Julie Adam is having a milestone year — and it’s getting even bigger.

The president & CEO of Universal Music Canada is this year’s Billboard Canada Executive of the Year. She will accept the award at Billboard Canada Women in Music on Oct. 1 at Rebel in Toronto.

Adam was promoted to the head role at the beginning of this year and is now the only woman heading a major label in Canada.

Adam’s rise comes after decades of breaking barriers. She started in radio, becoming Canada’s first female Vice President of Radio Programming, and spent more than 20 years at Rogers Sports & Media before moving to Universal in 2023 as EVP & GM. It wasn’t long before she stepped into the top role, taking charge of Canada’s largest record company during a moment of change.

UMC is the market share leader amongst labels in Canada (the label has 7 of the top 10 albums year to date), with both domestic success for international artists and rising stardom for homegrown artists.

The past year has seen chart breakthroughs for artists like Josh Ross (who was among the most nominated artists at the Junos and CCMAs) and Toronto pop artist Sofia Camara, who hit the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for the first time this week. Other artists, like Mae Martin and Owen Riegling, continue to make a big mark.

It’s no surprise Adam was named to the Billboard Canada Power Players list this year and to Billboard’s Global Power Players.

What makes Adam stand out — and what this award underlines — is not just the business, but the way she leads. Her book Imperfectly Kind doubles as her philosophy: that empathy and generosity can fuel success. Colleagues and artists alike point to her ability to create space for others to thrive, a rare quality in an industry often driven by competition.

Read more here. — Peony Hirwani

Canadian Music Industry Weighs in on How to Support Canadian Audio Content at CRTC Public Hearings

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)’s “Supporting Canadian and Indigenous audio content” hearings are underway.

The CRTC proceedings are centred around the Online Streaming Act, a legislation that updates Canada’s Broadcasting Act for the new digital media landscape. It’s a once-in-a-generation update to CanCon regulations, and many stakeholders have been weighing in about how it should be implemented.

An important aspect to these hearings is last year’s CRTC decision to enforce major foreign-owned streaming services with Canadian revenues over $25 million to pay 5% of those revenues into Canadian content funds, like FACTOR and Musicaction. It’s been a major hot button issue, with pushback from the big major streaming services like Spotify and Amazon. After appealing the base contributions, the courts paused payments until an appeal.

That has been a big topic of conversation in arguments over a series of five days of hearings in Gatineau, Quebec, from September 18 to September 29.

The country’s federal government is under heavy pressure from the United States to forego the base contributions in the legislation, with 18 members of Congress signing a letter, claiming the act “imposes discriminatory obligations and threatens additional obligations imminently is a major threat to our cross-border digital trade relationship.”

CRTC regulations state that at least 35% of popular music picks on commercial radio stations must be Canadian content — but this standard doesn’t currently extend to music streaming services.

The goal of the hearings is to discuss how CanCon regulations can be adjusted in support of the changes taking place in the music industry and the Canadian broadcasting system, including the rise of streaming services, the decline of radio broadcasting alongside increasing support for Indigenous music and diverse Canadian artists.

In its notice of consultation on the hearing that began last week, the CRTC said streamers should “contribute to the discoverability of Canadian, French-language and Indigenous music either through financial contributions or through initiatives targeting the promotion and exposure of these songs to their users.”

Read more about the hearings here. — Heather Taylor-Singh

Kneecap Say They Haven’t Received Any Formal Notice After Ban From Canada

Kneecap have yet to receive official confirmation of its ban in Canada.

Last Friday (September 19), the Irish hip hop trio was ruled ineligible to enter the country by Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Combating Crime Vince Gasparro in a video posted to X.

While the ban forces the group to forfeit scheduled concerts in Toronto and Vancouver next month, Kneecap’s manager, Dan Lambert, said that the band hasn’t gotten any communication from the federal government.

“Nobody has instructed Kneecap that they can’t travel to Canada except Vince and his social media video,” Lambert tells CBC News.

During Gasparro’s video, he claimed the trio “have amplified political violence and publicly displayed support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” and said he was making the announcement “on behalf of the Government of Canada.”

The ruling blocks Kneecap’s planned shows at Toronto’s History on October 14 and 15, as well as concerts at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre on October 22 and 23.

Soon after the news broke out, Kneecap rejected the claims in an Instagram statement addressed directly to Gasparro, calling his remarks “wholly untrue and deeply malicious.”

