts in November 1976, making it Lightfoot's second most successful (in terms of chart position) single, with "Sundown" reaching number one in 1974. Lightfoot has received 15 Juno Awards[10] and been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards.[11] He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2001. Lightfoot was inducted into Canada's Walk of Famein 1998. In May 2003, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. Lightfoot is also a member of the Order of Ontario, the highest honour in the Province of Ontario.
Steppenwolf
-
Although only 2 of the original 5 members were born in Canada (Jerry Edmonton and Goldy McJohn), Steppenwolf and German born frontman John Kay were among the biggest names in Canadian music in the 1960s and 1970s. Kay would later become a Canadian citizen and has been recognized (by himself) with induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame. Steppenwolf is most famous for the songs Born to Be Wild, Magic Carpet Ride and The Pusher. Born to be Wild is the group's biggest hit, making it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and receiving recognition by being named one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll,[12] by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and as one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[13]
The Guess Who
-
Main article: The Guess Who
The Guess Who formed in 1962 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was the first Canadian rock band to establish a major successful following outside their own country while still residing there. Produced by the legendary Jack Richardson, they were the first Canadian rock group to have a No.1 hit that reached the top on the Canadian Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, "American Woman" in 1970. This achievement was not matched again by a Canadian band until Nickelback did it in 2002. The Guess Who won two Juno Awards from four nominations.
Originally named "The Expressions", the band wanted radio stations and record buyers to believe they were a British Merseybeat band in disguise. So when they released their debut album, it didn't bear their own name-instead, it was labelled "Guess Who-". The ruse worked, and within a few years The Guess Who were one of Canada's biggest musical names. To this day, their best-known songs ("American Woman", "Share the Land", "These Eyes", etc.) remain among Canada's most enduring classic rock anthems.
1970s
By the end of the 1960s, the American and British counterculture and hippie movement had moved rock towards psychedelic rock, heavy metal, progressive rock and other styles, incorporating, for the first time in popular music, socially and politically incisive lyrics.
With the introduction of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) broadcast regulations in 1970, the Canadian recording industry made rock a major focus of its activity. Increased production, and the ground-breaking international popularity of The Guess Who at the end of the 1960s, opened markets outside Canada to the country's musicians. Moreover, success abroad usually ensured success in Canada. An example of the effect of the Canadian content regulations was the sudden rise to fame of Anne Murray, whose 1970 "Snowbird" was a multi-million selling record. Led by The Guess Who, Anne Murray and The Poppy Family, the early 1970s were a golden age for Canadian music. Many performers from the late 1960s came to the forefront in the following years, among them The Bells from Montreal, Chilliwack from Vancouver, Five Man Electrical Band from Ottawa, Lighthouse from Toronto, and The Stampeders from Calgary.
Canadian cultural critics have noted, in general, that the late 1970s were a lesser era for Canadian music. Many of the acts who had defined the earlier half of the decade were no longer recording, and the new artists emerging in this era simply didn't seem to be able to capture the Canadian pop zeitgeist in the same way. Many of them, in fact, were only "one-hit wonders".
However, a number of established Canadian acts, including Rush, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bruce Cockburn, April Wine, Pat Travers and Neil Young, remained influential and recorded some of their most popular material of all during this period, and former Guess Who lead singer Burton Cummings emerged as a popular solo artist in soft rock. Another of this period's most influential and popular rock bands, Heart, resulted from the collaboration of two sisters from Seattle with a supporting band from Vancouver.
With the introduction in this period of rock music on FM radio stations, where it was common practice to program extended performances, musicians were no longer limited to songs of three minutes' duration as dictated by AM stations. The Canadian music industry was still nascent, however, with little independent music media and a limited distribution infrastructure. The two most internationally renowned bands to arise from this industry were Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Rush, both dominated by powerful managers. Bachman-Turner Overdrive's manager, Bruce Allen, went on to produce Loverboy and eventually manage such major pop stars as Bryan Adams, Martina McBride, and Anne Murray.
