List of Famous Bands from Ontario
List of Ontario bands, listed by their level of fame. This Ontario musicians list includes both bands and solo artists. All famous Ontario bands are included, as well as many Ontario musicians of underground status. This list of Ontario musical artists includes information like what genre the artist falls under, what albums they've put out and more. If you want to know more about these famous Ontario bands you can click on their names to learn more about them. Bands from every genre are listed here, including rock, pop, hip-hop/rap, jazz, and more.
List features bands like Avril Lavigne and Neil Young.
If you're wondering, "What bands are from Ontario?" or "What is a list of Ontario bands?" then this list will answer your questions. {#nodes}- Avril Ramona Lavigne, born on September 27, 1984 in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, is a globally recognized Canadian-French singer-songwriter and actress. Raised in a deeply religious family, her journey towards stardom began in church choirs and local performances. Her raw talent was noticed by her first manager, Cliff Fabri, while she was performing at a bookstore in Kingston, Ontario. This led to a two-album recording contract with Arista Records, worth more than $2 million. Lavigne's debut album, Let Go, released in 2002, catapulted her into the limelight. The album, marked by its punk-pop sound, reached number two on the U.S Billboard 200 and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The lead single, "Complicated," was a global hit, setting the tone for Lavigne's signature style - a blend of punk, rock, and pop that appealed to a broad audience. In addition to her music career, Lavigne ventured into acting, making appearances in films such as Over the Hedge and Fast Food Nation. Throughout her career, Avril Lavigne has been acclaimed not only for her distinctive vocal prowess but also for her songwriting skills. She has received several awards, including eight Grammy nominations. Moreover, her philanthropic endeavors are noteworthy. In 2010, she established the Avril Lavigne Foundation, which supports people with serious illnesses and disabilities. Despite battling Lyme disease, Lavigne continues to inspire millions with her resiliency and undeniable talent, proving herself to be a steadfast figure in the ever-changing world of music.
- Albums: Let Go, My Happy Ending, Don't Tell Me, When You're Gone, Forbidden Rose
- 1Let Go306 Votes
- 2Under My Skin330 Votes
- 3The Best Damn Thing269 Votes
- Born in Toronto, Canada, in 1945, Neil Young is a quintessential singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has significantly influenced the music world for over half a century. Known for his idiosyncratic vocal style and deeply personal lyrics, Young's vast musical repertoire spans across several genres, including rock, folk, country, and experimental. His prolific career began in the 1960s as part of the folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield, followed by collaborations with Crosby, Stills & Nash, and later his success as a solo artist. Young's songwriting often reflects his political activism and concern for environmental issues, lending a unique depth and relevance to his music. His most notable albums include After the Gold Rush (1970), Harvest (1972), and Rust Never Sleeps (1979). These have been hailed as some of the greatest albums in rock history, showcasing Young's ability to evolve his sound while remaining true to his artistic vision. Despite facing several career disruptions due to health issues, Young has remained persistently active in the music industry, releasing dozens of albums and earning multiple awards. Neil Young's impact on music extends beyond his discography. He co-founded Farm Aid, an annual benefit concert that raises funds for family farmers in the United States. As an inventor, he developed Pono, a high-resolution music download service and player to deliver better audio quality than MP3s. This multi-faceted artist has not only shaped the sound of rock and roll but also used his platform to effect meaningful change, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential musicians of his generation.
- Albums: Harvest, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, Tonight's the Night, On the Beach
- 1After the Gold Rush695 Votes
- 2Harvest716 Votes
- 3Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere605 Votes
- Rush, a renowned Canadian rock band, was formed in August 1968. The original line-up consisted of Alex Lifeson (guitars), John Rutsey (drums), and Jeff Jones (bass, lead vocals). However, after a series of changes, the final and most recognized formation came to be with Geddy Lee (bass, keyboards, lead vocals) and Neil Peart (drums, percussion, lyricist) joining Lifeson. This powerhouse trio from Toronto, Ontario, went on to make an indelible mark on the world of music. Their musical journey began with a self-titled debut album in 1974, featuring a hard rock style heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin. However, it was their second album, Fly By Night (1975), that truly set the stage for Rush's future sound, as it introduced progressive elements into their music. Over the years, Rush evolved to incorporate various styles, notably progressive rock, hard rock, and a period of synthesizer-oriented rock in the 1980s. Known for their complex compositions and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily from science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, Rush's music has been characterized by its instrumental virtuosity. Rush's contribution to music has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades. They have been honored with 24 gold, 14 platinum, and three multi-platinum albums. Their remarkable career spans over four decades, during which they released 19 studio albums and embarked on several world tours. In 1994, Rush was inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame, followed by the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1999. Their influence and innovation were further acknowledged when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Despite their disbandment in 2018, Rush's legacy continues to resonate, inspiring countless musicians and delighting fans worldwide.
- Albums: Moving Pictures, 2112, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Fly by Night
- Alanis Morissette, a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress, has been a significant figure in the alternative rock scene since the mid-1990s. Born on June 1, 1974, in Ottawa, Canada, she began her career as a pop artist in her home country before evolving into an influential alternative rock icon. Her musical journey is marked by introspective lyrics and expressive vocals, creating a unique sound that resonates with listeners worldwide. Morissette's breakthrough came in 1995 when she released the album Jagged Little Pill, which was a departure from her earlier pop sound. This album, produced by Glen Ballard, was a raw exploration of her life experiences and quickly garnered global attention. It sold over 33 million copies worldwide and won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. The album's most notable singles, "You Oughta Know," "Hand in My Pocket," and "Ironic," secured Morissette's position as a voice of her generation. Aside from her successful music career, Morissette has also ventured into acting. She made her debut in the 1993 Nickelodeon series You Can't Do That on Television and later appeared in popular shows like Sex and the City and Weeds. In addition to her acting roles, she has dedicated her time to activism, focusing on issues such as mental health and female empowerment. Throughout her career, Alanis Morissette has continually evolved, proving her versatility as an artist and establishing her legacy in the world of music and beyond.
- Albums: Jagged Little Pill, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, Under Rug Swept, Underneath, Jagged Little Pill Acoustic
- 1Jagged Little Pill241 Votes
- 2Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie186 Votes
- 3Under Rug Swept135 Votes
- Shania Twain, born as Eilleen Regina Edwards in 1965, is a Canadian singer and songwriter who has made a significant impact on the global music scene. Known widely for her contributions to country and pop music, Twain's journey from her humble beginnings to becoming an internationally recognized artist is both inspiring and captivating. Her meteoric rise to fame in the mid-1990s was marked by her second studio album, The Woman in Me, which brought her widespread industry recognition and commercial success. Twain's life has been a testament to resilience. She was raised in Timmins, Ontario, where she experienced a challenging childhood marked by poverty and domestic violence. Despite these obstacles, her passion for music was unwavering. This determination paid off when she signed with Mercury Nashville Records in the early 1990s. Twain's unique blend of country and pop, along with her dynamic stage presence and powerful vocals, quickly earned her a massive fan base. Her third album, Come On Over, became the best-selling studio album of all time by a female act in any genre and the best-selling country album, selling over 40 million copies worldwide. Throughout her career, Twain has received several accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards, solidifying her status as one of the most successful artists in music history. Beyond her musical achievements, she is also known for her philanthropic work. She established the Shania Kids Can Foundation, which aims to provide support for children in schools who are typically overlooked by social services. In the realm of music, Twain's legacy continues to inspire generations of artists. Her influence, perseverance, and talent have undeniably cemented her place as an icon in the music industry.
- Albums: Come On Over, Up!, The Woman in Me, Man! I Feel Like a Woman!, Greatest Hits
- Bryan Adams, globally renowned as one of the greatest rock musicians of his generation, was born on November 5, 1959, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Born into a military family, Adams cultivated an early interest in music that led him to drop out of high school at the age of 15 and join a band as a lead vocalist. His journey in the music industry began with his self-titled debut album in 1980, which didn't garner much attention. However, his second album, You Want It You Got It, released in 1981, marked the beginning of his success story. Notoriety came knocking on Adams's door with his third album, Cuts Like a Knife in 1983. The album became a huge hit, charting three singles in the top 10. With his distinct raspy vocals and passionate performances, he quickly established himself as a bona fide rock icon. In 1984, he released Reckless, which skyrocketed his popularity worldwide. This album included some of his biggest hits such as "Summer of '69" and "Run To You." Beyond his musical prowess, Bryan Adams is also known for his philanthropic endeavors. He founded the Bryan Adams Foundation in 2006, with a mission to improve the quality of people's lives around the world. The foundation focuses on education and learning opportunities for children and young people internationally. Adams has also been active in animal rights advocacy. Despite his fame and success, Adams remains a humble and dedicated artist, continually striving to create music that resonates with his fans across the globe.
- Albums: Reckless, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, 11, Bryan Adams, Room Service
- 1Reckless253 Votes
- 2Waking Up the Neighbours186 Votes
- 3Cuts Like a Knife179 Votes
- The Band was a Canadian-American roots rock group including Rick Danko (bass guitar, vocals, fiddle), Garth Hudson (keyboards, accordion, saxophone), Richard Manuel (keyboards, drums, vocals), Robbie Robertson (guitar, vocals), and Levon Helm (drums, vocals, mandolin, guitar). The members of the Band first came together as rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins's Toronto, Ontario-based backing group, The Hawks, which they joined one by one between 1958 and 1963. In 1964, they separated from Hawkins (and subsequently The Hawks), after which they toured and released a few singles as Levon and the Hawks and the Canadian Squires. The next year, Bob Dylan hired them for his U.S. tour in 1965 and world tour in 1966. Following the 1966 tour, the group moved with help from Bob Dylan and his manager, Albert Grossman, to Saugerties, New York, where they made the informal 1967 recordings that became The Basement Tapes, the basis for their 1968 debut album, Music from Big Pink. Because they were always "the band" to various frontmen and the locals in Woodstock, Helm said the name "the Band" worked well when the group came into its own. The group began performing as the Band in 1968 and went on to release ten studio albums. Dylan continued to collaborate with the Band over the course of their career, including a joint 1974 tour.The original configuration of The Band ended its touring career in 1976 with an elaborate performance at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California that featured numerous musical celebrities of the era. This performance was filmed for Martin Scorsese's 1978 documentary The Last Waltz. Although the members of the group intended to continue working on studio projects, they drifted apart after the release of Islands in March 1977. The Band resumed touring in 1983 without Robertson, who had found success with a solo career and as a Hollywood music producer. As a result of their diminished popularity, they performed in theaters and clubs as headliners and took support slots in larger venues for onetime peers such as the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills and Nash. Following a 1986 concert, Manuel committed suicide in his hotel room. The remaining three members continued to tour and record albums with a succession of musicians filling Manuel's and Robertson's roles; the final configuration of the group included Richard Bell (piano), Randy Ciarlante (drums), and Jim Weider (guitar). Danko died of heart failure in 1999, after which the group broke up for good. Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 and was unable to sing for several years, but he eventually regained the use of his voice. He continued to perform and released several successful albums until he died in 2012. The group was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked them No. 50 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time, and in 2008 they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004, "The Weight" was ranked 41st on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.In 2014, the Band was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
- Albums: The Band, Music From Big Pink, The Last Waltz, Planet Waves, The Basement Tapes
- Geddy Lee, whose original name is Gary Lee Weinrib, was destined to make a significant impact on the world of rock music. Born on July 29, 1953, in Toronto, Canada, his parents were Holocaust survivors who imbued him with an incredible sense of resilience and passion that would later define his musical journey. Lee's interest in music began at an early age, and he joined his first band - Rush - when he was just 15 years old. His unique vocal style and bass guitar prowess would soon become the trademark of this iconic rock band. Lee's talent as a bassist is recognized globally, and his influence extends far beyond the confines of Rush. His innovative approach to bass playing has shaped the sound of progressive rock and influenced countless musicians across different genres. Besides his bass-playing expertise, Lee also gained fame for his high-register vocal abilities, songwriting skills, and proficiency in playing keyboard instruments. Throughout his time with Rush, he co-wrote and co-produced most of their songs, contributing significantly to the band's success. Despite facing numerous challenges, including the early dismissive attitude of critics towards Rush, Lee's determination never waned. The band eventually earned 24 gold, 14 platinum, and three multi-platinum album certifications. In addition to his successful career with Rush, Lee also released his solo album, My Favorite Headache, in 2000. He is the recipient of numerous awards including several Juno Awards, and is an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a testament to his astonishing talents, Geddy Lee remains a beacon of innovation and resilience in the world of rock music.
