The new national day celebrates the music creators shaping Canada's creative landscape.
SOCAN survey reveals 81% of Canadians believe supporting local music is vital to ensuring our culture thrives for future generations.
TORONTO, Nov. 7, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, SOCAN launched Music Creator Day to celebrate Canadian music and the talented songwriters, composers and music publishers who make it possible. This year marks SOCAN's 100th anniversary of championing Canadian music creators -- empowering them to tell our stories, enrich our culture, and earn a living from their craft.
Acknowledged by the Honourable Senator René Cormier on November 4 in the Senate, and Member of Parliament David Myles in the House of Commons on November 6, from now on, November 7 will be recognized annually as Music Creator Day, coinciding with the birthday of iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. A Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of the 2025 SOCAN Cultural Impact Award, the date pays tribute to her contributions and stands as a lasting legacy for the next generation of music creators.
"Thank you for honouring my work in this manner," said Joni Mitchell. "Although I have lived mostly in the States since I was 21, I live part-time in BC. I have always been proud to be a Canadian and lately more than ever."
"Supporting our artists means supporting our culture, our creative economy and the living heritage of our country," said the Honourable Senator René Cormier. "By celebrating our creators, we affirm who we are: a country that believes in the power of art and artists."
A recent survey of Canadians conducted by Pollara for SOCAN about the value of music creation in culture highlights:
- Local music is a cornerstone of Canadian identity:
- 81% of Canadians believe supporting local music creators is vital to ensuring our culture thrives for future generations.
- 77% say local music helps define Canadian culture, with 83% of Quebecers especially likely to agree.
- Canadian music strengthens our global image:
- 78% agree that local music being played around the world helps strengthen Canada's cultural image internationally.
- Music makes Canada more vibrant:
- 75% of Canadians feel the country is stronger and more vibrant because of its deep roots in music creation and history of producing great music.
- Human-created music matters deeply to Canadians:
- A resounding 87% say it's important that the music they listen to is created by humans--not AI--with 65% saying it's very important.
Beginning in 2026, SOCAN Foundation will introduce three grants of up to $10,000 each to support organizations with programs or projects that celebrate and empower music creators in Canada. Applications will open on the SOCAN Foundation website in January.
"These findings reaffirm what we've always known, that music is part of who we are as Canadians. It shapes our identity, strengthens our voice in the world, and connects us to one another," said Jennifer Brown, SOCAN CEO. "We must meet this moment by investing in the people who make our music possible, so Canadian creativity continues to lead at home and on the world stage. It is our commitment, and our responsibility, to build a future where human creativity thrives – that is what Music Creator Day is all about – ensuring the people who make the music we love are supported, valued, and heard."
To learn more about Music Creator Day follow us on social media @socanmusic.
About Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, the beloved Canadian singer-songwriter, profoundly impacted folk, rock, pop and jazz music through her distinctive voice, innovative guitar playing, and a unique ability to craft poetic and thought-provoking lyrics.
Her prolific recording career began in 1968, resulting in a remarkable 19 studio albums and six live records. She is celebrated for her ability to seamlessly blend folk, jazz, and rock influences to create an instantly recognizable sound that is both timely and timeless. Her classic songs like "Big Yellow Taxi," "A Case of You," "Help Me," and "Both Sides, Now," continue to strike a chord with listeners. Beyond her musical talents, Mitchell is also a gifted painter, having said she considers herself a "painter derailed by circumstance" and her artwork often graces her album covers, underscoring her boundless creativity.
For nearly six decades, Mitchell's extensive contributions to music have earned her numerous accolades. She is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (1997), a member of both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame (1981) and Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2007), a laureate of the Polar Music Prize (1996), and a recipient of both the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize (2023) as well as Kennedy Center Honors (2021). Rolling Stone ranks her among the greatest songwriters (#9), singers (#50), and guitarists (#9) of all time. Her most recent Grammy win came this year when her Joni Mitchell At Newport Live album earned the award for Best Folk Album.
About SOCAN
For 100 years, SOCAN has been Canada's largest member-owned music rights organization, resolutely upholding the fundamental truth that music has value. SOCAN collects license fees for the public performance and reproduction of music, matches them to rights holders, and distributes them as royalties to music creators and publishers in Canada and around the world. With a century of expertise and innovation, SOCAN continues to advocate fair compensation for the work of its nearly 200,000 songwriter, composer, and music publisher members. Learn more at www.socan.com.
About SOCAN Foundation
Founded in 1992, the SOCAN Foundation is dedicated to fostering the next generation of music creators and publishers in Canada through grants, awards, and programs. The Foundation is an independent organization guided by its board of directors. This organization is a part of the SOCAN Group of organizations and is guided by a board of directors, consisting of songwriters, composers, and music publishers.
About Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is a national non-profit bilingual organization dedicated to honouring and celebrating Canada's greatest songwriters and those who've dedicated their lives to the legacy of music. Through year-round initiatives and events, the CSHF also fosters and supports the next generation of music creators. Founded in 1998 and acquired by SOCAN in 2011, the Hall of Fame operates independently under its own Board of Directors. Learn more at www.cshf.ca.
SOURCE SOCAN
Media contacts: Nicole Van Severen, SOCAN, [email protected]; Leah Gaucher, Proof Strategies Inc., [email protected]
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