Quebec artists largely shunned on streaming platforms; Taylor Swift reigns supreme

Advertisement

Advertise with us

MONTRÉAL - Less than seven per cent of music consumed in Quebec in 2024 on major streaming platforms came from Québécois artists.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/08/2025 (398 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTRÉAL – Less than seven per cent of music consumed in Quebec in 2024 on major streaming platforms came from Québécois artists.

Instead, songs by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift were the most popular in the province, followed by Canadian rapper Drake.

The data appear to confirm the fears of Quebec nationalist politicians, who for years have been sounding the alarm that Québécois culture is under threat by changing consumer habits.

This photo taken on Jan. 28, 2018, in New York, shows the music mobile applications of Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, and Google installed on an iPhone. (AP/Jenny Kane)
This photo taken on Jan. 28, 2018, in New York, shows the music mobile applications of Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, and Google installed on an iPhone. (AP/Jenny Kane)

In May, the Quebec government tabled a bill to force streaming giants such as Netflix and Spotify to boost the visibility of French-language content to encourage Quebecers to consume more local talent.

The latest information on Quebecers’ streaming habits — based on Spotify, Amazon and Tidal platforms — comes from Luminate Data and was analyzed by the province’s statistics institute.

The percentage of streams involving Quebec artists is down from 7.5 per cent in 2023 and eight per cent in 2022.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2025. 

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Wab Kinew as ‘communicator in chief’

Paul G. Thomas 6 minute read Preview

Wab Kinew as ‘communicator in chief’

Paul G. Thomas 6 minute read Yesterday at 2:00 AM CDT

Premier Wab Kinew and his party have been riding high in the polls longer than normal for a government one year or less away from its first re-election contest. One reason is his ubiquitous, dominating communications presence as NDP leader and premier.

The argument here is that Kinew has supplemented his prerogatives as premier and party leader (such as appointing cabinet ministers and approving party nominations) with the skilful use of communications to advance his policy agenda, boost his personal popularity and maintain the competitive advantage of his party over the opposition Progressive Conservatives.

Communications has always been a significant part of politics and policy making. However, in the contemporary political and media environments, communications considerations have moved from the background to the foreground of decision-making by political parties, including when they are performing in the role of government. Campaigning and governing now overlap in what has been described as a permanent election campaign.

Political parties use communications strategies for several purposes: to establish an image of the leader which makes a positive emotional connection with voters; to promote a coherent message and to keep party members on message; and to gain favourable media coverage for its policies and other actions on almost a daily basis.

Read
Yesterday at 2:00 AM CDT

Manitoba PC leader Khan survives confidence vote

Carol Sanders 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba PC leader Khan survives confidence vote

Carol Sanders 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:33 PM CDT

Manitoba Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan survived a confidence vote last week.

Caucus communications director Alison Sutherland confirmed the vote was held Friday and that Khan still has “the full confidence” of the PC caucus.

She did not provide further details.

The party under Khan’s leadership is floundering, a recent poll suggests.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 8:33 PM CDT

The Brazilian election

Gwynne Dyer 5 minute read Preview

The Brazilian election

Gwynne Dyer 5 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

“Flávio Bolsonaro is Trump’s candidate and what Trump wants is to colonize Brazil, take our riches, steal our future and leave us in the dust,” claims the latest video released by President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva’s re-election campaign. The weird thing is about half of Brazil’s voters would be okay with Trump running the country (through Bolsonaro).

Read
2:00 AM CDT

Dealing now with increasing judicial dangers

Ben Wickstrom 5 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

For years, the Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys (“MACA”) has been engaged in a dispute with the Manitoba government over the workload of its lawyers. That dispute is expected to come to a head at the end of November, when two weeks of grievance hearings are scheduled.

We remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement with our employer. But if we cannot, our union’s lawyers are prepared to make our case. As those hearings approach, we want to explain how we got here, what is at stake, and why this dispute matters beyond the working conditions of our members.

These problems are longstanding and predate the election of Manitoba’s current government. Our concern with the current government is not that it created these problems, but that it is now responsible for addressing them.

Despite the evidence before it, the government has not meaningfully addressed the workload concerns we have raised throughout its time in office.

Retiree sues neighbour over alleged dog attack

Scott Billeck 2 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

A Winnipeg man is suing his neighbour over an alleged dog attack he says occurred while he was helping him with a lawnmower.

Arthur Cabel, a retiree who lives on Selkirk Avenue, is seeking unspecified damages from neighbour Saisamone Saegone, according to a statement of claim filed in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench last week.

Cabel claims he went to Saegone’s home in the afternoon on Sept. 23, 2024, to help him with his lawnmower.

According to the lawsuit, Saegone’s large dog, initially in a fenced backyard, escaped, approaching Cabel and “mauling, attacking and biting him.”

What does the PC stand for in party’s name? Seems to be Pretty Confused

Tom Brodbeck 5 minute read Preview

What does the PC stand for in party’s name? Seems to be Pretty Confused

Tom Brodbeck 5 minute read 1:11 PM CDT

It should have been obvious from the beginning that the Manitoba Progressive Conservative party was going to have trouble holding itself together under Obby Khan.

The warning came in April 2025, when the now-former PC party leader narrowly won the leadership over far-right populist candidate Wally Daudrich.

Technically, Khan won. Politically, however, it was a more complicated result.

Daudrich received more votes than Khan, but Khan prevailed because the party used a constituency-weighted points system that gave him just enough of an advantage to put him over the top.

Read
1:11 PM CDT