Neil Young
-
Neil Young first came to prominence as a member of the folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield in the mid-1960s and then as a solo performer backed by the band Crazy Horse. He reached his commercial peak during the singer-songwriter boom of the early 1970s with the albums After the Gold Rush and Harvest as well as with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.[14] He has five Juno Awards from twenty-four nominations. In 2000, the cable music channel VH1 ranked Young thirtieth on a list of the Top 100 Artists of Rock and Roll. He was also thirty-ninth on VH1's list of Top 100 Hard rock Artists. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Neil Young[15] #34 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[16] Young was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1982. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: first in 1995 for his solo work, with an induction speech given by Eddie Vedder, and again in 1997 as a member of Buffalo Springfield. Young has twice received honorary doctorates. First in 1992, an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario and secondly in 2006, an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from San Francisco State University.
BTO
-
A hard rock band formed in 1970 by Randy Bachman and Chad Allan (both of The Guess Who), they released their first album under the name Bachman-Turner Overdrive in spring 1973, which won two Juno Awards despite being largely ignored in the US. Their second album Bachman-Turner Overdrive II hit #4 in the U.S., and won Juno Awards for Best Group, Album, and Producer. BTO II was certified gold in eight countries. It also yielded their best-remembered # 1 single, "Takin' Care of Business" written by Randy Bachman. 1974's album Not Fragile went straight to the top of the charts, and the single "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" hit #1 in the U.S. and #2 in the UK. From today's point of view, BTO were one of the early hard rock bands which opted for songs backed by catchy melodies and powerful riffing. The band has a total of seven Juno Awards from twelve nominations.
Rush
-
Main article: Rush (band)
A progressive rock band from Willowdale, Ontario formed in 1968, Rush are one of the longest-lived and most popular of Canadian musical exports. Rush boasts 25 gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records,[17] making them one of the best-selling rock bands in history. Rush currently place fifth behind The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, KISS and Aerosmith for the most consecutive gold and platinum albums by a rock band. They have been awarded several Juno Awards and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Additionally, Lee, Lifeson, and Peart are all Officers of the Order of Canada, the first rock musicians so honoured.[18]
Hard Rock & Heavy Metal
Following in Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Rush's footsteps, a wave of hard rock and heavy metal acts emerged from all across Canada, including Triumph from Toronto, Trooper from Vancouver, and April Wine from Halifax. In 1971, the Canadian content law was passed ensuring Canadian culture and artists weren't overrun by the American media outlets. Artists like Moxy, The Kings, A Foot in Coldwater, Prism, Crowbar, Saga, Nick Gilder, Ian Thomas, Goddo, Harlequin, Mahogany Rush, Streetheart, Pat Travers, Max Webster and Ironhorse saw their greatest success during this time.
Stampeders
-
One of few top rock groups of the early 1970s in Canada, known for many number one singles including their biggest hit "Sweet City Woman". They hail from Calgary, Alberta where they formed in the early 1960s as "The Rebounds", early band members included Rich Dodson, Kim Berly, Ronnie King, Brendan Lyttle, Race Holiday, and Van Louis [19]. In 1968 Brendan, Race and Van left the group, but the three remaining continued on to have great success in Canada in internationally. [20] In 1971, they won three Juno for their hit "Sweet City Woman", also for Best Group, Best Producer and Best Composer of the year.[citation needed] They are known for their musical versatility and throughout the 70's they appeared on a variety of television shows such as NBC's The Dating Game, Kenny Rogers' Kenny Rogers and Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. Dodson was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame along with Leonard Cohen [21]. Having reunited in 1992, they continue to this day to tour extensively playing sold out shows to their loyal and dedicated fans of all ages across Canada [22].
