Canada’s heart belongs to Celine, new study suggests
Based on Google searches analyzed by online gambling site Lucky Days, Celine Dion remains the queen of Canadian music.
Based on the number of Google searches per month over the course of the past year, Ms. Dion retains her position as CanCon Queen, with more than 336,700 searches each month, even though she doesn’t make a ton of appearances and doesn’t perform in public all that often anymore. Surely a new documentary about her health issues, and the inherent curiosity about celebrity gossip, have helped drive those numbers up.
The study from Lucky Days “examined the number of searches over the past year for 45 musicians to determine the most popular musicians nationwide.
Coming in second, despite his VERY public feud and so many call-outs and insults from Kendrick Lamar, including that brutal targeted performance at the Super Bowl halftime show, or maybe it’s because he’s been dragged through the mud, Drake remains the CanCon king, followed by Justin Bieber.
Drake had an average of about 322,500 searches each month, meaning that when it comes to Google searches for Canadian musicians, he’s definitely not a minor character. (Cough)
Bieber came in with an average of nearly 290,000 monthly searches.
Rounding out the top five are two more Canadian powerhouses, Shania Twain with nearly 150,000 searches, and Avril Lavigne, with nearly 127,000 monthly searches. Extend the list down one more and you’ll find Nelly Furtado; Alanis Morissette comes in at 8 and the Grande Dame of Canadian songstresses, the immaculate Joni Mitchell, closes out the top 10, with The Weeknd at seven and Nickleback at nine.
“Canada has long been a breeding ground for exceptional artistry, with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and consistently making their mark in the music sphere on the global stage,” says Rich Lee, chief marketing officer for Lucky Days. “Canadian celebrities have not only triumphed in the music sphere on the global stage but have shaped international cultural landscapes and dominated the charts worldwide.”
He adds that Canadian musicians have a “reputation for hard work, humility and a distinct sense of identity,” resulting in these performers becoming “ambassadors of Canadian excellence, inspiring millions both at home and abroad. Their successes are a testament to the power of Canadian creativity, resilience, authenticity and ambition.”
If you’re curious about other CanCon mainstays, “uncle” Neil Young comes in at 12, Sarah McLaughlin at 14, Rush at 15 and the now-controversial Buffy Sainte-Marie at 16, followed by Anne Murray.
Despite all the attention on the band in honour of their 30th anniversary, the release of a massive career-spanning book and an impeccable documentary, The Tragically Hip did not break the top 30.
