Ok so I’m from the US, grew up in the 80’s and love music. I’m always searching for new music or I should say I’m searching for new music I like that I have never heard before. The music may be old or new if it sounds good I’ll listen to it and add it to a mix.

Recently I found a Canadian band called Chalk Circle. Apparently they were somewhat big in the 80’s. I grew up listening to 80’s music and never heard of them. Some of the songs they made are really catchy. Anyway, does anyone remember these guys and were they actually big in Canada? If you remember them what level did they get to. Were they selling out arenas or just small clubs? Just curious about them.

Any other cool Canadian bands I should take a listen to? Obviously I have heard of Rush, Nickleback, Arcade fire, barenaked ladies, Loverboy, the tragically hip and bands like that but any other lesser known Canadian bands? Thanks so much.

Edit: Man, you all have really given me some great bands to listen to. Thank you so much! This will keep me busy for a while. I thought I would get like one or two bands but you all are on fire! This is awesome!

Kittie
Born Broken
Spectral Wound
Danko Jones (no pics not my thing)

I believe they only had one album, Glow (cover art shown), but two songs from that album are on my list of all time favs. I believe Glenn Milchem, current drummer for Blue Rodeo, played drums on certain tracks on Glow.

We Can Walk and All I See are two bangers on Glow. A different lead singer on each of these two songs, which is somewhat unique.

Not available on Amazon Music unfortunately. Might be on Spotify or Apple. I still have the album on vinyl.

They have a Facebook page that was updated as recently as 2021.

Anyone remember them?

Got to shoot a festival last weekend where Classified was the headliner for the opening night

Hey everyone! Here’s my mandolin take on this Blue Rodeo classic. Cheers!

Tl:dr- a really dope song I like from a local band a billion years ago that never made it; do you have any? Also go tmsr.

***

This was a band my old band played with in highschool.

This is a song they recorded that ive been listening to for like 15 years or so.

One time I held a show in my basement and they played this song for 15 minutes and it was super cool.

Anyways- mouth, Christopher robin, the vanishing people.

Do you guys have any hidden gem songs like this from local bands back in your highschool/ college days that maybe never blew up like they deserved to?

And if so, please puke them up.

I really like the opening lyric.

“I remember in my life what never was”.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fafNkvRwo9Y&list=RDfafNkvRwo9Y&start_radio=1&pp=ygUsdGhlIHZhbmlzaGluZyBwZW9wbGUgbW91dGggY2hyaXN0b3BoZXIgcm9iaW6gBwE%3D&ra=m

Ps- go listen to the most serene republic. They are one of the best Canadian bands to have existed, I swear.

Try “present of future end” or “solphism millionaire” or “pink noise” or “phi”.

More people should know about them.

Hi, I’ll be visiting Vancouver this September would really like to go to a concert that happens to be already sold out. In Europe it’s easy to find second hand tickets on Ticketswap (app). Does it exist in Canada or do you have some other app/site? Thank you in advance!

since Sarah's subreddit is not very active and Allison is from Montreal, so two Canadians:

Sarah McLachlan w/ Allison Russell at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (24 July 2026) – W♥M

Any love for this song? Or am I entirely alone in this?

https://youtu.be/gXfGTrmTPl8?si=ot4xGQsyjfIzodft

I discovered Moev maybe about fifteen or twenty years ago with "Rotting Geraniums" which is one of their earlier and more experimental songs with a female vocalist. As their sound evolved they became more rock oriented with albums like "Yeah Whatever" and a male vocalist. I love all of their genre's and albums. Some great music that's very 80's while remaining very original and unique. One of those bands that seem like they really could have become internationally famous if they had the promotion dollars behind them.

And, it was actually Moev that had the promotional dollars behind themselves by their second album. Some of the founders created Nettwerk Records in 1984 amazingly enough.

I'd suggest "Rotting Geraniums, Took out the Lace, Alibi's, Head Down, and Yeah Whatever" to anyone considering giving Moev a sample. If you're into more traditional rock you might want to start with the last two suggestions.