- Albums: My Favorite Headache
- Three Days Grace are a Canadian rock band formed in Norwood, Ontario in 1997. The band's original iteration was called "Groundswell" and played in various local Norwood back-yard parties and area establishments from 1993 to 1996. Based in Toronto, the band's original line-up consisted of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer and backing vocalist Neil Sanderson, and bassist Brad Walst. In 2003, Barry Stock was recruited as the band's lead guitarist, making them a four-member band. In 2013, Gontier left the band and was replaced by My Darkest Days' vocalist Matt Walst, who is also the younger brother of Brad Walst. Currently signed to RCA Records, they have released six studio albums, each at three-year intervals: Three Days Grace in 2003, One-X in 2006, Life Starts Now in 2009, Transit of Venus in 2012, Human in 2015, and Outsider in 2018. Their upcoming seventh studio album Explosions is due to be released on May 6, 2022.
- Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. Originally called Kaspir, the band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Deryck Whibley, guitarist and backing vocalist Dave Baksh, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Tom Thacker, bassist and backing vocalist Jason "Cone" McCaslin, and drummer Frank Zummo. In 1999, Sum 41 signed an international record deal with Island Records and released its first EP, Half Hour of Power, in 2000. The band released its debut album, All Killer No Filler, in 2001. The album achieved mainstream success with its first single, "Fat Lip", which reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and remains the band's most successful single to date. The album's next singles "In Too Deep" and "Motivation" also achieved commercial success. All Killer No Filler was certified Platinum in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. In 2002, the band released Does This Look Infected?, which was also a commercial and critical success. The singles "The Hell Song" and "Still Waiting" both charted highly on the modern rock charts. The band released its next album, Chuck, in 2004, led by singles "We're All to Blame" and "Pieces". The album proved successful, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard 200. In 2007, the band released Underclass Hero, which was met with a mixed reception, but gained some commercial success, becoming the band's highest charting album to date. It was also the band's last album on Aquarius Records. The band released the album Screaming Bloody Murder, on Island Records in 2011 to a generally positive reception, though it fell short of its predecessors' commercial success. The band's sixth studio album, 13 Voices was released in 2016. IMPALA awarded the album with a double gold award for 150,000 sold copies across Europe. The band’s seventh studio album Order in Decline was released on July 19, 2019. The band often performs more than 300 times each year and holds long global tours, most of which last more than a year. The group have been nominated for seven Juno Awards and won twice – Group of the Year in 2002, and Rock Album of the Year for Chuck in 2005. Sum 41 was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for the song "Blood in My Eyes".
- Albums: All Killer No Filler, Does This Look Infected?, Underclass Hero, 8 Years of Blood, Sake and Tears 2000–2008
- Neil Ellwood Peart (September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian musician and writer best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. Peart received numerous awards for his musical performances, including an induction into the Modern Drummer Readers Poll Hall of Fame in 1983, making him the youngest person ever so honoured. His drumming was renowned for its technical proficiency, and his live performances for their exacting nature and stamina. During his last years, Peart lived in Santa Monica, California, with his wife, photographer Carrie Nuttall, and daughter Olivia. After a three-year illness, Peart died of glioblastoma on January 7, 2020, at age 67.
- Albums: Anatomy of a Drum Solo, The Hockey Theme
- Triumph is a Canadian hard rock band formed in 1975 that was popular in the late 1970s and the 1980s, building on its reputation and success as a live band. Between the band's 16 albums and DVDs, Triumph has received 18 gold and 9 platinum awards in Canada and the United States. Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986, and 1987. The band was inducted into the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame in 2007, into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2008, and into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2019.Triumph is most known for its guitar-driven rock songs and alternative Canadian rock trio vibe with such songs as "Lay It on the Line", "Magic Power", "Fight the Good Fight", "World of Fantasy" and strong cover songs like "Rocky Mountain Way". The band was formed in Toronto, and for much of its existence featured music veterans Rik Emmett (guitar, vocals), Mike Levine (bass, keyboards), and Gil Moore (drums, vocals) in 1975. This lineup, spanning nine studio albums, lasted until 1988, when Emmett left the band to pursue a solo career. He was replaced by Phil "X" Xenedis, and Triumph recorded only one album with him, which remains their last to date, before going on indefinite hiatus in 1993. The classic lineup of Moore, Levine and Emmett reunited for two live concerts in 2008, at Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma.
- Albums: Allied Forces, Never Surrender, Rock & Roll Machine, Triumph, Thunder Seven
- Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly in the city of Toronto. These associated acts include Metric, Feist, Stars, Apostle of Hustle, Do Make Say Think, KC Accidental, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, Amy Millan, and Jason Collett.The group's sound combines elements of all of its members' respective musical projects, and is occasionally considered baroque pop. It includes grand orchestrations featuring guitars, horns, woodwinds, and violins, unusual song structures, and an experimental, and sometimes chaotic production style from David Newfeld, who produced the second and third albums.Stuart Berman's This Book Is Broken (2009) covers the band from its inception to its critical acclaim. In 2010, Bruce McDonald made This Movie Is Broken, a movie about the band's Harbourfront show during the 2009 Toronto strike.
- Albums: Broken Social Scene, You Forgot It in People, The Time Traveler's Wife, Feel Good Lost, Bee Hives
- 1You Forgot It in People20 Votes
- 2Broken Social Scene17 Votes
- 3Forgiveness Rock Record10 Votes
- The Barenaked Ladies are a Canadian rock band, formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario. The band quickly developed a cult following in Canada, with their self-titled 1991 cassette becoming the first independent release ever to be certified gold in Canada. Their debut with Reprise Records, Gordon, featuring the singles "If I Had $1000000" and "Brian Wilson", was released in 1992. Initially a duo of Ed Robertson and Steven Page, as of 2018 the band is composed of Robertson, Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, and Tyler Stewart. Jim's brother Andy was a member between 1989 and 1995. Page left in 2009, reducing the group to a quartet. The band's style has evolved greatly throughout their career, and their music which began as exclusively acoustic quickly grew to encompass a mixture of a wide array of styles including pop, rock, hip hop, rap, etc. They are most commonly billed as an "alt rock" band. The band's cult following translated into immediate success with Gordon in Canada, but it was not until the band's 1996 live album Rock Spectacle and their 1998 fourth studio album Stunt, that they achieved major success in the United States and United Kingdom.The band is known for their live performances, highlighted by comedic banter and free-style rapping between songs. They have won multiple Juno Awards and have been nominated for two Grammy Awards. The group has sold over 15 million records, including albums and singles, and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in March 2018. "One Week" remains the band's most successful single. Other well-known singles include "It's All Been Done" (which was used as the theme song to the animated series Baby Blues), "Pinch Me", and "The History of Everything" (the theme song to the sitcom The Big Bang Theory).
- Albums: Gordon, Barenaked for the Holidays, Maybe You Should Drive, Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits (1991–2001), Everything to Everyone
- Peaches, born Merrill Nisker in 1966, is a Canadian musician and performance artist known for her audacious style and provocative lyrics. She began her career in the late '90s, quickly gaining recognition for her unique blend of electronic music, punk rock, and rap. Her debut album, Fancypants Hoodlum, released under her birth name, paved the way for her transformation into the boundary-pushing artist "Peaches." In 2000, she released The Teaches of Peaches, a seminal work that catapulted her to international prominence. This album, infused with sexually explicit themes and brazen electroclash sound, became a defining piece in the genre's landscape. Her subsequent albums, such as Fatherfucker and Impeach My Bush, continued to challenge societal norms around gender and sexuality while solidifying her status as a daring musical innovator. Outside the recording studio, Peaches has demonstrated her versatility through ventures into filmmaking and theater. She directed a movie, Peaches Does Herself, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012, and starred in a one-woman version of Jesus Christ Superstar, retitled Peaches Christ Superstar. Throughout her career, Peaches has consistently defied conventions, using her platform to advocate for sexual liberation and gender equality, leaving her footprint on pop culture.
- Albums: The Teaches of Peaches, Impeach My Bush, The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon, Fancypants Hoodlum, Fatherfucker
- Jeff Healey, a Canadian guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, etched his name into the annals of rock and blues music history through an astonishing career that spanned almost three decades. Born Norman Jeffrey Healey on March 25, 1966, in Toronto, Ontario, Healey became blind in early childhood due to a rare form of eye cancer. This adversity, however, did not prevent him from exploring his extraordinary musical talent. As he evolved into a virtuoso musician, he developed a unique style of playing the electric guitar flat on his lap. Healey's musical journey began as a jazz enthusiast, but the allure of rock and blues soon took hold. His breakthrough arrived with the formation of the Jeff Healey Band in 1985, along with bassist Joe Rockman and drummer Tom Stephen. Their debut album See The Light, released in 1988, catapulted them into stardom, highlighted by the hit single "Angel Eyes." Healey's exceptional guitar work, combined with his distinct husky voice, quickly garnered international acclaim. Throughout his career, Healey never lost touch with his love for jazz and vintage music. Despite his success in the rock and blues genre, he went on to host radio programs showcasing his vast collection of 78 rpm records and formed the Jazz Wizards, a traditional jazz group. His contribution to music was recognized posthumously with his induction into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2014. Jeff Healey's legacy remains a testament to his enduring passion for music, inspiring countless musicians around the world.
