Great Big Sea Co-Founder Séan McCann Releases New Single “10,000 Miles Away”

Fri Dec 10 2021
Séan McCann

Our global pandemic storm isn’t over quite yet but, the end of 2021 certainly feels more like we’re all coming together again rather than drifting further apart, doesn’t it? Right on time, Canadian Celtic folk rocker Séan McCann brings us a rollicking new song that celebrates the power of love’s connection even from “10,000 Miles Away”.

The second single landing from the Newfoundland born-and-bred troubadour’s critically acclaimed and isolation inspired folk opus, SHANTYMAN, “10,000 Miles Away” could very well be the happiest song ever written and recorded about long distance love. It’s irresistible to tap or clap along with the hand jive rhythm and join McCann on the rousing “Sing blow ye winds high-o” chorus.

Check out “10,000 Miles Away” here:

Nothing Will Be Perfect!

Fri Dec 10 2021
Peter Åstedt

Nothing will be perfect! This is just the reality and if the reality doesn’t really is for you, don’t even enter the show business. It’s much easier to take a 9-5 job at a normal office and just work there. You going to get the same things every day and you will be safe.

Recently, I have been meeting too many people in the position to try to make everything perfect in a situation where you really can’t provide those situations. I was traveling and next to me was a couple with a child. Somehow, they had ordered a meal on the flight but were complaining that the meal wasn’t delivered fast enough. The whole flight was delayed because of another delayed flight and some trouble with the passport systems but that didn’t matter to the couple. The staff was working really hard to just get this flight going. And to be honest I was just happy to avoid being stuck for several hours in a boring airport. I would gladly just skip the meal just to get back.  Instead, they were harassing the flight crew with stupid questions when the meal would arrive like that would make it faster.

Jesse Cook Combines Spanish Guitar with Modern Trap & 808 Beats in 11th New Studio Album, Libre

Fri Dec 10 2021
Jesse Cook

Jesse Cook — the multi-Platinum/Gold award-winning and internationally acclaimed producer, composer, and guitarist — has released his 11th studio album, Libre. Out today via Jesse’s own Coach House label imprint, distributed by Outside Music/Redeye, the 10-track album combines Cook’s iconic Spanish guitar flair with Algerian multi-instrumentalist Fethi Nadjem, modern trap rhythms and 808 beats.

Libre arrives alongside the album's stand-out track, “Number 5,” and its accompanying music video.  Check it out on YouTube here:  Number 5 | ft. Fethi Nadjem:

“I wrote and recorded Libre during the pandemic when, like most people, I was longing for freedom,” Cook shares of the new project. “My music was my escape from the four walls that surrounded me, and the storm that was swirling outside.”

Tommy James Welcomes You To His Rock Party!

Fri Dec 10, 2021

Throughout his career, Tommy James has never stopped creating music and never stopped loving his fans. He loves to perform and his music has stood the test of time, garnering new fans all the time and keeping his old fans tuned into what he is doing today. 

With more than just the 23 gold albums, 9 platinum albums, 100 million records sold worldwide, 32 Billboard 'Hot 100' hits and, most impressive of all, the long string of hits heard on the radio over 21 million times, Tommy James has more than earned all his accolades and praises for music that is inextricably woven into people's memories and pop-culture DNA.

Some cool facts about Tommy James:
CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, CRIMSON & CLOVER, MONY MONY, I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW, DRAGGIN' THE LINE, HANKY PANKY, SWEET CHERRY WINE, THREE TIMES IN LOVE and MIRAGE are just a few of the many hits - 23 GOLD RECORDS, 9 PLATINUM ALBUMS and over 100 MILLION RECORDS SOLD WORLDWIDE......and 32 BILLBOARD HOT 100 CHART HITS!

Jonny Dovercourt Releases Season 2 of Any Night of the Week: A Walking History of Toronto Music

Fri Dec 10 2021
Jonny Dovercourt

Melophiles with a love for urban lore are in for a treat with this month’s Season 2 podcast launch of Any Night of the Week: A Walking History of Toronto Music!

Check out Jonny Dovercourt reads from Any Night of the Week: A D.I.Y. History of Toronto Music, 1957-2001 trailer here:

With Episode 3 “Dundas West” newly available, Wavelength Music co-founder and Artistic / Executive Director Jonny Dovercourt is back hosting the ‘virtual walking tour,’ relaying stories about iconic venues and interviews with the influential artists and promoters that rocked them.

