Sam Roberts, Ruth B and more on how music is changing in a borderless digital world

by Samantha Lui

With digital streaming services like Spotify, Google Play and YouTube taking precedence in the music industry, questions remain over how musicians and artists will adapt as the business rapidly changes.

This week, Cross Country Checkup  discussed music and whether Canada's artists still need Canadian content regulations (CanCon) to thrive in a borderless digital world.

From music veterans like Loreena McKennitt to newcomers like Ruth B, artists shared their viewpoints on how the internet has changed the music industry, and whether they've embraced these changes — or simply endured them.

Sam Roberts says CanCon helped him thrive

Sam Roberts says he wouldn't have been able to survive if CanCon regulations hadn't been put in place.

"I don't think I'd be sitting here talking to you in the capacity of somebody who's been making a living as a professional musician for about 20 years now if it weren't for CanCon rules," Roberts told Checkup host Duncan McCue. "My life has depended on it, essentially."

Roberts acknowledges that there are Canadians like Justin Bieber and Bryan Adams who have found success internationally. Many artists aren't as lucky, however.

"There are a lot of other bands that occupy different sort of strata in the Canadian musical hierarchy who still require help from time to time," he said.

"We face a difficult, certainly an uphill climb when it comes to our competitiveness or ability to go out there and compete against countries that have economies on greater scales than our own."

But with streaming services like Spotify coming into the forefront of the music industry, Roberts is hesitant to say whether there should be CanCon regulations put into place. He says musicians are still learning what kind of role it plays, and how to best take advantage of it.

"Going in and heavily regulating that, I think would be a very difficult proposition before we fully understand how it works," he said.

However, he admits that government intervention would be useful if musicians are finding streaming services are not helping them enough.

"If we find that … we're putting out something that deserves to be heard and we're not able to thrive, then, if that's something the government would be willing to step in and help us along with I would obviously love to see that happen."

New artists face a tougher road, says Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennitt says her career wouldn't have flourished the way it did without CanCon regulations and various arts grants.

"If I were to start out today, I don't see how I could have reached the height of success that I have. You have to have a certain amount of expertise and certain amount of infrastructure," she told Checkup.

She also runs an independent record label — Quinlan Road — since 1985. She said the experience helped her learn the ins and outs of the music industry when promoting her own work.

Since her humble beginnings busking to earn enough money to record her first album, the Celtic musician has sold more than 14 million records and won multiple Juno awards, a Billboard Music Award and a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2007.

But with the creation of online streaming services like Spotify, Pandora and YouTube, McKennitt worries that artists today will have a much more difficult time finding success.

She says artists make very little through streaming services. Music creators will make an average of about $7.50 for 1,000 streams on Spotify. Unsigned artists should expect to be paid about $3.80 from 1,000 streams.

"I don't see that there is a viable business model," she said.

Weaves' lead singer Jasmyn Burke on how the internet can promote diversity

The internet has certainly helped bring Weaves' quirky and playful music to newer audiences. But for frontwoman Jasmyn Burke, it's also a way to spread her message of inclusivity.

"I never really think about record sales necessarily, but I think it gets people to go and see our show and also just [brings] visibility for young girls that want to make rock music," she said.

"We play a lot of shows and girls will come up to me and say, 'You look like me,' or like, 'I'm a strange awkward kid.' I think that there's room for more women in rock music."

While downloads and record sales are important to any musician making a living, Burke, whose band is nominated for Alternative Album of the Year at the Junos (they lost to the group Alvvays), says she appreciates how the internet makes her accessible to her fans.

Burke, who has spoken many times about being a black woman fronting a rock band, says being a musician in the digital era has allowed her to break barriers in the industry.

However, she feels that more work needs to be done to put the spotlight on artists with diverse backgrounds.

"I think we're over the age where it's like this person isn't marketable or this person is more marketable than the next," she says.

"I feel like we're all in this interesting time where you just have to do the right thing. You know, lead with empathy."

Ruth B on how the internet can make new stars

Ruth B never expected to become a musician. But she knows without the internet — particularly the now-defunct video sharing app Vine — she wouldn't be where she is now.

"When I started singing on Vine, it was more just for fun and I really had no intention of turning it into anything," she said.

Back in 2013, the Edmonton native started making videos of herself singing six-second versions of popular songs, racking up tens of thousands of views.

In January 2015, she released her first single Lost Boy. Now she's one of Canada's fastest-rising stars, bolstered by a bevy of Juno nominations including Artist of the Year (she lost this year to Gord Downie in the category).

"It was shocking just because it was only the six-second clip, so it was bizarre to me that people understood them and were sharing them and whatnot."

At 22, Ruth B grew up in an era where many people find their music over the internet, rather than the radio. She agrees that Canadian musicians and their work should be protected, but also feels that the internet can have huge benefits for artists like her.

"I would say don't be afraid to put your music out there. You know, the internet is a beautiful place and you can really get your voice and your songs out there," she said.

"I know it's scary to give your art to people you've never met but you can really make something out of yourself by doing that."