- Albums: Get Me Some, See the Light, Feel This, Hell to Pay, Mess of Blues
- Tamia Marilyn Hill (; née Washington; born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, producer, and actress. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development deal with Warner Bros. Records, she was asked by veteran producer Quincy Jones to appear on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995), earning her Grammy Award nominations for their collaboration on "You Put a Move on My Heart" and "Slow Jams." Her self-titled debut album was released in 1998 and followed by a series of successful albums with Elektra Records, including A Nu Day (2000) and More (2004). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including "So Into You", "Stranger in My House" and "Imagination" as well as her collaborations "Into You", "Missing You" and "Spend My Life with You". Since her departure from Elektra, Tamia has released most of her projects independently on her own label Plus One Music Group, through ventures with Def Jam, eOne Music and others. In 2015, her sixth album Love Life debuted and peaked at number two on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming her highest-charting album on the chart. A NAACP Image Award recipient for her work with singer Eric Benét, Tamia is a six-time Grammy Award nominee and has been nominated for numerous other awards and accolades, including a Soul Train Music Award, a Source Award and four Juno Awards. She has been married to former basketball player Grant Hill since 1999; they have two daughters. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003, Tamia is an advocate for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) on behalf of others affected by the disease.
- Albums: Tamia, More, A Nu Day, Between Friends, Beautiful Surprise
- Kittie (stylized as KiTTiE) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. They have released six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos. The band chose "Kittie" as their band name because the name "seemed contradictory".Kittie formed in 1996 when Fallon Bowman and Mercedes Lander met in gym class. Morgan Lander became the lead vocalist and one of Kittie's guitarists and Tanya Candler completed the band's lineup on bass. After signing to NG Records, Kittie released their debut album Spit, which was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. The band released Oracle in 2001 and Until the End in 2004. In 2005, Kittie parted ways with Artemis Records and created their own label. The band released Funeral for Yesterday in 2007 and signed to E1 Music in 2009. The band released In the Black in 2009 and I've Failed You in 2011. In 2014, Kittie made a documentary as a 20th anniversary of the band. Kittie has been categorized under multiple genres of rock music, especially heavy metal genres, including death metal, nu metal, and alternative metal. Originally a nu metal band, Kittie changed their style later, using elements of genres such as black metal and death metal.
- Gordon Lightfoot, a titan of the folk-pop music world, first etched his contributions to the industry in the mid-20th century. Born on November 17, 1938, in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, Lightfoot's music career was shaped by his early experiences in choir school and his later studies at Los Angeles's Westlake College of Music. Both these experiences created the foundation for his melodic mastery and lyrical brilliance. Over time, he earned recognition for his profound songwriting abilities, which often explored human vulnerability and the ambiguities of life. Lightfoot's professional journey began with his debut album, Lightfoot! in 1966. His music made waves on both sides of the border, earning him an international reputation. His songwriting prowess was recognized by several renowned artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Marty Robbins, who covered his songs. However, his breakthrough came with his single, "If You Could Read My Mind," in 1970 that peaked at number 5 on the Billboard charts. This was closely followed by other hits like "Sundown" and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," which further solidified his standing in the music realm. Throughout his illustrious career, Gordon Lightfoot has been showered with numerous accolades. He became the recipient of 16 Juno Awards and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986. Further testament to his significant influence, Lightfoot received the prestigious Governor General's Performing Arts Award - a lifetime achievement recognition in Canada. His discography spanning over five decades has influenced a new generation of musicians and songwriters.
- Albums: Endless Wire, If You Could Read My Mind, Summer Side of Life, Don Quixote, Did She Mention My Name?
- Richard "Richie" Hawtin (born June 4, 1970) is a British-Canadian electronic musician and DJ. A three-time DJ Awards winner, he was an influential part of Detroit techno's second wave of artists in the early 1990s and has been a leading exponent of minimal techno since the mid-1990s. He became known for his recordings under the Plastikman alias. In May 1990 Hawtin and John Acquaviva founded the Plus 8 record label, which they named after their turntable's pitch adjust function. In 1998, Hawtin launched M-nus Records. In summer 2012 Hawtin first presented ENTER., his experimental event at Space in Ibiza. The following year, Hawtin launched his own sake brand ENTER.Sake designed to spread Japanese culture to the Western World. In 2016, Hawtin launched his own technology company called PLAYdifferently, and released the MODEL 1 mixer, co-designed with Andy Rigby-Jones.
- Albums: Selections 1990 - 2000, Dimension Intrusion, Sheet One, 96:09, Kontakt
- Patrick Henry Travers (born April 12, 1954) is a Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist and singer who began his recording career with Polydor Records in the mid-1970s. Pat Thrall, Nicko McBrain, Clive Edwards, Mick Dyche, Tommy Aldridge, Peter "Mars" Cowling, Barry Dunaway, Jerry Riggs, Gunter Nezhoda, Carmine Appice, Michael Shrieve, Rodney O'Quinn are some of the noted musicians who have been members of the Pat Travers Band through the years. Paul Gilbert has referred to Travers as a "guitar god", and Kirk Hammett of Metallica has cited him as one of his favorite guitar players.
- Albums: Crash and Burn, Makin' Magic, Summer Daze, Fidelis, Halfway to Somewhere
- One of the most accomplished entertainers of the late 20th century, Paul Anka began his career as a teen idol with the top-selling "Diana" in 1957 before charting repeatedly over the next five decades as both a singer and a songwriter whose compositions included the theme to "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (NBC, 1962-1992) and Frank Sinatra's signature song, "My Way." Noted as much for his knack for crafting memorable pop songs and his business acumen as for his breezy vocal delivery, Anka successfully rode out the industry's shift from traditional pop to rock in the early 1960s by refashioning himself as a nightclub singer while writing blockbuster hits for Buddy Holly, Tom Jones and Sinatra. He rebounded in the early 1970s with a string of easy listening hits, including "(You're) Having My Baby," and remained a staple of Las Vegas and the international nightclub scene. His vast body of work kept him in the public eye well into the new millennium, and continued to yield hits with covers of early work and newer material, like "This Is It" (2009), which he penned with Michael Jackson. A tenacious and iconic figure in the music industry, Anka served as an exemplary model for singers and other musicians who hoped to take control of their careers and truly do it their way.
- Albums: Rock Swings, Three Great Guys, 32 Greatest Hits, 24 Karat Gold, Duets
- Annihilator are a Canadian thrash metal band founded in Ottawa in 1984. It is the highest-selling Canadian thrash metal group in history, having sold more than three million albums worldwide, although most sales have been generated outside of Canada. Along with Sacrifice, Voivod and Razor, Annihilator is known as one of the "big four" of Canadian thrash metal. They are also considered to be part of the "second wave" of thrash metal bands from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Annihilator has released eighteenth studio albums and undergone many line-up changes. Waters is the only remaining original member, and assembles touring or session musicians to perform with him. Annihilator's first two studio albums, Alice in Hell (1989) and Never, Neverland (1990), are considered to be influential Canadian heavy metal records. Many of their later albums — including their third and only major-label album Set the World on Fire (1993) — also received praise from critics and enjoyed success in Europe.
- Alexisonfire are a five-piece, post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consists of George Pettit, Dallas Green, Wade MacNeil, Chris Steele, and Jordan Hastings. They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls in mid-knife-fight". When the band came out of the underground like an "utterly captivating car-accident-in-progress" in late 2001, it was enough to impress critics as well as earning their self-titled debut album a gold certification in Canada. The band has released three subsequent successful studio albums since then: Watch Out! in 2004, Crisis in 2006, and Old Crows/Young Cardinals in 2009, each achieving platinum certification in their native country. Plus three special edition live albums from Manchester Academy, Birmingham Academy, and Brixton Academy. Their accolades include a 2005 Juno Award for New Group of the Year. In August 2011, George posted a message to fans on the band's official website stating that, following the departure of two members, Alexisonfire would issue several special releases and complete a farewell tour before parting ways.
- Albums: Alexisonfire, Watch Out!, Crisis, Old Crows / Young Cardinals, The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire vs. Moneen
- Dallas Michael John Albert Green (born September 29, 1980) is a Canadian musician and singer-songwriter who records under the alias City and Colour. He is also known for his contributions as a singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter for the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. In 2005, he debuted his first full-length album, Sometimes, which achieved platinum certification in 2006. City and Colour began performing in small intimate venues between Alexisonfire tours. The name City and Colour comes from his own name: Dallas, a city, and Green, a colour. His reasoning for the name was that he felt uneasy "putting the album out under the name Dallas Green".
- Albums: Sometimes, Bring Me Your Love, Live, The Death of Me, The Hurry and the Harm
- Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, Cox began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist for Celine Dion. In 1994, she relocated to the United States and was signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album One Wish (1998) was certified platinum in the United States and was marked by the commercial success of the pop crossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become Cox's most successful entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed with J Records for her third studio album The Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success. Cox ventured into acting in the 2000s, making her film debut in the Canadian drama film Love Come Down (2000) and her stage debut in 2004, in the title role in the Broadway musical Aida. She has since appeared in smaller films and several musical productions, including the horror-drama Jekyll & Hyde, the biographical musical Josephine and the musical adaptation of The Bodyguard. Cox's most recent studio albums, Destination Moon (2007) and The Promise (2008), have been released through her own independent record label, Deco Recording Group. In 2017, her single "Let the World Be Ours Tonight" became her 13th number-one hit on Billboard's Dance Club Songs over the span of three consecutive decades. In 2016, Billboard listed Cox at 23rd on its list of the Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists. An eight-time Juno Award nominee, she has won four awards and is often cited as Canada's top R&B artist.
- Albums: The Morning After, Deborah Cox, One Wish, Destination Moon, The Promise
- MSTRKRFT is a Canadian electronic music duo from Toronto. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga, Ontario electropop group Girlsareshort. Al-P was also the producer for Death from Above 1979's album You're a Woman, I'm a Machine as well as several of Black Cat #13's records. The duo have been close friends, as well as work partners, for a long time. MSTRKRFT also produced Die Mannequin's first EP, How to Kill, and Magneta Lane's second LP, Dancing With Daggers. MSTRKRFT have been commissioned to remix songs by such artists as Death From Above 1979, Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Justice, Bloc Party, Ayumi Hamasaki, Metric, Wolfmother, Annie and The Kills.
- Albums: Bounce, The Looks, Fist of God, Easy Love, MSTRKRFT EP
- Silverstein () is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario that formed in 2000. Their band name is a reference to the famous children's author Shel Silverstein, whom the band had admired and read the stories of as children. They have released a total of nine studio albums, four EPs, a compilation album and a live DVD/CD. Their lineup had remained unchanged for eleven years since December 2001, consisting of lead vocalist Shane Told, lead guitarist Neil Boshart, rhythm guitarist Josh Bradford, bassist Billy Hamilton, and drummer Paul Koehler. In September 2012, the band had announced that Neil Boshart had been fired and would be replaced by Paul Marc Rousseau, who also joined Billy Hamilton on backing vocals. The band achieved moderate success with their second studio album, Discovering the Waterfront, which was nominated for a Juno Award and reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200 charts, with the following two albums charting at similar positions. Silverstein has sold over 1,000,000 albums worldwide.The band left long-time record label, Victory Records, in 2010; and after a period with Hopeless Records are currently signed to Rise Records. They released their 9th studio album, Dead Reflection, in July 2017.