The trio added that they’ve instructed their lawyer to initiate legal action against Gasparro. “We will be relentless in defending ourselves against baseless accusations to silence our opposition to a genocide being committed by Israel,” they said.

Kneecap vowed that if they win in court, they will donate all damages to “some of the thousands of child amputees in Gaza.”

“We’re pretty shocked that this could happen in Canada,” Lambert said to CBC News, adding the band has played in Canada multiple times. He noted that the only country where the group has been banned is Hungary.

Lambert said the case is due in court on Friday, and he fully expects the band to win.

Read more here. – H.T.S.

Spinal Tap may be a fake band, but its music is very real, and it is being used to raise money for Teen Cancer America, a non-profit founded by The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend that runs cancer programs for teens and young adults ages 15-39.

Members of such legendary groups as Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, The Go-Go’s and Tool, among others, appear on The Majesty of Rock, a 32-song collection from the Spinal Tap catalog, including such Tap classics as” Sex Farm,” “(Listen to the) Flower People,” “Hell Hole” and “Big Bottom.” The collection also features a contribution from the Play it Back Players, a band comprised of cancer patients and professional musicians, who donate their time.

In the spirit of Spinal Tap, many of the musicians created fake bands for the project. For example, Vixen’s Britt Lightning formed The Lightning Rods for her contribution. Guns N’ Roses’ Dizzy Reed plays with a group dubbed Jason Achilles, while System of a Down’s John Dolmayan plays with Antenna the End. “Big Bottom” is attributed to the band S.S.R.J.C.T., which is comprised of Mastadon’s Troy Sanders, Failure’s Kellii Scott, Kyuss’s Scott Reeder, Foo Fighters’ Rami Jaffee, Tool’s Justin Chancellor and The Go-Go’s Abby Travis. (The band takes its name from the first initial of each musician’s last name)

Only 5,000 digital copies of the compilation will be available and can be purchased here for a minimum donation of $19.84, a reference to the year This is Spinal Tap was released in 1984.

Journalist and podcaster Marc Shea produced the set, which came about following a conversation on his Performance Anxiety. “Three and a half years later, we have a double album to honor the musical and comedic legacy of Spinal Tap, the band that gave us ‘going to 11’ as well as raising awareness for spontaneous combustion,” he said in a statement. “I can’t thank the contributors or TCA enough for their support.”

 “This tribute album is a fun, powerful way to raise crucial funds and awareness for the unique challenges facing this age group,” Shannon Sullivan, executive director of Teen Cancer America, said in a statement. We are incredibly grateful to the brilliant artists who have lent their talents to this project and to the creators of Spinal Tap for allowing us to celebrate their genius for a cause that is so important.”

Papa Roach’s “Braindead,” featuring H2O vocalist Toby Morse, rises two spots to No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart dated Oct. 4.

As the song becomes the Jacoby Shaddix-led Papa Roach’s 12th leader on the list, the group now claims sole possession of the 10th-most No. 1s in the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart’s 44-year history, breaking out of a tie with Volbeat.

Papa Roach first ruled Mainstream Rock Airplay in 2009 with “Lifeline,” nine years after initially reaching the survey with “Last Resort” (No. 4, 2000). Its current No. 1 streak — five in a row — dates to September 2022, when “No Apologies” led for a week.

Most No. 1s, Mainstream Rock Airplay:
21, Shinedown
19, Three Days Grace
16, Five Finger Death Punch
14, Foo Fighters
14, Metallica
13, Disturbed
13, Godsmack
13, Linkin Park
13, Van Halen
12, Papa Roach

As for Morse, “Braindead” is his first solo ruler on a Billboard chart, in his first appearance on his own. H2O has multiple entries, including No. 1s, on album charts, from 1997’s Thicker Than Water through 2015’s Use Your Voice.

Concurrently, “Braindead” zooms 19-10 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 2.5 million audience impressions in the week ending Sept. 25, up 24%, according to Luminate. It’s Papa Roach’s 10th top 10, and fifth in a row. The band’s best, “Even If It Kills Me,” reached No. 2 in June.

“Braindead” is currently a stand-alone single. Papa Roach’s most recent album, Ego Trip, debuted at No. 6 on Top Hard Rock Albums in April 2022 and has earned 204,000 equivalent album units to date.

All Billboard charts dated Oct. 4 will update Tuesday, Sept. 30 on Billboard.com.

