Canada’s population is of the order of a tenth of the USA’s. Yet when it comes to the most memorable music acts to emerge from North America, a disproportionate number originate from north of the Canadian border. Not convinced? Here, we run through some of Canada’s most successful pop musical exports and take a look at their achievements and their legacy.
Céline Dion went from Quebec to South Park
One of the most successful female vocalists of all time, Céline Dion’s story reads like a classic rags to riches fairytale. Born in a small town in Quebec, she was the youngest of 14 children. Céline gave her first public performance as a five-year-old when she sang at her brother’s wedding.
By the late 1980s, her powerful and technically skilled vocal abilities became a talking point in the industry. Soon, she was highly in demand for film score work, and her voice became permanently associated with Disney productions like Beauty and the Beast. In 1997, her song My Heart Will Go On featured in Titanic and became her biggest hit, still her signature piece a quarter of a century later.
In the 2000s, her Las Vegas residency was the highest-grossing of all time and is credited with reviving the Las Vegas music scene. Despite being the highest-grossing female artist of all time, she is not above some self-deprecating humor. She has featured several times in South Park, and was even name-dropped in the Bigger, Longer, Uncut movie.
Annihilator scored the ultimate casino accolade
Canada’s most successful thrash metal band of all time released their debut album in 1989, while Céline was singing for Disney cartoons. 16 more studio albums have followed, accompanied by almost as many changes in lineup. One factor that has remained a constant is songwriter, guitarist and frontman Jeff Waters.
While chart success has eluded Annihilator, the band has a core of loyal supporters and has consistently sold out venues on live tours, so undoubtedly deserves its place among Canada’s leading musical exports. Earlier this year, the band was honored with one of the ultimate accolades.
Guns n Roses, Motörhead, and Ozzy Osborne are among the select few to have a slot game created in their honor. Earlier this year, Play n Go launched the Annihilator slot, based on Canada’s most famous thrash metal band. It’s available at mobile casinos in Canada and beyond, so if you’re into online casino games, why not give it a try and see how it measures up?
Bryan Adams scored over 100 million sales
In the 1980s, Bryan Adams checked all the boxes with soft rock radio pleasers like Summer of 69 and Run to You. Then in 1991, he threw down the gauntlet that Céline took up three years later with Titanic.
His single (Everything I Do) I Do It for You was used in the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It sold 15 million copies and achieved the number-one spot in Canada, the US and everywhere else you can think of. In the UK, it remained in the top spot for an unprecedented 16 consecutive weeks.
Now aged 64, the Groover from Vancouver continues to perform on his own terms, primarily contributing to charitable events. For the past 20 years he has also worked as a professional photographer, including a famous royal commission in 2002.
The future is in safe hands
The above three Canadian acts have been hugely influential in their genres since the 1980s. They can rest assured that when the time comes to retire, the future is in safe hands. Justin Bieber has already built a reputation of his own, and has every chance to be as successful as Bryan Adams. Other singers flying the flag for Canada include Drake, Avril Lavigne, Camilla Cabello and, of course Shawn Mendes who has taken Canadian music into the online age.