April Wine
-
A hard rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, April Wine would release over 20 albums,[23] with The Nature of the Beast going Platinum. They have forged a live performance reputation that sees them still drawing devoted crowds all across Canada and around the world 39 years after taking their first steps into the hard rock spotlight. Though April Wine's accomplishments have been many, they have yet to be "officially" recognised by the Canadian Music/Entertainment Industry's governing bodies. They have never been awarded a Juno, but have been nominated eleven times. They have yet to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame or the Canadian Walk of Fame. Myles Goodwyn, however, was awarded the ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.[24][25][26][27]
Trooper
-
Main article: Trooper (band)
A hard rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Trooper saw great success in Canada during the late 1970s and early 1980s. After hearing Trooper perform, Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who signed the band to his "Legend" label and produced the band's first album, Trooper , containing the Canadian hit "Baby Woncha Please Come Home". In 1980, Trooper was honoured with a Juno Award for "Best Group", and two of their albums (Hot Shots and Flying Colors) were also nominated that year for "Best Album".[28] Hot Shots broke all Canadian sales records at the time for Canadian sales of a Canadian album, reaching Quadruple-Platinum.[29]Although the band has had only one big American hit with "The Boys in the Bright White Sportscar" [30] and the small hit "Raise A Little Hell", the band has released ten albums with mainstream success all over Canada.
Triumph
-
Main article: Triumph (band)
Being a Canadian power trio, Triumph were often compared to Rush, but at the start, their own brand of heavy rock remained structured and traditional, eschewing concept albums and instrumental improvisation. The band is considered heavy metal by most standards, though the band themselves were reluctant to embrace this label. Gil Moore once described Triumph as a cross between Emerson, Lake & Palmer and The Who.[31] However, Rik Emmett's eclectic songwriting styles soon revealed his personal tastes ran closer to the heart of progressive rock. The band has eight separate albums that have gone gold and one certified Platinum album called "Allied Forces". Triumph has been nominated for five Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in '79, '85, '86, and '87. Gil Moore has since founded his own Recording School and Studio known as Metalworks Institute situated in the suburb of Etobicoke just west of Toronto.
Burton Cummings
-
A soft rock musician, pianist and showman, Cummings was the lead singer for The Guess Who from 1965 to 1975. Starting in 1976, his solo hits in Canada ruled the charts for the next five years. The album "Dream of A Child", released in 1978, was one of the best-selling Canadian albums in history at that time. Cummings charted outside Canada with "Stand Tall" and "You Saved My Soul" and inside Canada with "Stand Tall", "I'm Scared", "Break it to Them Gently", and "Fine State of Affairs." He has been awarded with four Juno Awards from his nineteen nominations.
Punk
Many acts have had equally vital, if less remunerative careers outside the mainstream in punk rock and its derivations, generally distinguished by a tendency to extremes of one sort or another. Whether in instrumental intensity, lyric content, or performance style Canadian pop music evolved with the times, reflecting worldwide trends. In the late 1970s, as punk rock and disco ruled the landscape, Canadian punk groups such as D.O.A., The Viletones, The Forgotten Rebels, Rough Trade, Diodes, Teenage Head, The Demics, The Young Canadians and Subhumans emerged and continued in the 1980s with popular bands like SNFU, Dayglo Abortions, and Nomeansno.
D.O.A.
-
Main article: D.O.A. (band)
A band from Vancouver, British Columbia whose music was often described as hardcore punk, D.O.A.'s band members are often referred to as the "founders" of Hardcore by their following, along with Bad Brains and D.C's Minor Threat. Their second album Hardcore 81 was thought by many to have been the first actual reference to the second wave of American punk bands sound as "Hardcore".
1980s
Things changed course in the 1980s, the changing of the political culture was accompanied by an explosion in youth culture. Until the mid-1960s, little attention was paid to rock by daily newspapers except as news or novelty. With the introduction during the 1970s of the "rock critic", coverage began to rival that of any other music. Canadian acts were getting international press coverage by the late 1970s. The 1980s saw Canada support and promote many of its own talent in pursuit of true originality. Canadian rock generally had been discouraged by market forces before the 1980s, in particular the need to conform to the taste of a Canadian audience that has had its standards and expectations formed by constant exposure to US and British acts for the prior three decades. The popularity of Chilliwack, for example, rose dramatically after the band turned from the experimental nature of its first few LPs to a mainstream pop style consistent with the US style.
