Drake, Taylor Swift Top Spotify Year-End Charts in Canada & More News

Spotify has shared the top artists streamed in Canada, with rapper Drake taking the top spot, followed by Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen. Scarborough native The Weeknd comes in at No. 4, while Drake’s rival Kendrick Lamar ranks at No. 5. Two spots down at No. 7 is Canadian pop singer Tate McRae.

Despite Drizzy accusing the streaming service of contributing to an illegal “scheme” involving bots, payola and other methods to push Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” the Toronto rapper has maintained a spot at the top of listeners’ playlists.

Canada’s Top Artists of 2025

Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping I’m The Problem was the most-streamed album in Canada, followed by the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack and SZA’s lengthy SOS Deluxe: LANA.

The top album by a Canadian was Tate McRae’s So Close to What, which comes in at No. 4, while Drizzy’s team-up with fellow Canadian PARTYNEXTDOOR, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, ranks at No. 7. Despite releasing in October, Taylor Swift’s chart-topping album, The Life of a Showgirl, comes in at No. 10.

Canada’s Top Albums of 2025

Head here to read all about the Canadian most-streamed lists, including songs and Franco-Quebec artists and songs. — Heather Taylor-Singh

Marc Miller Named New Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture After Steven Guilbeault’s Abrupt Resignation

Canada has a new Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.

As part of a cabinet shuffle this week, Marc Miller was appointed to fill a position made vacant on Nov. 27 when Steven Guilbeault resigned from the Mark Carney-led cabinet to protest the Prime Minister’s controversial energy deal with Alberta. Guilbeault was also Minister Responsible for Official Languages and Minister of Nature and Parks Canada, as well as Carney’s Lieutenant in Quebec.

The former Justin Trudeau-era minister was sworn in along with two other new ministers during a brief ceremony at Rideau Hall late Monday afternoon.

As Billboard Canada noted last week, the Ministry of Canadian Identity and Culture has a direct impact on the Canadian music industry via its administration of the recently-renewed Canada Music Fund, which supports both FACTOR and Musicaction. These granting bodies provide artists, labels and other organizations with funding for a wide range of activities, including recording, touring, marketing and music video production. Many in the industry, including the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), appealed to Guilbeault to act for the Canadian music industry during a pivotal moment.

Miller takes on his new role after the Heritage/Culture portfolio has seen a rapid turnover in recent years. 

The Canadian Live Music Association was quick to congratulate Miller, looking forward to “working together to unlock the full economic and cultural potential of Canada’s live music industry.”

“Live music is one of Canada’s strongest growth opportunities,” said Erin Benjamin, president & CEO of the CLMA. “With smart, modern policy, we can strengthen the touring infrastructure that allows artists to thrive, support local businesses in every region, and ensure more fans — from right here at home and around the world — have access to unforgettable live music experiences in their own communities. This is good for artists, it’s good for audiences, and it’s good for the Canadian economy.”

Read more on the new minister and what his appointment means to the Canadian music industry here. — Kerry Doole

Tate McRae’s ‘So Close to What’ Climbs Back to No. 2 on Billboard Canadian Albums Chart Following Deluxe Edition

Tate McRae is so close to a sweet victory on the chart — for the second time.

This week, the Canadian pop singer’s album, So Close to What, climbs from No. 10 to No. 2 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart on the chart dated Dec. 6. Its rise follows the release of So Close to What??? (Deluxe) last month, in which she added five extra tracks to the record.

Leading up to the deluxe album’s release, McRae released “Tit For Tat,” thought to be inspired by her breakup with fellow pop hitmaker The Kid LAROI. It became her third top-five hit on the Canadian Hot 100, debuting at No. 3, and this week, it rises from No. 23 to 16.

The remaining four SCTW deluxe tracks have arrived on the Canadian Hot 100 this week too, including “Nobody’s Girl” (No. 13), “Anything But Love” (No. 22), “Trying On Shoes” (No. 28) and “Horseshoe (No. 40).

Three tracks from the standard version have also re-entered the Canadian Hot 100: “Miss Possessive,” “Dear God” and “Siren Sounds” — at No. 84, No. 86 and No. 93, respectively.

So Close to What scored the Calgary native her first No. 1 on Canadian Albums in March, following the project’s release, sitting at the top for two weeks. It made waves in the U.S., too, claiming the top spot for one week.

Read more on this feat and more from the Billboard Canadian charts here. — HTS