- Albums: Discovering the Waterfront, This Is How the Wind Shifts, When Broken Is Easily Fixed, Summer's Stellar Gaze, A Shipwreck in the Sand
- Emily Savitri Haines (born January 25, 1974) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is the lead singer, keyboardist and songwriter of the rock band Metric and a member of Broken Social Scene. As a solo artist, she has performed under her own name and under the moniker Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. Haines has a soprano vocal range.
- Albums: Knives Don't Have Your Back, Cut in Half and Also Double, What Is Free to a Good Home?, Sprig
- Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently consists of Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur as lead guitarist, and Jason Pierce on drums. The band has sold several million albums worldwide, won four Juno Awards, and won ten MuchMusic Video Awards — the most MMVAs ever awarded to any artist or group. Our Lady Peace is one of Canada's most popular bands and is also one of the few Canadian rock acts that managed to achieve success in both the 1990s and 2000s.The band's earlier albums are often praised for their unique sound and style, with lead singer Maida being called "erratic" and "truly unrivaled" as a vocalist. Their fifth album, Gravity (2002), is sometimes considered to be a "radical departure" from this distinctive style. Lead singer Maida has confirmed the change, calling Gravity "vastly different" from their previous records. The coincidental 2001 departures of both co-founding member Mike Turner and longtime-producer Arnold Lanni, in combination with influence from producer Bob Rock are factors in the style evolution. They have released nine studio albums, one live album, and two compilation albums to date, with their 1997 album Clumsy considered their signature and most widely recognized work. Their latest studio album, Somethingness, was released on February 23, 2018.
- Albums: Clumsy, Playlist: The Very Best of Our Lady Peace, Naveed, Superman's Dead, 4 AM
- Finger Eleven is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 1989. They have released six studio albums, with their album The Greyest of Blue Skies bringing them into the mainstream. The 2003 self-titled album achieved Gold status in the United States and Platinum in Canada, largely from the success of the single "One Thing", which marked the band's first placing on the US Hot 100 Chart at number 16. Their 2007 album, Them vs. You vs. Me, launched the single "Paralyzer", which went on to top numerous charts including the Canadian Hot 100 and both US rock charts, as well as reaching No. 6 on the US Hot 100 and No. 12 on the Australian Singles Chart. They won the Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2008. It was later certified gold status in the US and multi platinum in Canada. They released their sixth studio album, Life Turns Electric, on October 5, 2010; it was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Rock Album of the Year. They released their first single, "Living in a Dream", adding a little bit of more of funk rock and dance rock, just like their hit song "Paralyzer". Finger Eleven announced on Twitter that they will release a new album sometime in 2014.
- Albums: Tip, The Greyest of Blue Skies, Finger Eleven, Letters from Chutney, Them vs. You vs. Me
- Tokyo Police Club is an indie rock band from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. It consists of vocalist and bassist David Monks (born January 21, 1987), keyboardist Graham Wright (born February 16, 1987), guitarist Josh Hook (born May 11, 1987), and drummer Greg Alsop (born March 20, 1985). The band has been nominated for multiple Juno awards, most recently in 2019 for Alternative Album of the Year.
- Albums: A Lesson in Crime, Champ, Elephant Shell, Smith EP, Ten Songs
- Felicia Lily Dobson (born February 28, 1985) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she began performing as a teenager, during which time she received and refused an offer from Jive Records for a recording contract. Dobson signed with Island/Def Jam soon after and released her self-titled debut album (2003), which saw the success of the singles "Bye Bye Boyfriend" and "Don't Go (Girls and Boys)" on the Canadian Hot 100 chart and for which she received two Juno Award nominations. Dobson's second studio album Sunday Love was originally scheduled for release in 2005, but after complications during production, its mainstream release was cancelled and she left her record label due to creative differences (the album was released independently in 2006 and later made available for digital download in 2012). She was re-signed to Island Records during production of her third studio album Joy (2010), whose singles "Ghost" and "Stuttering" saw continued success on the Canadian Hot 100. Dobson's music has been covered by other artists and featured in films, television, and more.
- Albums: Sunday Love, Fefe Dobson, Joy, Everything, Don't Go (Girls & Boys)
- The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, were a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of vocalist Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker (known as Bobby Baker until 1994), bassist Gord Sinclair, and drummer Johnny Fay. They released 13 studio albums, two live albums, one EP, and 54 singles over a 33-year career. Nine of their albums have reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts. They have received numerous Canadian music awards, including 16 Juno Awards. Following Downie's diagnosis with terminal brain cancer in 2015, the band undertook a tour of Canada in support of their thirteenth album Man Machine Poem. The tour's final concert, which would ultimately be the band's last show, was held at the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston on August 20, 2016, and broadcast globally by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a cross-platform television, radio and internet streaming special.After Downie died on October 17, 2017, the band announced in July 2018 that the Tragically Hip name would be retired.
- Albums: Up to Here, Fully Completely, World Container, The Tragically Hip, In Between Evolution
- Darrin Kenneth O'Brien (born October 30, 1969), known professionally as Snow, is a Canadian singer. He is known for his 1992 single "Informer", which spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
- Albums: 12 Inches of Snow, Two Hands Clapping, Murder Love, Mind on the Moon, Justuss
- Lights Poxleitner-Bokan (born Valerie Anne Poxleitner; April 11, 1987), known mononymously as Lights (previously stylized as LIGHTS), is a Canadian singer, songwriter, author, and illustrator. She is known for her gold-certified albums The Listening and Siberia as well as singles "Drive My Soul", "February Air", "Ice", "Second Go", "Toes", and "Up We Go". She released her fourth studio album, Skin & Earth, in 2017 accompanied by a graphic novel of the same name. Lights was awarded the 2009 Juno Award for New Artist of the Year. and two 2009 Astral Media Radio awards during Canadian Music Week.
- Albums: The Listening, Lights, Crimson Rain, Acoustic, Saviour EP
- Bruce Douglas Cockburn (; born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His song styles range from folk to jazz-influenced rock and his lyrics cover a broad range of topics including human rights, environmental issues, politics, and Christianity. Cockburn has written more than 300 songs on 33 albums over a career spanning 40 years, of which 22 have received a Canadian gold or platinum certification as of 2018, and he has sold over one million albums in Canada alone. In 2014, Cockburn released his memoirs, Rumours of Glory.
- Albums: Christmas, Night Vision, In the Falling Dark, Stealing Fire, Further Adventures Of
- Billy Talent is a Canadian rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jon Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup changes, although Aaron is currently taking a hiatus from the band due to an MS relapse, and Jordan Hastings from Alexisonfire, Cunter, and Say Yes is currently filling in for him. In the 25 years since their inception, Billy Talent sold well over one million albums in Canada alone and nearly 3 million albums internationally. The band existed for almost a decade before mainstream success. The members met and played in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School under the name Pezz and remained underground in Toronto's indie music scene until 2001. The band renamed itself Billy Talent after running into legal trouble with the old name. It was then that Kowalewicz's connection with an employee of Warner Music Canada's A&R department landed the band a record deal and launched them into mainstream success. Since then, Billy Talent has made three multi-platinum records in Canada and continues to expand their success overseas; this included touring for 20 months supporting their second album. They released their third album, Billy Talent III, on July 14, 2009, and their fourth album, Dead Silence, on September 4, 2012. Dead Silence was followed up by a full UK tour throughout October and November 2012. To commemorate the longevity since the release of their first studio album, the band has released a greatest hits album entitled Hits on November 4, 2014. In 2015, they began to prepare material for their fifth studio album. Just before entering the studio, drummer Aaron Solowoniuk decided to sit out the recording sessions while he continued his longstanding battle with multiple sclerosis. Fellow Canadian Jordan Hastings was quickly recruited to play as Solowoniuk's studio stand-in, and, in early 2016, the group completed work on Afraid of Heights, which was released that July.
- Albums: Billy Talent II, Billy Talent III, Watoosh!, Billy Talent, Dead Silence
- The Cowboy Junkies are an alternative country and folk rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1985. The group was formed in 1985 by Alan Anton (bassist), Michael Timmins (songwriter, guitarist), Peter Timmins (drummer) and Margo Timmins (vocalist). The three Timminses are siblings, and Anton worked with Michael Timmins during their first couple of bands. John Timmins was initially a member of the band but left the group before the recording of their first album. The band line-up has never changed since, although they use several guest musicians on many of their albums, including multi-instrumentalist Jeff Bird who has performed on every album except the first. The Junkies' 1986 debut album, produced by Canadian producer Peter Moore, was the blues-inspired Whites Off Earth Now!!, recorded in the family garage using a single ambisonic microphone.The Junkies gained worldwide fame and recognition with their second album, The Trinity Session, recorded in 1987 at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity. Their sound, again using the ambisonic microphone, and their mix of blues, country, folk, rock and jazz earned them both critical attention and a strong fan base. The Los Angeles Times named the recording as one of the ten best albums of 1988.The Cowboy Junkies have gone on to record a total of sixteen studio albums and five live albums, and remain an active band for over thirty years.
- Albums: The Trinity Session, Lay It Down, Pale Sun, Crescent Moon, The Caution Horses
- Kittie (stylized as KiTTiE) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. They have released six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos. The band chose "Kittie" as their band name because the name "seemed contradictory".Kittie formed in 1996 when Fallon Bowman and Mercedes Lander met in gym class. Morgan Lander became the lead vocalist and one of Kittie's guitarists and Tanya Candler completed the band's lineup on bass. After signing to NG Records, Kittie released their debut album Spit, which was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. The band released Oracle in 2001 and Until the End in 2004. In 2005, Kittie parted ways with Artemis Records and created their own label. The band released Funeral for Yesterday in 2007 and signed to E1 Music in 2009. The band released In the Black in 2009 and I've Failed You in 2011. In 2014, Kittie made a documentary as a 20th anniversary of the band. Kittie has been categorized under multiple genres of rock music, especially heavy metal genres, including death metal, nu metal, and alternative metal. Originally a nu metal band, Kittie changed their style later, using elements of genres such as black metal and death metal.
- Albums: Paperdoll EP, Spit, Oracle, Until the End, Funeral for Yesterday
- F*cked Up is a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario. The band won the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for the album The Chemistry of Common Life.
- Albums: David Comes to Life, The Chemistry of Common Life, Hidden World, Singles Collection, Let Likes Be Cured by Likes
- Anvil are a Canadian heavy metal band from Toronto, Ontario, formed in 1978. The band consists of Steve "Lips" Kudlow (vocals, guitar), Robb Reiner (drums),and Chris Robertson (bass). As of early 2019, the band has released seventeen studio albums, and has been cited as having influenced many notable heavy metal groups, including Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax and Metallica.The band, in particular Kudlow and Reiner, was the subject of the 2008 documentary film, Anvil! The Story of Anvil, directed by the screenwriter and former Anvil roadie, Sacha Gervasi. Upon its release, the film garnered critical acclaim from many major publications, and has since brought the band renewed recognition, including opening slots with AC/DC and Saxon. Appearances at major heavy metal festivals, including Download, Loud Park and Hellfest, and independent music festivals like Bumbershoot and SXSW, also followed the release of the film. Reviewers described Anvil as a pioneering heavy metal band that was popular in the 1980s but then faded into obscurity in the 1990s, while refusing to stop playing, recording and gigging. Anvil's antics on and off stage, the setbacks they suffered, and their determination to keep going have been compared to the fictional band Spinal Tap.
