From Billboard · Stefano Rebuli,Heather Taylor-Singh · · 1m 40s
Calgary's bid to become Nashville North
Alberta's premier came back from Music City with a plan, plus two other Canadian music wins worth knowing about.
In brief
Alberta's premier came back from Music City with a plan, plus two other Canadian music wins worth knowing about. Calgary already has the crowds and is building the venues. What it wants from Nashville is the industry itself: labels, studios, and the people who run them. Originally reported by Billboard.
Calgary wants Music City's playbook
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Calgary can become Canada's next major music hub, and she thinks the raw ingredients are already sitting there.
She went and asked
Smith met Tennessee chamber of commerce and tourism leaders in Nashville to find out exactly which decisions turned that city into a music powerhouse.
“There are a number of changes that they made 25 years ago in order to become what they are today”
Talent in, expertise in
The pitch is not just festivals. Smith wants partnerships that move working musicians and industry know-how between the two cities in both directions.
“I want to find out a little bit about what that is and see if we can develop some excellent partnerships”
The crowds already show up
The Calgary Stampede pulls roughly 1.4 million people a year, and the Cowboys Music Festival draws about 165,000. Demand is not the missing piece.
A $26 billion gap
Calgary's music industry is valued around $2.3 billion. Nashville's economic impact is $28.3 billion. Smith believes the right moves can close that distance.
Buildings before bands
Scotia Place, the new Flames arena, opens in fall 2027 and will host concerts. Stampede Park is chasing year-round status under a 20 year plan.
The Beaches go gold
The Toronto rock band's 2023 single "Blame Brett" earned an RIAA gold certification, their first in the United States, announced three years after release.
“Thank you everyone, we'll forever be blaming Brett”
A TikTok moment paid off
The song went viral, which won U.S. radio play: No. 17 on Alternative Airplay, No. 27 on Rock & Alternative, No. 33 on Pop Airplay. Bigger rooms followed.
The essence
Calgary already has the crowds and is building the venues. What it wants from Nashville is the industry itself: labels, studios, and the people who run them.