Waves That Stray Exposes the Vulnerability of Self-Reflection with Single “Inside My Head”

Fri Dec 03 2021
Waves That Stray

Canadian indie rocker Waves That Stray (Sean MacLean) shares the vulnerability of being locked in the creative process’ cage that is procrastination and self-doubt in a new single and video, “Inside My Head”. Check it out here:

Fusing the best parts of electronica and rock ‘n’ roll, “Inside My Head” gives nod to the distinct sound of early-aughts Brooklyn groups like TV On The Radio, LCD Soundsystem, and The Dirty Projectors. The loops are ethereal, the beats hypnotic, and yet the guitar still rocks, while the lyrics haunt.

I can't hear it
The music doesn't play anymore
I can see it
Washed up along the shore
It’s just a letter in a bottle
From the wreck it breaks your neck
And leaves you hanging
on the hard line

The Honeyrunners Release New Music Video For“Ghosts” That Will Make You Scream

Fri Dec 03 2021
The Honeyrunners

Canadian pop-rockers, The Honeyrunners, release the worldwide debut of their new music video for the single “Ghosts”. The track is a mash-up of New Orleans second line and Neo-Pop. The music is rooted in a bouncy rhythm, stitched together by Southern slide guitar, stride piano, and horn blasts teasing listeners’ sanity in a quilt of production that only grows more chaotic as the track rolls on.

Check out the video Ghosts here:

“We gathered friends from some of the hardest hit industries of the pandemic - nurses, musicians, small business owners, filmmakers - and asked them to scream point blank into a camera. It was the perfect allegory for Ghosts, a song built around anxiety. It was a catharsis for them, and I hope it will be for the viewer as well.”

Peter Astedt Explains It Has To Be Good!

Fri Dec 03 2021
Peter Åstedt

I have just played fifteen songs that have come in one way or another in my different roles as editor, playlist maker, radio DJ, and festival curator. The problem I have is that none of the songs had that quality to make it any further. To be honest they all were in the demo stage in the songwriting process. They were recorded ok, not professionally but ok recorded.

In the end, it’s just not good enough. These songs can never find it’s way to a bigger audience. The craftsmanship is not there. It’s not enough that your mother and a couple of your friends find the songs well.

And here is the biggest mistake that artists are doing right now. They read about all the tips and tricks that industry professionals (just like me) are giving away for free on all different channels all the time. The problem is that we are all talking about when a song is good. When it’s a hidden gem that could with the right marketing reach a bigger audience. The biggest problem is that 97 % of all songs that are given out don’t have that quality. And for these songs, it would be like putting make-up on a pig to follow the instructions that these professionals are giving.

Reggae Legend Jay Douglas Goes Big-Band with Soulful New Holiday Single, “Merry Christmas”

Fri Dec 03 2021
Reggae Legend Jay Douglas

Jay Douglas revisits the classic Christmas tradition of big-band, soulful, crooner-esque Christmas songs that have swept the globe since radio started broadcasting holiday music with his new single, “Merry Christmas”.

Characteristic of Jay Douglas, “Merry Christmas” does a great job of painting a clear picture for the listener — all while feeling warm and inviting. The award-winning reggae legend’s unparalleled energy and charm culminates into the production that is “Merry Christmas” to create that perfect “back home for the holidays” feeling, with a dash of cinematic production traits. Watch it here on YouTube:

Cashbox Radio Christmas & Holiday Pick Hits December 2021

Fri Dec 03 2021
Cashbox Radio Christmas & Holiday Pick Hits December 2021

With the holidays fast approaching, radio will soon be on high rotation of the usual Christmas hits and the nostalgic classics.

At Cashbox Canada and Cashbox Radio, we have been receiving some great new Christmas tunes and I would like to share the first Top 10 songs that are now being played on Cashbox Radio.

We would really love if you give these songs a boost by listening to Cashbox Radio, and heading to our Request link here:
https://www.cashboxradio.ca/request-a-song-on-cashbox-radio/

Who knows? Maybe that future classic is right here on the first Top 10 – more to come next week!

Because at Cashbox Radio we believe someone has to play that future hit for the first time – and we want it to be us!