- Albums: Past and Present, This Is Thirteen, Anthology of Anvil, Worth the Weight, Plugged in Permanent
- Hawk Nelson is a Canadian Christian rock and pop punk band from Peterborough, Ontario. Formed in 2000, the band has released eight studio albums to date.
- Albums: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend, Smile, It's the End of the World, Made, Saturday Rock Action
- Warren Hill (born April 15, 1966) is a smooth jazz saxophonist from Toronto, Canada. Hill was discovered in 1988 while performing at his graduation from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Record producer Russ Titelman, who was in the audience, invited him to record on an album by Chaka Khan. After moving to Los Angeles, he signed with RCA in 1991 and recorded his debut album, Kiss Under the Moon. He supported Natalie Cole on tour for her album Unforgettable. He had a hit in 1993 with the song "The Passion Theme" from the movie Body of Evidence.In the smooth jazz format his number one hits include "Our First Dance", "Do You Feel What I'm Feeling", "Mambo 2000", "Tamara", "Still in Love", La Dolce Vita", "Promises", "Take Out Dreams", "Tears in Heaven", "Another Goodbye", "Tell Me All Your Secrets", "You Are the One", and "Turn Out the Lights". Warren and his wife Tamara VanCleef-Hill wrote and produced the song "Shelter from the Storm". He was featured on the song "Tell Me What You Dream" by Restless Heart and "Baby I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain. He appeared on the television show Top of the Pops on the BBC in England. Hill founded a smooth jazz cruise in 2004. He is also the host and owner of the Cancun Jazz Festival, has established his brand of instruments, and co-founded the label, Songbird Records. His album Devotion came out in 1993 and Truth a year later. By 1997, he had switched to Discovery, which released Shelter (1997) and Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses (1998). Love Life (2000) was released by Narada, followed by Love Songs and A Warren Hill Christmas in 2002 and PopJazz in 2005. In 2008, he signed with Koch, which issued La Dolce Vita in June of that year.
- Albums: Life Thru Rose Colored Glasses, Devotion, Collected Warren Hill, Shelter, Truth
- Kittie (stylized as KiTTiE) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. They have released six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos. The band chose "Kittie" as their band name because the name "seemed contradictory".Kittie formed in 1996 when Fallon Bowman and Mercedes Lander met in gym class. Morgan Lander became the lead vocalist and one of Kittie's guitarists and Tanya Candler completed the band's lineup on bass. After signing to NG Records, Kittie released their debut album Spit, which was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. The band released Oracle in 2001 and Until the End in 2004. In 2005, Kittie parted ways with Artemis Records and created their own label. The band released Funeral for Yesterday in 2007 and signed to E1 Music in 2009. The band released In the Black in 2009 and I've Failed You in 2011. In 2014, Kittie made a documentary as a 20th anniversary of the band. Kittie has been categorized under multiple genres of rock music, especially heavy metal genres, including death metal, nu metal, and alternative metal. Originally a nu metal band, Kittie changed their style later, using elements of genres such as black metal and death metal.
- FM Static is a Canadian Christian pop punk duo based in Toronto, Ontario. The band was formed in 2003 as a side project for Thousand Foot Krutch members Trevor McNevan and Steve Augustine. The original lineup included John Bunner on guitar and Justin Smith on bass. As of 2013, the band has released four studio albums, most recently My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go!.
- Albums: What Are You Waiting For?, Critically Ashamed, Dear Diary, My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go!
- Protest the Hero is a Canadian progressive metal band from Whitby, Ontario. Originally named Happy Go Lucky, the band changed their name to Protest the Hero shortly before releasing their debut EP, Search for the Truth, in 2002. In 2005, the band released their first full-length album Kezia on the indie label Underground Operations. On January 23, 2006, the band signed with Vagrant Records for Kezia's American release on April 4, 2006. Their second full-length album, Fortress was released by Underground Operations in Canada and by Vagrant Records worldwide on January 29, 2008. The band released their third studio album, Scurrilous, on March 22, 2011. The band released their independent and latest album, Volition on October 29, 2013.
- Albums: Kezia, Fortress, Scurrilous, A Calculated Use of Sound, Search for the Truth
- Kittie (stylized as KiTTiE) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. They have released six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos. The band chose "Kittie" as their band name because the name "seemed contradictory".Kittie formed in 1996 when Fallon Bowman and Mercedes Lander met in gym class. Morgan Lander became the lead vocalist and one of Kittie's guitarists and Tanya Candler completed the band's lineup on bass. After signing to NG Records, Kittie released their debut album Spit, which was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. The band released Oracle in 2001 and Until the End in 2004. In 2005, Kittie parted ways with Artemis Records and created their own label. The band released Funeral for Yesterday in 2007 and signed to E1 Music in 2009. The band released In the Black in 2009 and I've Failed You in 2011. In 2014, Kittie made a documentary as a 20th anniversary of the band. Kittie has been categorized under multiple genres of rock music, especially heavy metal genres, including death metal, nu metal, and alternative metal. Originally a nu metal band, Kittie changed their style later, using elements of genres such as black metal and death metal.
- The Rovers is a Juno Award nominated music group.
- Albums: Songs of Christmas, Another Round, Children of the Unicorn, The Unicorn, The Irish Rovers in Australia
- A prodigious musical talent, Owen Pallett started studying classical violin at just three years of age. He composed his first piece at 13, and wrote music for videogames, short films and operas before graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in Music Composition. His first recorded output was a collaboration with Jim Guthrie on Morning Noon Night (2002) and as part of Toronto trio Les Mouches who released three albums from 2002 to 2004. He first provided string arrangements for Montreal's Arcade Fire on their breakthrough album Funeral (2004). Inspired by his love of computer games, Pallett took on the moniker Final Fantasy in tribute to a popular role-playing game; his debut release Has a Good Home (2005) featured melodies inspired by videogames. This multilayered solo project mixed his classical training with lo-fi indie, folk, electronica and pop elements. "Adventure.exe" was used in a UK commercial but Pallett donated all his earnings from inadvertently licensing the track to Doctors Without Borders. His second album, He Poos Clouds (2006), continued the videogame theme. When it won Canada's prestigious Polaris Award, the ever modest Pallett donated the prize money to a selection of his favorite bands who needed financial help. He continued to collaborate with Arcade Fire, featuring on their second album Neon Bible (2007), as well as working with Beirut, The Last Shadow Puppets, Pet Shop Boys, Mika, and many more. For his firstr soundtrack work, he teamed up with Arcade Fire's Win Butler and Régine Chassagne to compose the music for Richard Kelly's offbeat horror "The Box" (2010). With the release of 2010's Heartland, Pallett reverted to his own name for his solo releases. By now Pallett was working regularly with some of the biggest names in the industry including Duran Duran, The National, R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Linkin Park, and Taylor Swift. Returning to soundtracks, Pallett was nominated for an Academy Award for his work with Will Butler (Win's brother and also a member of Arcade Fire) on Spike Jonze's "Her" (2013).
- Albums: Has a Good Home, He Poos Clouds, Young Canadian Mothers, Heartland, Many Lives → 49 MP
- Kathleen Edwards (born July 11, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. Her 2003 debut album, Failer, contained the singles "Six O'Clock News" and "Hockey Skates". Her next two albums – Back to Me and Asking for Flowers – both made the Billboard 200 list and reached the top 10 of Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. In 2012, Edwards' fourth studio album, Voyageur, became Edwards' first album to crack the top 100 and top 40 in the U.S., peaking at #39 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and #2 in Canada. In 2012, Edward's song "A Soft Place To Land" won the SOCAN Songwriting Prize, an annual competition that honours the best song written and released by 'emerging' songwriters over the past year, as voted by the public. Her musical sound has been compared to Suzanne Vega meets Neil Young.
- Albums: Back to Me, Voyageur, Failer, Asking for Flowers, Building 55
- Helix is a Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band. They formed in 1974, and are best known for their 1984 single "Rock You". The original lineup was formed by drummer Bruce Arnold, and consisted of lead vocalist Brian Vollmer, guitarists Ron Watson and Rick "Minstrel" Trembley, keyboardist Don Simmons, and bassist Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg. However, their most well known lineup, and the one that recorded "Rock You", was the 1980s version of the band: Vollmer on vocals, accompanied by guitarists Brent "The Doctor" Doerner and Paul Hackman, bassist Daryl Gray, and drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz. The history of the band has been marked by many lineup changes, with Vollmer being the sole constant member and only remaining member of the original lineup. Although Hackman was killed in a tour bus accident in 1992, the surviving members of the 1980s lineup reunited in 2009 for an album and have continued to tour since 2011. Watson died in 2019. Helix have toured with bands such as Kiss, Aerosmith, Rush, Mötley Crüe, Alice Cooper, Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Heart, Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P., Ian Gillan and Motörhead among others. Their most recent studio album is Bastard of the Blues (2014).
- Albums: Walkin' the Razor's Edge, Wild in the Streets, Back for Another Taste, No Rest for the Wicked, Breaking Loose
- Saga are a Canadian rock band from Oakville, Ontario. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler were the principal songwriters. Saga had numerous line-up changes over the years. Ian and Jim Crichton were the only two original members who appeared on every album. Sadler appeared on every release, apart from the 2009 album The Human Condition. Keyboardist Jim Gilmour was with the band from 1979, making his debut on the album Silent Knight. Drummer Steve Negus performed with Saga until 1986. The lineup was supplemented by many session musicians and live performers from the late 1980s to the late 2000s. Saga have been awarded gold and platinum albums worldwide and have sold more than 8 million albums.
- Albums: Trust, Generation 13, Worlds Apart, Full Circle, House of Cards
- Alannah Myles (née Byles; born on Christmas, 1958) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress who has won both a Grammy and a Juno Award for her recording of the song ”Black Velvet”. The song was a top-ten hit in her native Canada and a number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1990.
- Albums: Black Velvet, Black Velvet, Alannah Myles, Rockinghorse, A Rival
- David Nizam Baksh (born July 26, 1980), also known by his nickname Dave Brownsound, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as one of the guitarists of rock band Sum 41. Starting in May 2006, Baksh took a nine-year hiatus (except for a brief return in 2008) from Sum 41, returning in 2015. During this timespan, he became a singer and guitarist in his own heavy metal/reggae project Brown Brigade. He also plays guitar for Organ Thieves, with two of his fellow Brown Brigade members and the Canadian deathpunk four-piece Black Cat Attack.
- Raine Maida (born Michael Anthony Maida; February 18, 1970) is a Canadian musician best known as being the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Our Lady Peace. He has come to be known for his unique countertenor nasal falsetto singing voice, as well as his cryptic and poetry-influenced song lyrics. He occasionally plays certain instruments, such as the acoustic guitar, while performing with Our Lady Peace. Following guitarist Mike Turner's departure from Our Lady Peace in 2001, Maida is the only remaining original member of the band. Maida began a solo career in 2006, releasing his first solo album The Hunters Lullaby in 2007. He also self-produced Our Lady Peace's seventh studio album, Burn Burn, in 2009. Maida has been married to Canadian singer Chantal Kreviazuk since 1999, and together they have three sons. Maida has been intimately involved with War Child and other charities since 2003, and was an outspoken critic of the Iraq War and former U.S. president George W. Bush.
