News Archive
The Songwriters Association of Canada provides regular updates on the economic and cultural climate for music creators in Canada and abroad. Stay up to date with the S.A.C.’s work by checking the news archive below and following along on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Please also visit our events page for opportunities to collaborate in person and online.
Kim Mitchell Says Songwriters Hall of Fame Honour Caught Him By Surprise
Singer-songwriter and co-founder of the band Max Webster, Kim Mitchell says he was “blindsided” when he found out he was being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on July…
Songwriters Are Tired of Having Their Money Taken—By Artists
After a well-known singer demanded a portion of the income songwriter Emily Warren would earn from writing a song in exchange for recording it, Warren got angry and stood her…
SOCAN Offering Travel Assistance to Help Musicians Get Back on the Road
The SOCAN Foundation’s Travel Assistance Grant is back after a pandemic pause and accepting applications. The funding program offers eligible music creators and publishers up to $1,000 for travel per…
Year-End Report: Despite All, SOCAN Flourished in 2020
Cutting internal costs, paying attention to its membership, and more money from international and streaming services all combined to result in a good 2020 for SOCAN, even though revenues from…
Composers’ and Writers’ Share Royalties
SOCAN’s 50/50 Distribution Rule exists so music creators of audio-visual works get a fair royalty share distribution between the writer of a registered composition and the publisher. Find out the…
2021 Polaris Music Prize Shortlist Announced
The 10 albums that made the shortlist for the $50,000 Polaris Music Prize were announced in July. Nominees include Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s Theory of Ice, Mustafa’s When Smoke Rises and…
Lightfoot to Reopen Massey Hall in November
After a three-year closure, Toronto’s iconic, newly renovated Massey Hall will reopen in November. Gordon Lightfoot will be the first of 40 acts performing on the Allan Slaight Auditorium stage—including…
Black Music Action Coalition “Report Card” Takes Music Industry to Task Over Diversity
The music industry is not doing a stellar job when it comes to diversity according to the USC-Annenberg study Inclusion in the Music Business and a report card from the…
How to Write a Throwback Song Without Sounding Dated
A “throwback song” is one that emulates a song from the past, but in a modern way. This is done by absorbing a golden oldie’s melodic and rhythmic themes, finding…
TikTok Strikes Agreement Over Royalty Payments for Music Used in Canada
The Canadian Musical Rights Agency has signed a multi-year partnership with TikTok that makes it possible for self-published songwriters and music publishers to collect royalties when their music is featured…
Placing Yourself Within Your Song’s Lyrics
Using the first person (I, me) in your song can create more of an emotional connection with your listeners when you write about loss, love or any universal emotion. Making…
Willie Dunn
By the time he passed in 2013 at 71 years, Willie Dunn was finally getting a belated taste of a renewed interest in his music. It had been a long…
The Weeknd, Eddie Schwartz Lead SOCAN Awards Winners
The 2020 SOCAN Awards were handed out in May. Eddie Schwartz, S.A.C.’s president emeritus, received the Cultural Impact Award for his undeniable influence as a songwriter on the international music…
Some Six Nations Sounds – Part 3
Round Dances, Blues Dancing and Club Music – A few Six Nations selections. Pappy John’s Band – The Bar Road Band was where Don Powless and Murry Porter Mohawks from…
2021 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Finalists: Brilliant Canadian Music Creation Didn’t Miss a Beat Last Year
The SOCAN Songwriting Prize finalists—10 emerging songwriters from English Canada and 10 from French Canada—have been selected by fans online. This is the only major songwriting award in the country…