Barry Stagg - Christmas Grace

The Tradition Continues…Andy Kim Christmas Live Concert Massey Hall December 8, 2021

Fri Dec 03, 2021

THE ANDY KIM CHRISTMAS returns to a live format at Massey Hall Featuring Billy Talent, The Sheepdogs, Ron Sexsmith, Alex Lifeson, Jully Black, Tyler Shaw, Sloan, William Prince, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Jake Clemons, Men Without Hats, Pursuit of Happiness, Theo Tams, Beverly Mahood, Georgia Harmer and Choir! Choir! Choir!

In addition to the actual concert, Mayor John Tory Proclaims December 8, 2021 as Andy Kim Day in the City of Toronto

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2021
Concert in support of CAMH Gifts of Light
Tickets on sale NOW

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MasseyHall.com
Tickets (incl. HST) $37.50 - $97.50 (plus service charges)
All Ages / Reserved Seating

For the last 17 years, Andy Kim has been gathering friends and fans together for the Andy Kim Christmas Show to celebrate the spirit and generosity of the musical community with all proceeds going to CAMH Gifts of Light.

Putting the Online Events In The Past

Fri Nov 26 2021
Peter Åstedt

Soon we can put all the online events in the past. I just decided that after the New Year, if I am to be at an online event, then it has to be very special for me.  Even the worst in real-life events are better than the online versions.

I was just invited to another online conference. The problem now is that so many companies are doing these that it is making it so hard to reach info and sometimes it just becomes annoying. Just a simple thing to find the login page was a twenty-minute waste of time. When I went to the organizer's homepage there was no log-in for the conference part. Of course, they were streaming fifty bands that I have no interest in whatsoever to watch a show online at this point.  I’m barely watching shows with my favorite bands because the shows are not interesting enough to see on a screen. They are made to be seen live and in person. To see an unknown artist with totally new songs in an environment where you can’t get any interaction with an audience, sorry but it doesn’t work for me.

Lily Frost Releases New Single Video Rock Me Baby

Fri Nov 26 2021
Lily Frost

Toronto chanteuse, songwriter, performer and Zoomer radio host Lily Frost has earned her place in Canada’s music scene elite. With 14 critically acclaimed albums to date, her latest Retro-Moderne is an aptly named album that lovingly captures the best sounds of the '60s and '70s while updating them through Frost's unique perspective. The new video produced by Frost, for her single "Rock Me Baby" from that album, will be released on Friday, December 3, 2021.

“Rock Me Baby” is a long distance love song Lily co-wrote with Jesse Singer and Chris Soper during the tracking of her 2019 LP, Retro-Moderne. It might be the only song with that title that doesn't actually "rock." Instead, it finds Frost cooing sweet nothings into her lover's ear with a gentle sigh, breathy vocals. "I had a rough voice memo of the chorus which I played for them.

Check out “Rock Me Baby”  on YouTube here:

40+ Years of Beloved Classics, Legendary Band Spoons Releases Two Greatest Hits Albums

Fri Nov 26, 2021

Available now, legendary 80s-electro new-wave Canadian outfit Spoons are back with two new epic releases: their coveted greatest hits album spanning 1980-2020 in Repeatable, and Echoes — a love letter of Spoons music recreated by artists the world over.

Spanning four decades of their beloved classics remastered, Repeatable cross-examines Spoons’ earliest successes and tracklists them alongside later works to create the ultimate testament to one of the country’s most beloved synth-pop groups.

In an initial run of CDs — also set to be accompanied by a double vinyl release — Spoons have carefully curated an incomparable walk down memory lane: From their big-haired licks like “Nova Heart,” “Romantic Traffic,” and “Old Emotions,” to their 2000s offerings in “You Light Up,” and “Escape With You,” Repeatable is a history lesson in the power and prowess of a few kids from a small city hamlet turned into remarkable staples of an entire generation of music fans.

I’m Not Allowed to Write a Bad Song?

Fri Nov 19 2021
Peter Åstedt

I was teaching at a music school a couple of years ago, talking about the importance of a good song. I told the students that whatever I told them was a tipoff on how to market their songs but it will not work if the song is not good. All I was saying was calculated by the fact that the song had to be great. One kid raised his hand and asked “I’m I not allowed to write a bad song?”