- Albums: The Hunters Lullaby, We All Get Lighter, Love Hope Hero, Montreal
- Exciter is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario. They are widely considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. Exciter have sold nearly 300,000 units in the USA and a total sales close to 500,000 units worldwide. Despite many changes in personnel, the band has managed to keep a small but dedicated following for over 30 years.
- Albums: Heavy Metal Maniac, Violence & Force, Unveiling the Wicked, Long Live the Loud, Kill After Kill
- Serena Ryder (born December 8, 1982) is a Canadian musician. Born in Toronto, she grew up in Millbrook, Ontario. Ryder first gained national recognition with her ballad "Weak in the Knees" in 2007. An accomplished songwriter and musician, she also possesses a three-octave vocal range and is considered a mezzo-soprano. Her timbre has been described as slightly nasal with a raspy lower register.
- Albums: Unlikely Emergency, Harmony, Falling Out, If Your Memory Serves You Well, Stompa
- The Creepshow is a band from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The band formed in 2005 when the four original members got together with the purpose of starting a psychobilly band. The Creepshow writes the majority of their songs about horror films.
- Albums: They All Fall Down, Sell Your Soul, Life After Death, Run for Your Life, Sinners & Saints
- Adam Wade Gontier (born May 25, 1978) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for Saint Asonia, but is best known as the former lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. Gontier left Three Days Grace on January 9, 2013. In addition to his work with Three Days Grace, he has been involved in collaborations with other bands including Art of Dying and Apocalyptica.
- Albums: I Don't Care
- Sarah Harmer (born November 12, 1970) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and activist.
- Albums: You Were Here, All of Our Names, I'm a Mountain, Songs for Clem, Radio Moments
- The Birthday Massacre is a Canadian band, formed in 1999 in London, Ontario, and currently based in Toronto, Ontario. The current line-up consists of Chibi, Falcore, Rainbow, Owen, Nate Manor and Rhim. When the band formed in 1999, they were known as Imagica. This name was inspired from the fantasy novel Imajica by Clive Barker. In 2002, they changed the name to The Birthday Massacre after one of their earlier songs in order to avoid confusion with another group. The song "The Birthday Massacre" was then renamed to "Happy Birthday". According to their vocalist Chibi: "it kind of works well for the music that we're making. Sort of contrasty, you know? Birthday, and massacre. Light, and dark. Cute, and evil". TBM have released six studio albums: Nothing and Nowhere, Violet, Walking With Strangers, Pins and Needles, Hide and Seek, and Superstition. They also issued the DVD Blue, the live album/DVD Show and Tell, and the EPs Violet, Looking Glass, Imaginary Monsters.
- Albums: Violet, Nothing & Nowhere, Walking With Strangers, Hide and Seek, Pins and Needles
- Dragonette is a Canadian synthpop electronic music band from Toronto, Ontario, formed in 2005. The band consists of singer-songwriter Martina Sorbara, bassist and producer Dan Kurtz and drummer Joel Stouffer. Dragonette released a self-titled EP before being signed to Mercury Records and relocating to London, UK, where they recorded and released their debut album Galore to moderate critical appreciation. A second studio album, Fixin to Thrill, was released in 2009. The group's third studio album, Bodyparts, was released on September 22, 2012.
- Albums: Galore, Bodyparts, Fixin to Thrill, Mixin to Thrill, Fixing to Thrill
- Slik Toxik was a Canadian glam metal/hard rock band formed in 1988 in Toronto.
- Albums: Doin' the Nasty, Irrelevant, Smooth & Deadly
- Kevin James LaBrie (born May 5, 1963) is a Canadian vocalist and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, which he has fronted since 1991.
- Albums: Static Impulse, Elements of Persuasion, MullMuzzler 2, Impermanent Resonance, Prime Cuts
- Donald James Ross, or Don Ross, (born November 19, 1960) is a Canadian fingerstyle guitarist. He is the only person to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice (1988 and 1996). His album Huron Street reached the top ten on the Billboard New-age chart.
- Albums: Robot Monster, Passion Session, Bearing Straight, Huron Street, Music for Vacuuming
- Barbara Josephine Bulat (born April 13, 1984), known as Basia Bulat , is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. She is known for performing with an autoharp.
- Albums: Oh, My Darling, Heart of My Own, Tall Tall Shadow, Basia Bulat
- Barry Stock is the lead guitarist of the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace.
- Die Mannequin is an alternative rock band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada fronted by guitar player and singer Care Failure. They played the "Next Big Thing" Stage at Edgefest 1 in 2006, have toured across Eastern Canada several times on their own as well as opening for Buckcherry on their Canadian tour. Die Mannequin also opened for Guns N' Roses on the Canadian dates of their 2006 North American Tour, and supported Sum 41 on their Strength in Numbers tour during the fall of 2007. They have toured Europe on several occasions, alone and as opening act for the European Danko Jones tour in 2008. They are also playing one of the legs of the Jägermeister tour with Bloodlights and Oceansize. In the fall of 2009, Die Mannequin opened for Marilyn Manson on the full Canadian leg of his "The High End of Low" tour in addition to a cross Canada tour of their own featuring opening act Raggedy Angry.
- Albums: Unicorn Steak, Slaughter Daughter, How to Kill, FINO + BLEED, Danceland
- Max Webster was a Canadian hard rock band formed in 1973 in Toronto.
- Albums: Max Webster, High Class in Borrowed Shoes, Mutiny Up My Sleeve, Universal Juveniles, A Million Vacations
- Eternia (born Silk-Anne Semiramis Dawn Craig Kaya) is a Canadian rapper.
- Albums: It's Called Life, At Last EP, Tales of Power, At Last
- Honeymoon Suite is a Canadian hard rock band formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The band's name was a nod to the fact that Niagara Falls is the unofficial honeymoon capital of the world.
- Albums: Racing After Midnight, Clifton Hill, Honeymoon Suite, The Big Prize, Lemon Tongue
- The Russian Futurists are a Canadian indie pop band based in Toronto. Their music can be described as lo-fi, indie-electronica fused with a twee-pop temperament. The band started as a solo project of Matthew Adam Hart (born 1978), and later expanded into a band for live performances.
- Albums: École de Neige, Our Thickness, Let’s Get Ready to Crumble, The Method of Modern Love, Me
- Michael A. "Mike" Turner (born June 5, 1963) is an English musician and producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist and founding member of the band Our Lady Peace and current member of alternative rock supergroup Crash Karma.
- Glen Drover (born May 25, 1969) is a Canadian heavy metal guitarist from Ontario, Canada. Drover is best known as the former lead guitarist in Megadeth and King Diamond, along with his brother Shawn Drover who also performed with Megadeth.
- Great Lake Swimmers are a Canadian folk rock band from Wainfleet, Ontario, and currently based in Toronto. The current touring line-up includes Tony Dekker on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica, Erik Arnesen on banjo, electric guitar and harmonium, Joshua Van Tassel on drums, Bret Higgins on upright bass and Miranda Mulholland on violin and backing vocals. Past members included Julie Fader on backing vocals, Sandro Perri on guitar, and Greg Millson and Colin Huebert on drums. The band's style has been compared to Red House Painters, Nick Drake, Iron & Wine and Neil Young, as well as Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy) and Sufjan Stevens. Dekker has cited influences including Gram Parsons and Hank Williams.
- Albums: Bodies and Minds, Great Lake Swimmers, New Wild Everywhere, Ongiara, Lost Channels
- Jason D. Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper, record producer, DJ and record executive. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador", he is regarded as one of the country's best hip hop producers, and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.A native of Toronto, Offishall began his career in the city's mid-1990s underground hip hop scene, as a member of The Circle. He released several independent 12" singles, a debut album (Eye & I), and an EP (Husslin'), before signing with major label MCA Records in 2000. The following year, Offishall released his second album, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1, spawning the Billboard hit "BaKardi Slang", which popularized Toronto's nickname "T-dot", and the minor hit "Ol' Time Killin'"; both singles became his signature songs. After failing to release the Firestarter Vol. 2 album in 2003, on MCA, and later Geffen Records (which absorbed MCA), Offishall briefly returned to the underground scene, releasing several more independent 12" singles. In 2005, Offishall's third album, Fire and Glory, was released in Canada. That year, he collaborated with R&B singer Akon for the first time, starting a musical partnership that lasted until 2010. In 2007, he signed with Akon's Kon Live Distribution label, through Geffen, and released his fourth album, Not 4 Sale, the following year. The first single, "Dangerous", became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and was certified triple platinum in Canada. Offishall released two gold-certified singles, "Numba 1 (Tide Is High)" and "Body Bounce", before leaving Kon Live in late 2010. Since then, his latest singles have been released on his independent label Black Stone Colleagues Inc. In 2012, Offishall released Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself, a collaborative mixtape with producer Nottz. In 2013, Offishall became the Creative Executive Director of Universal Music Canada's A&R team. Two years later, he released his fifth album Kardi Gras, Vol. 1: The Clash under the label.
- Albums: Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1, Husslin', Eye & I, Fire and Glory
- Esthero ( es-THERE-oh; born Jenny-Bea Englishman on December 23, 1978 in Stratford, Ontario), is a Canadian singer-songwriter who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. The name Esthero refers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of herself and producer Doc McKinney. Esthero is a portmanteau of "Esther the hero"; she claims to have gotten the name by combining the name of the heroine (Esther) and last line ("If I am to be the hero, then I cannot fly from darkness") of the movie from Sylvia Plath's novel, The Bell Jar.Esthero's sound characteristically features her voice over a mix of mellow bass lines, jazzy trumpets, Spanish guitar and hip-hop. She is sometimes compared to artists Björk, Portishead, Billie Holiday, and Sade. She has co-produced the majority of the material she performed. Later female artists who count Esthero among their influences include Res, Fergie and fellow Canadian Nelly Furtado.Esthero's brother, Jason Englishman, is also a musician.
- Albums: Breath From Another, Everything Is Expensive, O.G. Bitch, Heaven Sent, Fastlane
- Spoons is a Canadian new wave band, formed in 1979 in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. They recorded several Canadian chart hits between 1982 and 1989, and in 1983, they won Group of the Year at the U-Know awards. Their most popular songs include "Romantic Traffic", "Nova Heart", "Old Emotions", and "Tell No Lies".
