Music News

Maybe what this country needs is an all-Canadian streaming service. Someone is trying to do create one.

In all the hoopla, arguing, and misinformation about Bill C-10, which seeks to modernize much of broadcasting in this country, is the debate about protecting and promoting Canadian content online as it is for traditional broadcasters. One area which is of great concern are streaming music services, none of which are headquartered in this country. All the money we pay to Spotify, Apple Music, and all the rest of them, exits the country. And none of these services don’t even pay sales tax on subscriptions.

Maybe what we need is a Canadian-based all-Canadian streaming service outside the CBC. This is the concept behind a project by ICEBOX Music. They envision a domestic service that will feature nothing but Canadian artists. Plus it has a mandate of prioritizing fair payment for artists.

A lofty goal, no?

After an eight-week crowdfunding campaign, ICEBOX Music now wants to get the word out so they can populate its musical universe with Canadian material. This is from founder Rick Levine:

“We are looking to attract artists of all genres and their music to create a unique, nationwide, Canadian-only streaming platform where indie and emerging Canadian artists are revealed and celebrated. The goal is to monetize our music fairly! I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, I’m saying it’s going to be worth it!”

If you’re interested in learning more, drop Rick a line at [email protected]

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39690 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

One thought on “Maybe what this country needs is an all-Canadian streaming service. Someone is trying to do create one.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.