JUNO-Nominated Girl Pow-R Soar with Supercharged Remix of “This Is Us”

Fri Nov 19 2021
Girl Pow-R

Volumes up and dance floors cleared: JUNO Award-nominated and chart-topping Markham/Richmond Hill/Hamilton, ON’s all-girl starlets Girl Pow-R soar with supercharged new remix of their hit single, “This Is Us”.

Watch and listen on YouTube to “This is Us” here:

The pop vets pumping out of your speakers are none other than a vibrant group of talented teens boasting a variety of ages, a diverse host of backgrounds, and storied life experiences — and therein lies their strength. These multi-talented dynamos ranging in age from 11 to 17 are a freight train of feel good, do good, be good vibes, setting a precedent for the fans who look up to them in every way.

D.O. Gibson is "Still Driven” With New Album and Book Release "On This Grind"

Fri Nov 19, 2021

I first met D.O. Gibson over 10 years ago in Cannes, France during MIDEM, where he was hosting CIMA’S Canadian Blast Showcase. His love of music and people, along with his extreme professionalism made him the perfect choice year after year to introduce Canadian talent to the global community.

His enthusiasm and a big smile makes him a magnet for positivity in a business that can so easily crush your dreams. But not D.O. Gibson, he is the true persona of tenacity and passion for music is what makes him indefatigable.

In 2001, D.O. Gibson, was asked to speak to a class of students about how he could be a rapper and also earn a University degree. In a few short months, Gibson was fielding similar requests to speak and perform at dozens of schools, leading him to create the Stay Driven program that addresses subjects including anti-bullying, peer pressure and literacy, based on his own life experiences. Gibson has since spoken and performed at over 1,000 schools to hundreds of thousands of students.

Cat Stevens Releases 50th Anniversary Boxset of “Teaser and the Firecat”

Fri Nov 12, 2021

Following last year’s 50th anniversaries of the era-defining albums ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ and ‘Mona Bone Jakon’,  Yusuf / Cat Stevens is releasing a new extended version of the 1971 multi-platinum selling follow-up ‘Teaser and the Firecat’, due on November 12th 2021 via UMC / Island Records. You can listen to a previously unheard recording of his classic ‘Moonshadow’ below. Recorded at Olympic before the release of the two 1970 albums, this version provides a new insight into the origins of one of the most enduring songs of the 1970s.

Cat Stevens broke on to the radio airwaves with Tea for the Tillerman:

Is the Future No Real Artists?

Fri Nov 12 2021
Peter Åstedt

This week you could possibly read that the Swedish pop star Zara Larsson had made a seven-figure amount on online merch on the platform Roblox. She commented that “it’s perfect, more environmentally friendly, and a new way to make money. Imagine how many flights it would take to reach four million people? Or how many trucks it would take to bring a pink lake house with me everywhere? And then having a couple of hundred people on a payroll, who also need accommodation and food and somewhere to sleep. Going online saves so much in carbon emissions." She stated to BBC.

She started on Roblox during the pandemic in May and held a virtual concert for 1.6 million people in Roblox but the money comes from her selling merch to avatars in the game. You can buy sunglasses and shirts and other stuff to dress your avatar with.

Singer-Songwriter Paul Saunders Channels ‘70s Era Musical Sunshine with “Afternoon Café”

Fri Nov 12 2021
Paul Saunders

It’s a perfectly sunny and warm SoCal afternoon. You feel the soft breeze gently play across your face as you relax under a brightly coloured umbrella at a beachside café, watching people go by and wondering what their stories are as they wander along. This is the sublime scene that long-time Canadian entertainer Paul Saunders sets in his new single, “Afternoon Café” - available now, no travel required.

Reminiscent of the sunshine infused, forever memorable anthems that ‘70s supergroups like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears brought us, “Afternoon Café” blends latin piano rhythms and percussion with sultry sax that open up into a guitar driven, tempo-shifted chorus like we’ve just jumped in our Mustang convertible to race up the PCH.

The day was shining on the water
The waves kept rhythm to the music
And the sounds
They fit right into the picture
Have I been here before or am I dreaming?

“This is a song I wrote a while ago in Venice Beach, California,” explains Saunders. ”When I revisited it, I felt the need to redo the vocals, then, tweak and remix it.”