- Albums: Collectible Spoons, Talkback, Arias & Symphonies, Static in Transmission, Stick Figure Neighbourhood
- Keshia Chanté (born June 16, 1988) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actor, television personality and philanthropist. She is a teen star, having released four albums exclusively for Canada and in 2013, she rose to international prominence hosting BET's 106 & Park. Chanté is a Juno Award winner and a 7-time nominee, has won 5 Canadian Urban Music Awards and 2 Canadian Radio Music Awards. Chanté was given a star on the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame for her achievements in Canadian Music & Film. Chanté has had many number one singles on radio in both Canada & Japan, as well as 8 singles hitting Top Ten on the radio music charts. She has earned multiple SOCAN #1 Awards for her songwriting efforts. Her single "Table Dancer" went #1 on the Billboard Charts in Japan.Chante co-hosted 106 & Park with Shad Moss for 2 years, served as an international judge on The World's Best and is currently a TV personality for Entertainment Tonight Canada in Hollywood, California. Chante has hosted, judged and appeared on numerous shows including BET Awards, The Next Star, Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada, Match Game, and Hockey WivesChante has conducted coveted interviews with many high-profile celebrities, such as Michelle Obama, Larry King, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert De Niro, Kelsey Grammer, Mark Wahlberg, Cate Blanchett, Mariah Carey, Denzel Washington and many more. As a philanthropist and humanitarian, Chante has donated and raised millions of dollars with multiple organizations and causes, including WE Charity, Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, Joyful Heart Foundation and World Vision International. Chante also hosts We Day and is a motivational speaker advocating for Mental Health awareness.
- Albums: 2U, Keshia Chanté, The Vendetta, Night & Day, Shooting Star
- Michelle Wright (born July 1, 1961) is a Canadian country music artist. She is one of the country's most widely recognized and awarded female country singers of the 1990s, winning the Canadian Country Music Association's Fans' Choice Award twice (1993 and 1995). In 2011, Wright was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Brian Ferriman of Savannah Records has been her manager for over 25 years. Wright's primary success has been in her native Canada, where she has charted more than twenty-five singles, including six Number One hits: "Take It Like a Man", "One Time Around", "Guitar Talk", "One Good Man", "Nobody's Girl" and "Crank My Tractor". She also had chart success in the United States in the 1990s, landing in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts with "Take It Like a Man" at No. 10, "He Would Be Sixteen" at No. 31 and "New Kind of Love" at No. 32.
- Albums: A Wright Christmas, Shut Up and Kiss Me, For Me It's You, The Reasons Why, Do Right by Me
- Leon Redbone (born Dickran Gobalian, August 26, 1949 – May 30, 2019) was a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor specializing in jazz, blues, and Tin Pan Alley classics. Recognized by his Panama hat, dark sunglasses, and black tie, Redbone was born in Cyprus of Armenian ancestry and first appeared on stage in Toronto, Canada, in the early 1970s. He also appeared on film and television in acting and voice-over roles. In concert Redbone often employed comedy and demonstrated his skill in guitar playing. Recurrent gags involved the influence of alcohol and claiming to have written works originating well before he was born – Redbone favored material from the Tin Pan Alley era, circa 1890 to 1910. He sang the theme to the 1980s television series Mr. Belvedere and released eighteen albums.
- Albums: Christmas Island, Double Time, On the Track, From Branch to Branch, Champagne Charlie
- Sylvia Tyson, (born 19 September 1940), is a musician, performer, singer-songwriter and broadcaster. She is best known as part of the folk duo Ian and Sylvia, with Ian Tyson. Since 1993, she has been a member of the all-female folk group Quartette.
- Albums: You Were on My Mind
- Ronald Eldon "Ron" Sexsmith (born 8 January 1964) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario. He was the songwriter of the year at the 2002 Juno Awards. He began releasing recordings of his own melancholic pop material in 1985 at age 21, and has since recorded fifteen albums. He was the subject of a 2010 documentary called Love Shines.
- Albums: Other Songs, Whereabouts, Ron Sexsmith, Time Being, Blue Boy
- Matthew Arnold Thiessen (born August 12, 1980) is a Canadian-American musician, singer and songwriter known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released eight full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that peaked in the top twenty on the Billboard 200. Outside of his work with Relient K, Thiessen leads a side project called Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, which released its debut album Wind Up Bird on August 31, 2018. In 2009, he co-produced and collaborated on Owl City's album Ocean Eyes.
- IllScarlett is a Canadian rock and reggae band. Their sound can be defined as pop infused rock reggae. They have made a name for themselves in the Canadian music scene and are making their name known throughout the United States and around the world. Their most prominent influence is California-based band Sublime. The band found their break when they decided to play outside the 2004 Vans Warped Tour venue in front of fans waiting in line to get in. Kevin Lyman, the Warped Tour organizer and co-owner of Warcon Enterprises, noticed them and invited them to play at his personal barbecue. Subsequently, they were offered spots on the tour for the following two years. IllScarlett has five major studio albums: ILLP, Clearly in Another Fine Mess, All Day With It, 1UP!, and most recently illScarlett. Their newest album illScarlett was released on September 2, 2014, and features their new single Down for Whatever. The album All Day With It reached gold status in Canada.
- Albums: Clearly in Another Fine Mess, Ill P, 1UP!, All Day With It, EPidemic
- Bedouin Soundclash is a Canadian band currently based in Toronto. Their sound can be described as reggae and ska.
- Albums: Street Gospels, Sounding a Mosaic, Light the Horizon, Root Fire, Brutal Hearts (FlicFlac edit)
- Jersey was a Burlington, Ontario ska punk band from 1996 to 2005. In 1997, the band released a demo tape which they sold at local concerts. The band had immediate hype partially due to frontman Taylor's previous band, Grade. The band was quickly signed to Southern Ontario punk label Raw Energy and released No Turning Back in 1998. American record label Fueled by Ramen put out the band's second major release, The Battle's Just Begun, a year later. The band began touring Canada and the United States heavily in support of the album as well as 2001's release Definition Recorded and produced by Brian McTernan at Salad Days in Baltimore. Enough interest was generated to interest Virgin Records. The band signed to Virgin in 2003 and producer Dan Brodbeck signed on to produce Jersey's fourth album, Generation Genocide. Generation Genocide was released in Fall 2003. The album was released in the United States in the Spring 2004. In 2005, they announced they were splitting up citing a desire to go in different directions musically.
- Albums: Definition, The Battle's Just Begun, Generation Genocide
- Silverstein () is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario that formed in 2000. Their band name is a reference to the famous children's author Shel Silverstein, whom the band had admired and read the stories of as children. They have released a total of nine studio albums, four EPs, a compilation album and a live DVD/CD. Their lineup had remained unchanged for eleven years since December 2001, consisting of lead vocalist Shane Told, lead guitarist Neil Boshart, rhythm guitarist Josh Bradford, bassist Billy Hamilton, and drummer Paul Koehler. In September 2012, the band had announced that Neil Boshart had been fired and would be replaced by Paul Marc Rousseau, who also joined Billy Hamilton on backing vocals. The band achieved moderate success with their second studio album, Discovering the Waterfront, which was nominated for a Juno Award and reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200 charts, with the following two albums charting at similar positions. Silverstein has sold over 1,000,000 albums worldwide.The band left long-time record label, Victory Records, in 2010; and after a period with Hopeless Records are currently signed to Rise Records. They released their 9th studio album, Dead Reflection, in July 2017.
- Skydiggers are a Canadian roots rock band from Toronto.
- Albums: Skydiggers/Cash Brothers, Bitter Sweet Harmony, Skydiggers, Just Over This Mountain, Restless
- Jane Richmond Hyslop (born 15 February 1967), known professionally as Jane Child, is a Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer best known for her hit single "Don't Wanna Fall in Love". She is also known for her unique and unusual fashion style, which included a hairstyle made of spikes and ankle length braids and a nose chain piercing.
- Albums: Here Not There, Jane Child, Surge, Don't Wanna Fall in Love / World Lullabye, Welcome to the Real World
- Kevin Neil Hearn (born July 3, 1969) is a Canadian musician who is a member of Barenaked Ladies, and his own group, Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle. He primarily plays keyboards and guitars. He is also a former member of Rheostatics.
- Albums: Mothball Mint, Cloud Maintenance
- John Charles McDermott (born 25 March 1955) is a Scottish-Canadian tenor best known for his rendering of the songs "Danny Boy" and "Loch Lomond". Born in Glasgow, Scotland, John moved with his family to Willowdale, Toronto, Canada in 1965. Growing up in a musical family, his only formal musical training was at St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto, Ontario in 1971 and 1972.
- Albums: Christmas Memories, Old Friends, Danny Boy, Songs of The Isles: Ireland, Love Is a Voyage
- Jason Paul "Cone" McCaslin (born September 3, 1980) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, serving as the bassist and backing vocalist of the band Sum 41.
- Boys Night Out is a Canadian emo/post-hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
- Albums: Make Yourself Sick, Trainwreck, Boys Night Out, Fifty Million People Can't Be Wrong, You Are My Canvas
- Treble Charger is a Canadian rock band formed in 1992 in Sault Ste. Marie, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Greig Nori, and co-lead vocalist and guitarist Bill Priddle. The band, initially consisting of four members, had disbanded in 2006 and reunited in 2012. They began with a melodic indie rock style, but evolved into more of a pop punk band after signing to a major label in 1997.
- Albums: self=title, Detox, Maybe It's Me, Wide Awake Bored, NC17
- The Pursuit of Happiness is a Canadian power pop group perhaps best known for their song "I'm an Adult Now".
- Albums: The Downward Road, Love Junk, Where's the Bone, The Wonderful World of The Pursuit of Happiness, One-Sided Story
- Death from Above 1979 are a Canadian rock duo from Toronto, Ontario. Their first full-length album, You're a Woman, I'm a Machine, was released in late 2004 on Last Gang Records. The band broke up in 2006, but announced a reunion in 2011. Their second album, The Physical World, was released in September 2014.
- Albums: You're a Woman, I'm a Machine, Romance Bloody Romance (Remixes and B Sides), Heads Up, Romantic Rights EP
- Cassandra Rae "Cassie" Steele (born December 2, 1989) is a Canadian actress, singer and songwriter, best known for portraying Manny Santos on Degrassi: The Next Generation and Abby Vargas on The L.A. Complex. Steele is of British descent on her father's side and Filipino descent on her mother's side. In 2014, she played Sarah in the MTV horror television movie The Dorm.
- Albums: Destructo Doll, How Much for Happy
- Evans Blue is an alternative rock band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada founded in 2005. Altogether, they have sold over 1 million albums worldwide, including four studio albums and one live album.
- Albums: Graveyard of Empires, The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume, The Pursuit Begins When This Portrayal of Life Ends, The Unplugged Melody, Evans Blue
- Spookey Ruben (born Alan Deil) is a Canadian musician, producer, songwriter, composer, and filmmaker. Best known for his song and music video "These Days Are old", Dell's songwriting and eccentric production techniques often contrast high and low vocals, analogue keyboards, found sounds, sampled beats and stringed instruments such as electric and Spanish guitar. Spookey has released seven full-length solo albums.
