As the lone Verge staffer based in the Great White North, I have to put up with a lot. There are endless jokes about the weather, hockey, and maple syrup. But more than anything, I hear jokes about music: Bieber and Bublé and that band that sings "How You Remind Me." No one seems to remember the good stuff. It's like disparaging American music because of the existence of Hanson.
The rest of the world may not realize it, but there's a whole lot of great music that comes out of Canada. And because the country is so spread out, it's also very diverse. There's poppy stuff like Tegan & Sara and Lights, indie rock like City & Colour and Broken Social Scene, and even some great hip-hop courtesy artists like k-os and Buck 65. Some of these artists have found success elsewhere in the world — Arcade Fire did win the 2011 Grammy for best album, after all — but there's also plenty of stuff that feels like it's just ours. The Tragically Hip might just be Canada's best kept secret, for instance. Hopefully this playlist will let you in on a few more.
- The Grand Optimist City & Colour
- The Love Song k-os
- I Was a Fool Tegan and Sara
- Modern Man Arcade Fire
- Them Kids Sam Roberts
- Shelter Bedouin Soundclash
- The Darkest One The Tragically Hip
- Queen of Hearts Fucked Up
- Apparitions Matthew Good Band
- Uphill City I Am Robot and Proud
- Swimmers Broken Social Scene
- Think That You Might Be Wrong Great Lake Swimmers
- Wicked & Weird Buck 65
- My Boots Lights
- Problem With Solutions Jim Guthrie