In Canada: Sarah McLachlan, Mac DeMarco Support SOCAN Campaign to Stop Unlicensed AI Music

Generative AI is becoming a new force in the music industry, often posing a threat to artists, music labels and trade organizations.

In light of this, SOCAN has launched a national campaign, urging the Canadian government to eliminate copyright exceptions that permit free and unauthorized use of copyright-protected works for AI training — prioritizing human-created music.

Artists and organizations have signed in support, including Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Robertson, Elisapie, Dan Mangan, Mac DeMarco, Leith Ross and more. BMG Music Publishing and Nettwerk Music Group are signatories, too.

Related

“This is a defining moment for Canada. AI companies are taking copy-protected works without consent, and the impact is being felt across the music industry,” Jennifer Brown, CEO of SOCAN, tells Billboard Canada. “Music creators cannot compete in a system that devalues human expression while AI companies profit from the unlicensed use of their work.”

“Every day, global streaming platforms are flooded with tens of thousands of AI-generated outputs by tools trained on copyright-protected works without consent, without credit and without compensation,” SOCAN’s campaign claims, noting that “generative AI is reshaping the music and cultural sectors at an unprecedented pace.”

Outside of the industry, local music fans are not receptive to AI-generated work. Last November, a SOCAN report found that 87% of Canadians said they wanted to listen to music created by humans, with 65% saying it’s “very important” to them.

“Canadians have been clear: they value human creativity and expect their government to protect it,” Brown says. “The decisions made now will determine whether music creation remains a viable profession and a vital part of our cultural identity.”

Related

In addition to protecting the country’s creative integrity, the campaign addresses policymakers directly, “at a critical moment,” demanding that the government protect human expression, require transparency from AI companies and ensure clear labelling of AI-generated outputs.

“Canada has long championed cultural sovereignty and the value of human creative expression,” the statement reads, noting that if the government lacks a clear policy direction, the country will lose its “legacy of Canadian storytelling,” the value of human expression and the economic benefits of a strong music industry.

“This is the moment to defend human-made music and ensure it remains valued and protected in Canada,” the letter reads.

Read more here. — Heather Taylor-Singh

The Guess Who Return with Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, But Two Former Members File a New Lawsuit

The classic Randy Bachman-Burton Cummings lineup of The Guess Who has returned to the live stage after more than two decades, but their ongoing legal saga continues.

The Canadian rock stars are back on the road with the band’s legendary principal members, with their first date on an extensive North American at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls on Saturday night (Jan. 31) reportedly proceeding without a hitch.

Related

Just a few days later, however, members of a controversial former lineup of The Guess Who filed another lawsuit. Rolling Stone has reported that on Feb. 3, Guess Who founding drummer Garry Peterson and founding bassist James Kale filed a complaint in federal court against U.S. performing rights management firm BMI.

“Peterson and Kale claim they suffered millions of dollars in losses when lead singer and songwriter Burton Cummings – who owns the publishing rights to the Guess Who’s biggest hits, including ‘American Woman,’ ‘These Eyes,’ and ‘No Time’ – went nuclear two years ago and terminated his entire performing rights agreement with BMI,” the magazine reports.

“Cummings took the extraordinary step of yanking the Guess Who’s songs from the BMI licensing catalog covering concert venues because he wanted to stop Peterson and Kale from staging what he called ‘fake bullshit shows,’ using a different singer and guitarist.”

BMI’s move in April 2024 prompted the Peterson/Kale version of the Guess Who and booking company BiCoastal Productions to immediately cancel a tour they had scheduled, losing millions in the process.

In the new lawsuit, the pair now claim that BMI misinterpreted the termination’s effective date and that a notice period that had not yet expired, meaning their concerts did not need to be cancelled.

Related

The lawsuit accuses BMI of breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, intentional interference with contractual relations and fraud. It seeks compensatory damages estimated at several million dollars, to be determined at trial, as well as punitive damages based on what it describes as BMI’s “willful, oppressive, fraudulent, and malicious” conduct.

““There is no merit to this lawsuit,” a spokesperson for BMI tells Billboard Canada in a statement. “BMI responded accurately and in accordance with the information provided to us by SOCAN, the foreign society that represents the copyright holders. We stand by our response.”

This is just the latest legal twist and turn in a saga that dates back decades and fuelled serious discontent between different members of the Guess Who over who had the rights to the band’s name.

Read more here. — Kerry Doole

Justin Bieber, Karan Aujla Among Spotify’s Most-Streamed Music from Canadian Artists to End 2025

Canadian artists are connecting with fans beyond their home country.

Spotify has revealed its newest Canadian Global Impact List, which highlights homegrown acts whose songs were in heavy rotation among listeners across the globe. This list covers the second half of 2025.

Justin Bieber is at the top of the list, while the ranking also highlights songs by Tate McRae, Daniel Caesar, Punjabi stars Karan Aujla and his longtime collaborator Ikky and popular independent rapper bbno$.

Spotify’s Global Impact List for Canada

Read more on the list here. — HTS