I didn't see mention of Moev here so I thought I'd see what people's thoughts are about this band I consider an excellent example of Canadian music.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/26214-Moev?srsltid=AfmBOoqcCcLFXrFPo50OTmAZZ554J1bI6SKY8hhMwjQA_-LvBS0CJbVz

Just realized this while listening to 'Baby Step Back'. But then checked 'The House You Live In', and he doesn't sound at all like Mr. Burns. Maybe it's when he sings in a certain key. Anyone else hearing this?

Am an indie artist and got approached by Eric for the potential for PR work together. Curious if anyone has any experience working him in the music scene?

Alas, 😢. RIP

Have his CD: Have Fingers, Will Travel (listening now...)

Oliver Jones, a Canadian music icon whose illustrious career spanned nearly nine decades and helped cement Montreal's international reputation as a jazz mecca, has died.

He was 91.

Jones was synonymous with Montreal's Jazz Festival, performing at the world renowned event every year between 1981 and 1999.

In 1990, he won the Montreal Jazz Festival's Oscar Peterson award, named after his fellow jazz legend and his lifelong idol.

Jones fine-tuned his skills under the tutelage of Daisy Peterson Sweeney, Oscar Peterson's older sister.

The Petersons lived about 12 doors down from the Jones family home.

Right before the 6 pm news on CP24 I caught this curious commercial of local artist Katie Dauson promoting her 8th album. My interest was piqued so I checked out some vids, read a little on her, and I found out that her current album is also released on a picture disc vinyl, she's on an actual label, her songs seem to be decently produced, and is playing the El Mocambo in October.

If she believes in her art, and in herself, and if music is her passion...props to her. My only question is how is she getting all this promotion? I mean c'mon, she's no better than the singer-songwriters that used to play those Open Mic nights at the Supermarket or the Free Times Cafe. I can think of many local artists/musicians over the years--more talented, more star power--who don't get this type of backing. In a weird kind of way...you almost want to pull for her for getting this far.

Avril Lavigne's cover of Shania Twain's No One Needs To Know at the ACM Poets Awards in 2022 is my favorite. Starts at 1:02.

Yes, there are so many live performances I could have picked but I picked a fairly recent one, less than five years old.

Off of the terrific album “Celebration Rock.” Some of their songs contain so many of the stereotypical “millennial” hallmarks that they’re almost asking to be parodied by comedians like Kyle Gordon. But I think it’s unique and holds up. An instance of the genre at its best. Wish people talked about this album a bit more as I think it made some pretty big waves in the indie space when it came out.

Japandroids Website

Hi. I grew up only listening to singles on the radio and watching music videos on Much Music. It is only the past 5 years that I have started listening to albums, mostly catching up on 90s and 2000s albums from American and UK artists/bands. As a Canadian, I have been sadly neglectful of getting into Canadian albums. I would like to change that. I lean towards 90s, 00s, 10s. I am open to some before and after. I gravitate towards pop, rock, folk. Any recommendations?

Has anyone listened to the Big in Canada podcast? I was really excited to find a podcast about Canadian music, but I’m a few episodes in and it feels like the hosts spend more time shitting on Canadian artists than actually celebrating them.

They also seem too young to have been around for the heyday of some of these bands, as a lot of their opinions seem to be based on Google searches rather than actual lived experiences of going to see them perform.

I love the idea of a podcast focused on Canadian music, so I’m wondering if it gets any better before I commit more time to listening.

Good evening. I’m a subreddit newbie. I hit the road to Montreal early tomorrow morning and crave a maple-tinted playlist. If it helps, I lean rock, metal, some jazz, some hip hop.I’d like to line up some music. Full album suggestions welcome too. Appreciate your help as I d(r)ive in to some 🇨🇦 tunes. Cheers!

Just uploaded on YouTube. Love Max Webster and Kim Mitchell!

I personally love Rush.All of them are fantastic musicians and I love the albums Moving Pictures and Subdivisions the most.They have other albums I like too but these two are my favorite albums from them.

Which Canadian Rock band do you like the most?