It’s free Billboard charts month! Through Sept. 30, subscribers to Billboard’s Chart Beat newsletter, emailed each Friday, can unlock access to Billboard’s weekly and historical charts, artist chart histories and all Chart Beat stories simply by visiting the newly redesigned Billboard.com through any story link in the newsletter. Not a Chart Beat subscriber? Sign up for free here.

 Jelly Roll, BigXthaPlug, Ed Sheeran, Jessie Murph and Alex Warren are among the artists who will be taking part in iHeartMedia’s annual “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour” presented by Capital One.

The trek will also feature Conan Gray, Laufey, mgk, Monsta X, Myles Smith, Nelly, Olivia Dean, Ravyn Lenae, Reneé Rapp, Shinedown, The Kid LAROI, Zara Larsson and more. The trek will make stops in Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami and Washington, D.C. The tour stops will also be part of a network special on ABC, which will air in December and the following day on Hulu.

“Now in its 30th year, the Jingle Ball Tour has become the premier holiday music event, where fans can see the biggest artists performing the best songs of the year,” John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia, and Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia, said in a joint statement. “Once again we are partnering with ABC to bring this holiday tradition to even more fans across the country.”

General public tickets go on sale Oct. 3 at 12 p.m. local time on iHeartRadio’s website.

For a 12th year, nine cities on the tour will partner with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids pediatric patients through entertainment and/or educational initiatives. iHeartRadio’s 106.1 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball in Dallas/Fort Worth will work with the Kidd’s Kids, an organization with the mission of creating uplifting memories for families of kids with life-altering or life-threatening conditions. Partners of this year’s national iHeartRadio Jingle Ball include presenting partner Capital One, Boost Mobile, JCPenney and Mercedes-Benz.

The concert dates are below:

Dec. 2: Dallas/Fort Worth – iHeartRadio 106.1 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Dickies Arena (Lineup: Alex Warren, Jessie Murph, mgk, Nelly, Reneé Rapp, Rachel Chinouriri, Shinedown, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.

Dec. 5: Los Angeles – iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Intuit Dome (Lineup: Alex Warren, Audrey Hobert, Conan Gray, Feid, Jackson Wang, Jessie Murph, The Kid LAROI, Leon Thomas, Reneé Rapp, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 8: Chicago – iHeartRadio 103.5 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Allstate Arena (Lineup: Audrey Hobert, Jessie Murph, Nelly, Ravyn Lenae, Reneé Rapp, Teddy Swims, Shinedown, Jackson Wang, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 9: Detroit – iHeartRadio Channel 95.5’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Little Caesars Arena (Lineup: BigXthaPlug, Conan Gray, Jessie Murph, MOLIY, Nelly, Rachel Chinouriri, Ravyn Lenae, Shinedown, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 12: New York – iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Madison Square Garden (Lineup: Alex Warren, BigXthaPlug, Conan Gray, Ed Sheeran, Jessie Murph, Laufey, Monsta X, Myles Smith, Nelly, Ravyn Lenae, Reneé Rapp, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 14: Boston – iHeartRadio Kiss 108’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ TD Garden (Lineup: Ed Sheeran, Laufey, MOLIY, Myles Smith, Olivia Dean, Ravyn Lenae, Sean Paul, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 15: Philadelphia – iHeartRadio Q102’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Xfinity Mobile Arena (Lineup: AJR, Alex Warren, BigXthaPlug, Laufey, Monsta X, Myles Smith, Ravyn Lenae, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 16: Washington, D.C. – iHeartRadio HOT 99.5’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Capital One Arena (Lineup: AJR, Alex Warren, Conan Gray, Jelly Roll, Laufey, Monsta X, Myles Smith, Nelly, Olivia Dean, Shinedown, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)

Dec. 18: Atlanta – iHeartRadio 96.1 The Beat’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ State Farm Arena (Lineup: BigXthaPlug, Jermaine Dupri & Friends, Kehlani, Lil Jon & Friends, Mariah The Scientist, MOLIY and Nelly.)

Dec. 20: Miami – iHeartRadio Y100.7’s Jingle Ball 2025 Presented by Capital One @ Kaseya Center (Lineup: BigXthaPlug, Feid, Kehlani, mgk, Monsta X, Nelly, Zara Larsson and a sing-along moment for KPOP Demon Hunters.)