Canada Day is here and there is no better time to test your knowledge of Canadian music.
What follows are 40 questions about homegrown artists and bands spanning several decades. Challenge yourself or someone else — just don’t cheat and use Google or ask Siri!
When you’re done, scroll down for the answers and to see if you’re an aficionado of Canadian music.
1. Which singer was the first Canadian finalist on So You Think You Can Dance? when she was just 13?
2. What Canadian artist was born Louis Kevin Celestin?
3. Brain cancer claimed the lives of which two Canadian musicians 27 months apart?
4. Name two bands named for Canadian cities or towns.
5. Name the Canadian members of American bands Bon Jovi and Smash Mouth.
6. Which Canadian pop star was born in the same city as actors Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling and Victor Garber?
7. Which Canadian singer was named Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in 2018?
8. Who was both the youngest Canadian female artist to perform on Saturday Night Live?
9. Name any of the three Canadians who co-wrote the 2013 Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera hit “Feel This Moment.”
10. Eilleen Edwards was born in Windsor in 1965 but you know her better as…
11. Name four Canadian female artists with the initials “A.M.” who have won a JUNO Award.
12. Which Canadian singer's middle names are Peter and Raul?
13. Which Canadian singer was married to Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher from 2008 to 2014?
14. The Jerry Cans are a band from what remote Canadian city?
15. Name two Canadian bands that have recorded songs with “Superman” in the title.
16. Which two Canadian music stars were married in France on Canada Day in 2012?
17. American actor Eddie Cibrian, currently married to singer LeAnn Rimes, was part of what Canadian boy band that had a hit song called “Into You” in 1999?
18. Singer Lauren Spencer-Smith was the first Canadian to make it into the Top 20 of what competition show?
19. What Canadian country star was once the lead singer of rock band Default?
20. Who was the first Canadian female solo artist to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts?
21. Abel Makkonen Tesfaye and Keinan Abdi Warsame are better known to music fans as…
22. Bryan Adams sang back-up on which 1986 hit by Glass Tiger?
23. Name two Canadian music acts made up entirely of siblings.
24. Which East Coast band sang about a house party in Montreal?
25. Name the Canadian husband of Elton John.
26. What band won the JUNO Award for Group of Year in 2017 — 27 years after winning Most Promising Group of the Year?
27. American singer Kelly Clarkson’s hit “Walk Away” was co-written by which Canadian couple?
28. Name two Canadian recording artists with Portuguese roots.
29. Before doing away with gender-specific categories, which three female singers won the most JUNO Awards?
30. What Canadian singer wrote the chart-topping 1969 single “Sugar Sugar” for virtual band the Archies?
31. What Canadian comedian, performing as M.C. Bones in a group called Organized Rhyme, had a JUNO-nominated single called “Check the O.R.” in 1992?
32. What Grammy-winning Canadian composer-producer was previously the stepfather of Brody Jenner and Gigi Hadid?
33. Which former Canadian boy band member provided vocals for Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren’s hit single “This Is What It Feels Like”?
34. Put the following Canadian singer-songwriters in order from oldest to youngest: Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka.
35. What band shot the video for "Romantic Traffic" inside a Toronto subway station?
36. Which Canadian artist appeared in now-iconic animal cruelty commercials?
37. Name the Canadian singer who has starred in three seasons of a comedy series.
38. Eleven Canadians have been nominated in the Original Song category at the Academy Awards but only two have won the Oscar. Can you name them?
39. Which Canadian folk singer-songwriter was killed in 1983 in a fire onboard an Air Canada jet?
40. Name the Canadian singer whose voice is featured on Bonnie Tyler's 1983 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart."
Scroll down for the answers...
• • •
1. Tate McRae
2. KAYTRANADA
3. Gord Downie (2017) and Neil Peart (2020)
4. Choose from: Chilliwack, Hedley, Toronto
5. Phil X (Bon Jovi), Paul De Lisle (Smash Mouth)
6. Justin Bieber was born in London, Ont.
7. Alessia Cara
8. Avril Lavigne was 19 in 2003 when she made her first SNL appearance.
9. Choose from: Chantal Kreviazuk, Nasri Atweh of MAGIC! and Adam Messinger
10. Shania Twain
11. Amanda Marshall, Alanis Morissette, Anne Murray and Alannah Myles.
12. Shawn Mendes
13. All Saints member Nicole Appleton of Hamilton, Ont.
14. Iqualuit, Nunavut
15. Our Lady Peace (1997’s “Superman’s Dead”), Crash Test Dummies (1991’s “Superman’s Song”).
16. Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger of Nickelback
17. 3Deep
18. American Idol
19. Dallas Smith
20. Anne Murray, with “Snowbird.”
21. The Weeknd and K’naan
22. “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone”
23. Choose from: The Moffatts (Bob, Clint, Dave and Scott); RyanDan (Ryan and Dan Kowarsky); Tegan and Sara (Tegan and Sara Quin); The Rankin Family; The Partland Brothers (G.P., Chris and Robin); BROS (Ewan and Shamus Currie); The Reklaws (Stuart and Jenna Walker).
24. Port Cities ("Montreal")
25. David Furnish
26. The Tragically Hip won the Juno for Most Promising Group of the Year in 1990 and won Group of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 2017.
27. Chantal Kreviazuk and her husband, Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida.
28. Choose from: Shawn Mendes, Shawn Desman, Danny Fernades, Tyler Medeiros; Nelly Furtado.
29. Anne Murray (9), Celine Dion (6), Luba (3).
30. Montreal-born Andy Kim
31. Tom Green
32. David Foster
33. Vancouver’s Trevor Guthrie, formerly of soulDecision
34. Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young
35. The Spoons
36. Sarah McLachlan
37. Jann Arden (JANN)
38. Buffy Sainte-Marie (“Up Where We Belong”) 1982; Howard Shore (“Into the West”) 2003.
39. Stan Rogers
40. Rory Dodd
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30 to 40 correct answers – Hallelujah! Put your toque on and get yourself to Tim Horton's immediately to treat yourself to some TimBiebs and a double-double. You're about as Canadian as they come!
20 to 30 correct answers – You're not quite a CanCon connoisseur but you're definitely in tune with homegrown music. A steaming bowl of poutine for you!
10 to 20 correct answers – To paraphrase Alanis Morissette, you oughta know more about Canadian music.
0 to 10 correct answers – You shouldn't even be getting free health care, eh.