Poor, old Canada doesn’t really have a wonderful reputation for putting out great musicians, or even competent ones for that matter. Whether it be Alanis Morissette , Sum 41, Simple Plan, Justin Bieber, or the be-all, end-all of lame bands, Nickelback, Canada’s repertoire of “successful” artists is pretty poor.
So, to counteract this, I have assembled a list of ten Canadian musical artists that are actually pretty damn good. Of course, this is all subjective – the list is based on my personal tastes and critical acclaim – and is definitely not all encompassing, so feel free to comment, rate, and post other Canadian artists that you feel deserve to be on this list.
Alexisonfire
Say what you will about them, their debut album is a very good collection of well-written, emotional post-hardcore. It has sold over 50,000 records in Canada, enough to give it Gold certification. Is well worth checking out.
Sunset Rubdown
This art rock band’s songs are centred around the lead singer’s otherworldly metaphors and characters, and can be a little weird at times. But, ultimately their sound is compelling and emotional and both their 2007 album (Random Spirit Lover) and their 2009 album (Dragonslayer) are a fulfilling listen.
The New Pornographers
Formed in 1997, this Canadian supergroup performs a very enjoyable form of power-pop, often compared to Cheap Trick. Their debut Mass Romantic is the most critically acclaimed and probably their best.
Crystal Castles
Their debut album includes a terrifying mix a 8-bit glitches, skull thumping beats, and a multitude a samples, all experimentally amalgamated to create one hell of an album, that’ll either leave you screaming for more, or cursing the ground it came from.
Feist
A folk-pop singer of tremendous talent, Feist caught her big break when her song ‘1234′ from her 2007 album The Reminder was included on an iPod ad. She later went on to perform that song in a Sesame Street version, teaching kid to count, which she said was a carer highlight.
Fucked Up
A hardcore punk band with a slight experimental edge, they received widespread acclaim for their 2008 album The Chemistry of Common Life. Recently they, and a bunch of friends, rerecorded ‘Do They Know Its Christmas?’ for charity.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Legends of post-rock, this band are masters of orchestrated rock. The songs move and fluctuate slowly, rising in beautiful and moving crescendos, and building to a powerful climax. Their third album Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is a must have.
Broken Social Scene
A supergroup if I ever saw one, this band has NINETEEN different members coming and going. This results in very layered, very textural, and very eclectic music. Their 2002 album You Forgot It In People has been described as “the ultimate indie mix-tape”, and made any ‘Best of the Year’ lists, as well as ‘Best of the Decade’ lists.
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire exploded onto the scene with their astonishing debut Funeral and has never looked back. With its highly infectious and euphoric yet moving brand of baroque pop, Arcade Fire reminded many of indie heavy weights Neutral Milk Hotel (they even signed to the same label that released In the Aeroplane Over the Sea) and filled the gap left by Mangum’s departure from music.
Neil Young
Need I say more.
Bonus Band: Boards of Canada
No, they’re not Canadian, but their name has Canada in it. And Music Has The Right To Children is really one-of-a-kind.
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