{"id":166937,"date":"2025-06-14T00:02:53","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T04:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/2025\/06\/14\/in-canada-live-nation-execs-take-no-1-spot-on-billboard-canada-power-players-2025\/"},"modified":"2025-06-14T00:02:53","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T04:02:53","slug":"in-canada-live-nation-execs-take-no-1-spot-on-billboard-canada-power-players-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/2025\/06\/14\/in-canada-live-nation-execs-take-no-1-spot-on-billboard-canada-power-players-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"In Canada: Live Nation Execs Take No. 1 Spot on Billboard Canada Power Players\u00a02025"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\tBillboard Canada<\/em> Power Players is back for a second year, and it comes at a pivotal time for Canadian music. Canadian Content regulations \u2014 a principle that built the domestic industry \u2014 are up for review for the first time in a generation, with ongoing hearings taking place with the CRTC. The Online Streaming Act, meanwhile, is attempting to regulate major foreign streaming services to contribute to CanCon as the CRTC once did for radio \u2014 but companies like Spotify, Amazon and Apple Music aren\u2019t taking it without a fight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tThose issues shadow the industry, which has recently seen both struggles and successes. The country was recently named the 8th largest music market<\/a> in the world by the IFPI, and Toronto has emerged as a marquee live music market. That\u2019s been reflected in the successes of and investments in new venues by companies like Live Nation Canada, MLSE and Oak View Group, who all appear on the list.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tIn Canada: How Major Music Companies Are Fighting the \u2018Streaming Tax\u2019\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

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\n\tAs top execs at Live Nation Canada, Erik Hoffman<\/strong>, Riley O\u2019Connor<\/strong> and Melissa Bubb-Clarke<\/strong> are orchestrating one of the most ambitious stretches in the company\u2019s history. Together, the trio claims the No. 1 spot on Billboard Canada <\/em>Power Players 2025. Already the biggest players in the Canadian music business, Live Nation is just getting bigger \u2014 and it\u2019s on track for a record-breaking summer.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the new Billboard Canada<\/em> cover story<\/a>, the three talk about their ambitious plans \u2014 including the about-to-open Rogers Stadium in Toronto, which will bring Oasis, Coldplay and BLACKPINK to the city this summer and triple the number of stadium shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tDerek \u201cDrex\u201d Jancar of OVO Wins the Impact Award<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAs part of Billboard Canada<\/em> Power Players, Derek \u201cDrex\u201d Jancar<\/strong> took the No. 1 spot in the Foundations category and accepted the Impact Award at the celebration in Toronto on Wednesday (June 11).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t In the mid-2000s, Drex, Gavin Sheppard<\/strong> and Kehinde Bah<\/strong> co-founded The Remix Project, a community initiative that continues to influence global culture. Now, he\u2019s doing it again as CEO of October\u2019s Very Own (OVO).<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tDrake Announces \u2018OVO Fest Will Be Back This Summer\u2019 at Central Cee Concert\u2026\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

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\n\tOn Wednesday night (June 11), Derrick Ross<\/strong> of Slaight Music presented Drex with the Impact Award as part of Billboard Canada<\/em> Power Players 2025<\/a>, with a donation to the Remix Project \u2014 a testament to the immense influence Drex has had within Canadian music and culture.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn an interview<\/a>, Drex tells Billboard Canada<\/em> about the impact of the Toronto community on all the work he does.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s the nucleus of everything. It\u2019s the thing you constantly come back to and think about: \u2018Does this represent us, honestly and authentically?\u2019\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s where everyone worked on their skills and put blood, sweat and tears into their career paths. We obviously are global thinkers, but we\u2019re always coming from that place. That\u2019s our identity. It\u2019s shaped us and it\u2019s what makes us unique.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDrex recalls meeting the key figures at OVO at Remix, including Oliver El-Khatib<\/strong>, Future The Prince<\/strong>, Niko Carino <\/strong>and Drake<\/a>. The dedication that they poured into Drake\u2019s burgeoning career in the late 2000s created a special energy in Toronto. He was already the hottest artist in the city, Drex recalls, but you could feel he was on the verge of becoming a global phenom \u2014 all while wearing his local connections on his sleeve.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou could see what was happening behind the scenes, and it was really special to see everyone rally around and build such an amazing brand around him,\u201d Drex says. \u201cIt was a time where you really started to believe in the city and the talent and the potential in the city and you were like, \u2018Anyone can do anything from here. This is possible, it\u2019s happening right in front of us.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe First Canadian Edition of Managers to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAlso this week, Billboard Canada<\/em> unveiled its first Music Managers to Watch list.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tManagers are the unsung heroes of the music industry. They are the hard-working decision makers behind some of the country\u2019s most beloved artists. They make deals, orchestrate partnerships and make key strategic decisions. And though fans rarely know their names, they are key to the success of Canadian musicians. They don\u2019t do it for personal glory, but to fulfill artistic visions that can break barriers and move millions.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tManagers to Watch: The Rising Execs Helping Sabrina Carpenter, Shaboozey, Young Miko &\u00a0More\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3><\/div>\n

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\n\tThese talented managers on the rise have helped some of the biggest artists tour stadiums, stun at the Met Gala or go gold without any label support. That\u2019s an extra feat in Canada, where managers often have to navigate a tight-knit industry and geographic barriers to breakout success. In the feature<\/a>, they share their tips for people new to the business and those who want to help introduce their artists to a global audience.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe list includes managers for Kaytranada, Jessie Reyez, Charlotte Cardin, Connor Price and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Beaches\u2019 manager, Laurie Lee Boutet<\/strong>, was named Manager of the Year<\/a>. In an interview, she talks about how she helped navigate the Toronto band\u2019s 2023 viral moment into sustained momentum on its way to its first hometown arena tour this fall.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Aller \u00e0 la source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Billboard Canada Power Players is back for a second year, and it comes at a pivotal time for Canadian music. Canadian Content regulations \u2014 a principle that built the domestic industry \u2014 are up for review for the first time in a generation, with ongoing hearings taking place with the CRTC. The Online Streaming Act, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-166937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-musique","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166937\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}