- Albums: Modes of Transportation, Volume 1, What's a Boy to Do?, Bed, Breakfast
- Kevin Drew (born September 9, 1976) is a Canadian musician and songwriter who, together with Brendan Canning, founded the expansive Toronto baroque-pop collective Broken Social Scene. He was also part of the lesser-known KC Accidental, which consisted of Drew and Charles Spearin, another current member of Broken Social Scene. Drew has shared in the direction of Broken Social Scene videos under the name Experimental Parachute Movement. In 2008 he wrote and directed a short film called "The Water," inspired by and starring his bandmate and former girlfriend Leslie Feist. In 2009, Drew contributed to the AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night produced by the Red Hot Organization. Drew grew up in west Toronto and attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts, along with Metric's Emily Haines, Stars' Amy Millan and novelist Ibi Kaslik, where he, Amy and Emily studied drama. He was married to Jo-ann Goldsmith, a social worker and an occasional trumpet player in BSS. Drew's second solo album, Darlings, was released on 18 March 2014.On January 15, 2013, Drew announced in an interview that he had begun working on a new album with The Archies songwriter Andy Kim. The album, It's Decided, was released in 2015.
- Albums: Spirit If..., Darlings, Backed Out on the...
- Woods of Ypres were a Canadian blackened doom metal band from Ontario. The band was founded in Windsor in 2002, initially consisting of three members: David Gold, Aaron Palmer and Brian McManus. Their line-up frequently changed afterward, with over 20 members in the band through its various incarnations. The only constant member was multi-instrumentalist and frontman David Gold. The band ended after Gold's death in December 2011, just before releasing their album Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light, which won the 2013 Juno Award for the Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year.
- Albums: Woods III: Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues, Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light, Pursuit of the Sun & Allure of the Earth, Against the Seasons: Cold Winter Songs from the Dead Summer Heat, Woods IV: The Green Album
- Harem Scarem are a Canadian hard rock band from Toronto, Ontario. Harem Scarem achieved popularity in Japan and their native Canada in the early 1990s. The band were active from 1987 to 2008 and again from 2013 after reforming. Throughout their career, they released 13 studio albums, plus numerous live and compilation albums.
- Albums: Human Nature, Rubber, Mood Swings, ULTRA FEEL, Voice of Reason
- Grade is a Canadian hardcore/emo group. Grade's first release was the Grade/Believe split which was released in 1994 on a small Canadian label - Workshop Records. And Such Is Progress followed in 1997 and Separate the Magnets was released in 1998, earning them critical praise and high profile touring slots with groups such as Jimmy Eat World, Hot Water Music and Fugazi. In 1999, they signed with Victory Records and released an EP, Triumph and Tragedy. Later that same year they released a full length album, Under the Radar. In 2000, they released The Embarrassing Beginning, a collection of their older works, as well as rarities. In 2001, original guitarist Greg Taylor left to pursue Jersey full-time, and was replaced with Brad Casarin. Chris Danner subsequently left, with Charlie Moniz joining for the release of the album Headfirst Straight to Hell. In their final incarnation, only Kyle Bishop remained, backed by members of the group Somehow Hollow. The band broke up in 2002.
- Albums: Under the Radar, The Embarrassing Beginning, And Such Is Progress, Headfirst Straight to Hell, Triumph & Tragedy
- The Wilkinsons was a Canadian country music trio from Trenton, Ontario. Founded in 1997, the group consisted of lead singer Amanda Wilkinson, her brother Tyler Wilkinson, and their father, Steve Wilkinson. The Wilkinsons achieved success late in 1998 with the hit single "26 Cents", a Number One on the Canadian country music charts and Top 5 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. It was followed by "Fly", also a No. 1 in Canada. A second album, Here and Now, produced the group's last American top 40 hit in "Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend". Afterward, the trio recorded three more albums, one of which was not released, and a Greatest Hits package.
- Albums: Here and Now, Highway, Nothing but Love, Shine, Home
- Martha and the Muffins are a Canadian new wave band, active from 1977 to the present. Although they only had one major international hit single under their original band name, they had a number of hits in their native Canada, and the core members of the band also charted in Canada and internationally as M + M.
- Albums: Mystery Walk, Trance and Dance, Metro Music, This Is the Ice Age, Danseparc
- Tebey Solomon Ottoh (born October 14, 1983) is a Canadian country music singer and multi-genre songwriter. Living and working out of Nashville, Tennessee, the Peterborough, Ontario native has four albums under his belt, including his latest EP “Love A Girl” (released April 27, 2018) which features his GOLD-certified single “Denim on Denim” and his latest No.1 single, “Who’s Gonna Love You”. In November 2018, Tebey was on the national, coast-to-coast Get Loud Tour with Tim Hicks, as direct support. Tebey has twice achieved the most played Canadian country song of the year: “Somewhere in the Country” (2013) and his version of “Wake Me Up” (2014), a GOLD-certified single. His 2003 "We Shook Hands (Man to Man)", reached No. 47 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and was a Top 5 single on the Canadian country music charts. As a writer, Tebey scored his first US Billboard No. 1 song in October 2017 with “Somebody Else Will” (performed by Justin Moore) and has multiple No. 1’s internationally with artists such as Shawn Desman and Pixie Lott. He’s written songs for the likes of One Direction, Fifth Harmony, FLO RIDA, Cher, Nick Carter, JLS, Emerson Drive, Jimmy Rankin, Doc Walker, Big & Rich, The Veronicas, Justin Moore, Chad Brownlee, Gord Bamford and more. Tebey is also a studio talent; he has won Producer of the Year and has been nominated three times at various Canadian award ceremonies. In addition, he will be adding business owner to his resume, as he is set to start his own company in 2019 in partnership with his long-time manager, Jill Snell. Outside of music, Tebey’s passion is his annual charity golf tournament (Tebey Golf Classic Fundraiser) in Peterborough, Ontario - where all proceeds support local mental health organizations.
- Albums: The Wait, Two
- Glass Tiger is a Grammy-nominated Canadian rock band from Newmarket, Ontario that formed in 1983. The band has released three studio albums. Its 1986 debut album, The Thin Red Line, went quadruple platinum in Canada and gold in the United States. Two singles from that album, "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" and "Someday", reached the U.S. Top 10.
- Albums: The Thin Red Line, Simple Mission, Diamond Sun, No Turning Back 1985 - 2005, Then Now Next
- 1The Thin Red Line5 Votes
- 2Diamond Sun2 Votes
- 3Simple Mission2 Votes
- Klaatu was a Canadian rock group formed in 1973 by the duo of John Woloschuk and Dee Long. They named themselves after the extraterrestrial Klaatu portrayed by Michael Rennie in the film The Day the Earth Stood Still. After recording two non-charting singles, drummer Terry Draper was added to the line-up; this trio would comprise Klaatu throughout the rest of the band's recording career. In Canada, the band is remembered for several hits, including "California Jam", "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" and "Knee Deep In Love". In the U.S. "Calling Occupants" b/w "Sub-Rosa Subway" was a minor double-sided hit and their only chart entry, peaking at No. 62 in 1977. The band is also remembered internationally for rumors that they were the Beatles recording under a pseudonym. Klaatu themselves did not start these rumors and always flatly denied them, and indeed no Beatle was ever involved in the writing, recording or production of any Klaatu material.
- Albums: Sir Army Suit, 3:47 EST, Hope, Endangered Species, Magentalane
- Promise Jason Jamal Shepherd, professionally known as Promise, is a Canadian Hip-Hop Soul artist/songwriter from Toronto. He is also 1/2 of Hip-Hop supergroup Perfeck Strangers, based in Scarborough, Ontario. Promise has collaborated with Jhené Aiko, Montell Jordan, LeCrae, No Malice, MC Jin, J. Ivy, Marco Polo, eLZhi of Slum Village, Royce Da 5'9" of Slaughterhouse, Rhymefest, Ton3x and many others. He has also collaborated heavily with fellow Toronto native Drake, whom he met on the set of Degrassi: The Next Generation. After being signed back to back for almost a decade, Promise became independent in 2017 and continues to write and record music. His upcoming material features Shad, SonReal, Skyzoo, Andy Mineo, V. Rose, Saukrates of Big Black Lincoln and more!
- Albums: More Than Music, Awakening, The Promise That Heaven Kept
- Lukas Rossi (born December 21, 1976) is a Canadian rock musician and was the winner of the CBS Television reality series Rock Star: Supernova - a televised audition contest to become lead singer of the hard rock supergroup Rock Star Supernova.
- Albums: Super Sex Magic, Prophecy, Hollywood
- God Made Me Funky is a Canadian funk music group formed in 1996 in Toronto. The group started as an "instrumental funk fusion experiment" and developed a popular following in the Toronto music scene.
- Albums: God Made Me Funky, We Can All Be Free, Enter the Beat
- The Mahones are an Irish born Canadian Irish punk band, formed on St. Patrick's Day in 1990 in Kingston debuted in 1990.
- Albums: Paint the Town Red (The Best Of...), Irish Punk Collection, Angels & Devils, Draggin' the Days, Rise Again
- Bruce William Watson (born 1961) is a Canadian-born Scottish guitarist, best known for being a member of Big Country.
- Albums: Wild Blue Yonder, Stuart Tributes
- The Diodes were a Canadian punk rock band formed in 1976 in Toronto. They released five albums: Diodes, Released, Action-Reaction, Survivors, and Time/Damage Live 1978. One of the first Toronto bands playing that style of music, The Diodes helped foster the scene in the city.
- Albums: Tired of Waking Up Tired: The Best of the Diodes, Action / Reaction
- Idle Sons was a Burlington, Ontario-based rock band that formed in 1994 under the name Slurpymundae.
- Albums: Untitled Advance, Sixteen Seasons, Sixteen Dates - The Tour EP
- Greg Wells is a Canadian musician, songwriter and record producer based in Los Angeles. Wells has songs on over 125 million albums sold and streaming numbers in the billions. He has produced and written with Adele, Dua Lipa, The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Rufus Wainwright, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Twenty One Pilots, Kid Cudi, Deftones, Creeper Lagoon, Mayer Hawthorne, Theophilus London, Weezer, OneRepublic, Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Pharrell Williams, the All-American Rejects, Otep, Aerosmith, Burt Bacharach, Grace VanderWaal, Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion, Crash Test Dummies, Elton John, Jars of Clay, and the Count Basie Orchestra. A multi-instrumentalist, Wells is featured as a drummer in Modern Drummer, as a pianist in Keyboard, as a synth programmer in Electronic Musician, as a songwriter in American Songwriter and Billboard, and as a producer, mix engineer, and music maker on the cover of Mix with Ryan Tedder in the May 2017 edition.
- RiPPED are an alternative rock band from Burlington, Ontario, Canada on Sextant Records/EMI Distribution. The band formed in 1994, and were originally called "Ripped Emotions". Their first album was called Bloodshot, produced by Jamie Stewart and Mike Hanson of Glass Tiger. The video for the song "The Haunting" from "Bloodshot", was used in an independent feature film called "Insight of Evil" by Nigel Hartwell. The video was also on rotation on Edge TV, a music video television channel. Ashton Price of Morph Productions produced their second album, Blow Your Mind. Dave Ogilvie who has been associated with such acts as Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, David Bowie and Skinny Puppy mixed their first single "Show Me". Dan Brodbeck, of EMAC Recording Studios in London, Ontario, mixed their other singles "Anodyne" and "A Daily Ritual". Brodbeck is known best for working with popular bands such as The Salads, Jersey, Kittie and Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. The video for "Anodyne" by Ripped was nominated for best video in 2005 at the Hamilton Music Scene awards which take place in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