Music videos assumed a major role in the promotion of pop rock recordings in 1980s for US exposure. Videos produced many mainstream pop-rockers that saw huge success in and outside of Canada. Success in the larger US market remained the major goal of most, if not all, post-1970 Canadian rock acts; a goal in fact reached with some greater or lesser degree of consistency by several, among them Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, Alannah Myles, Brighton Rock, Lee Aaron, Tom Cochrane, Loverboy, Honeymoon Suite and Glass Tiger. As well, the era produced the country cowpunk of k.d. lang, who did eventually become one of pop music's biggest names.
Bryan Adams
-
Main article: Bryan Adams
A rock singer, guitarist, songwriter and photographer, Bryan Adams has been awarded the Order of Canada[32] and the Order of British Columbia[33] for his contribution to popular music and his philanthropic work. He was also inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998,[34] and more recently inducted into the Music Hall of Fame at Canada's Juno Awards in April 2006.[35] He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for songwriting,[36] and was recently nominated for his fifth Golden Globe (2007) for his songwriting in the film Bobby.[37]. His 16 consecutive weeks spent on top of the UK Singles Charts (for (Everything I Do) I Do It for You) remains a record. Adams's music has been used on the soundtrack of 42 movies [38] He has won eighteen Juno Awards from fifty-five nominations. The album Reckless went to #1 on the Billboard charts and sold over 5 million copies in the US on the strength of six massive hits.
Chilliwack
-
The band initially formed in 1964 as the Classics in Vancouver, British Columbia, but later changed the name to the Collectors in 1966 and then to Chilliwack in 1970.[39] The band first hit the charts in Canada in 1974 with "Crazy Talk" , but is perhaps best remembered for its three biggest songs from the 1980s "My Girl (Gone Gone Gone)", "I Believe" and "Whatcha Gonna Do".[40] Even though those three hits were their only popular singles in the US, the band has achieved legendary status in Canada, releasing over a dozen albums. Bill Henderson, the founder of the band, won the Best Producer Juno Award in 1982 for the album Opus X. Henderson has also won a Genie Award for best original song in a movie ("When I Sing", from Bye Bye Blues), and was musical director for the Canadian edition of Sesame Street from 1989 to 1995.
Tom Cochrane
-
Main article: Tom Cochrane
In 1980, Tom Cochran became a part of a popular Toronto rock band called Red Rider that released four albums before changing their name to "Tom Cochrane & Red Rider", and releasing three more albums. Tom then decided to go solo and he started this career in 1990. His story-telling songs have earned him the nickname "The thinking man's rocker". He has released more than six solo albums, has won six Juno Awards from twenty-two nominations, six SOCAN awards and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
54-40
-
Formed in 1981, Vancouver based 54-40 is one of Canada's most enduring bands. At the outset, the band was part of Mo-Da-Mu records, a co-op record company. They became disenchanted with the co-op concept, when they realized that they were the only net contributors to the label.
The name 54-40 is derived from Andrew Polk's "Fifty-four Forty or Fight" 1800s US presidential campaign slogan. The band took this name as an homage to their home as well as a commitment to each other. Infamously, the band garnered the attention of record execs when they were refused entry to an LA club due to capacity problems, despite being on the guest list. The Globe and Mail called their self titled debut album "the best Canadian release in years". Over their career the band has released 16 albums. Ironically, much of their catalogue is in regular rotation on classic rock radio, despite getting no airplay the first time around.
The band continues to contribute to the Canadian cultural landscape and a preview of their upcoming single and video has been made at their website.
Loverboy
-
A hard rock band from Calgary, Alberta, Loverboy accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, making four multi-platinum albums. The band's hit singles, particularly "Lovin' Every Minute of It" and "Working for the Weekend" have become hard rock staples, and are still heard on classic rock radio stations across the US and Canada. The band's second album, released in late 1980, Get Lucky became their best selling album in the US, reaching #7 on the Billboard album charts and selling over four million copies[41]. In the same year, Loverboy received five Juno Awards, Canada's highest award for music, in one year, a record that still stands today. The band would later receive an additional three Juno Awards, bringing their total to eight, which is the most received by a single group or individual except Bryan Adams. 1983 saw the single "Hot Girls in Love" from their third album, Keep It Up becoming their most successful US chart hit to date, reaching #11. Lovin' Every Minute of It, the band's fourth album released in 1985 with the title single and follow-up "This Could Be The Night" becoming their first US Billboard top 10 hits. In 1986, the band recorded "Heaven in Your Eyes", a song that would be featured in the movie Top Gun, and reached #12 on the Billboard charts.
New Wave & Glam Rock
As in the United States on MTV, music videos became more and more important as a marketing tool for bands by the mid 1980s. With the debut of MuchMusic in 1984 and MusiquePlus in 1986, both English and French Canadian musicians had outlets to promote their music through video in Canada. The networks, however, were not just an opportunity for artists to get their videos played-the networks created VideoFACT, a fund to help emerging artists produce their videos. New Wave, Glam Rock and heavy metal had become the most popular style of rock in the mid 1980s; acts such as Platinum Blonde, Helix, Toronto, The Parachute Club, Rough Trade, Spoons, Trans-X, Rational Youth, Men Without Hats, Norman Iceberg, Images in Vogue, Headpins, Sheriff, Teenage Head and Martha and the Muffins were along for the ride. Rough Trade were particularly notable for "High School Confidential", one of the first explicitly lesbian-themed pop songs to crack the Top 40 anywhere in the world.
Platinum Blonde
-
A Canadian New Wave group, with the release of the album Standing in the Dark, Platinum Blonde invaded the airwaves in Canada with four hit singles, a double platinum album, and two Juno Award nominated songs: "Standing in the Dark" and "It Doesn't Really Matter". Their music videos were placed into high rotation on the newly created Much Music. In 1985, the band released a second album called Alien Shores, which went quintuple platinum in Canada. They have been nominated for six Juno Awards from 1984-1986.
Kim Mitchell
-
Main article: Kim Mitchell
A singer and guitarist from Sarnia, Ontario, Mitchell formed the band Max Webster in the 1970s with fellow Sarnia native, Pye Dubois. Max Webster toured extensively and built a string of hits in Canada. Mitchell's solo career began in 1983, with session work and a succession of solo albums. In 1985, the song "Go For Soda" from the Akimbo Alogo album became an international hit and remains his best known song outside of his native Canada. Mitchell has been awarded several Juno Awards for his work including "Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year" in 1983, "Album of the Year" for the triple Platinum Shakin' Like A Human Being, and "Male Vocalist of the Year" in 1990.
Helix
-
Main article: Helix (band)
A heavy metal band that formed in 1974, Helix released two independent albums, entitled Breaking Loose and White Lace & Black Leather in 1979 and 1981 respectively. They then signed to Capitol Records and released several Canadian hit albums in the '80s - No Rest for the Wicked, Walkin' the Razor's Edge, Long Way to Heaven, and Wild in the Streets. Walkin' the Razor's Edge sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada and 400,000 internationally. Helix has been nominated for two Juno Awards.
Alternative Rock
In the late 1980s, the Canadian recording industry continued to produce popular acts such as Blue Rodeo. However, alternative rock also emerged as an influential genre, with independent artists such as 54-40, The Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan, Spirit of the West, The Waltons, Cowboy Junkies, The Pursuit of Happiness, and The Grapes of Wrath all gaining their first widespread attention during this time. Also notable are Canadian progressive |
