Canadian band, Hedley, is releasing an album for U.S. fans.  The group, which is fronted by former Canadian Idol finalist, Jacob Hoggard, has chosen to put their seven #1 hits from their two double-platinum Canadian releases  (Hedley and and Famous Last Words) along with other songs on the American album which will be released on May 19, 2009 (pre-order now).
There are 12 songs in all.  Here’s the tracklisting:

She’s So Sorry
2 1
Trip
For the Nights I Can’t Remember
Never Too Late
Gunnin
On My Own
Bone Shatter
Old School
Narcissist
Hand Grenade
Dying to Live Again

image: Amazon

Canadian Idol was cancelled and will not be broadcast this summer but former host, Ben Mulroney, has found another job.
Like his American Idol counterpart, Ryan Seacrest, Ben will be hosting a new nationally syndicated radio show called “ETalk20” which will go along with his work as a co-host on the ETalk television program.
The show will start this weekend and will be broadcast in 11 cities across Canada.  Mulroney will talk about entertainment news, do celebrity interviews and do a weekly countdown of Canada’s hit music.  I think this is a great idea!
Here’s a list of the cities/channels:

KOOL FM 107.3 FM …read more

Canadian Idol judge, Zack Werner, feels that cancelling the show sends the “worst possible message” and I kind of have to agree with him.  I was always under the impression that the show did incredibly well in ratings and sponsorship. 
Metro News reported that Zack said that he was always aware that the show was “prohibitively expensive” to produce and that it had always been a “hard sell” with Canadian advertisers.  He also talked about the fact that CTV paid $100 million for the Olympics and would have to sell the advertising for that (read more on that in the …read more

Recently, Canadian Idol winners, Brian Melo, Eva Avila and Kalan Porter performed at Toronto’s Eaton centre as part of WarChild’s Busking for Change event.   The charity is dedicated to “providing urgently needed humanitarian assistance to war-affected children around the world” by raising “awareness, support and advocacy for children’s rights everywhere.” 
It’s an entirely worthy cause.  Watch their performances here:
Brian Melo Sings “Emily”

WOW!  It’s official – there will be no Canadian Idol for 2009.  The National Post is reporting that CTV released the following statement: “as a result of the current economic climate, production of Canadian Idol will rest for the 2009 year.”
From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look like the show is totally cancelled but it is being put on hold.  I’m really surprised but I’m not out of hope.  The article also pointed out that other Idol shows have taken year-long breaks and come back which was the case in Germany, Russia and the Netherlands.
image: CTV

Former Canadian Idol contestants are featured prominently on the list of nominees for the upcoming 2009 Canadian Radio Awards. 
I wasn’t surprised to see Hedley on the list which is fronted by former Idol finalist, Jacob Hoggard, but I wasn’t expecting to see Carly Rae Jepsen, Jaydee Bixby and Tara Oram.  Good for them!
Here are the categories featuring former Idol contestants as nominees:
MAINSTREAM Adult Contemporary:   Carly Rae Jepsen – "Sunshine on my Shoulders" Julie Crochetiere – "Precious Love" Kreesha Turner – "Don’t Call Me Baby" Lights – …read more

It was an Idol-filled morning on Toronto’s CHUM FM yesterday for their annual Christmas Wish Breakfast.  They welcomed American Idol season 7 runner-up, David Archuleta, along with Canadian Idol winners, Eva Avila (season 4) and Theo Tams (season 6).  The event helped raise money by collecting toys for families in need in the Greater Toronto Area. 
David was really adorable in his interviews (one girl even asked him to marry her) and he performed "Crush" with just himself playing the piano as an accompaniment.  It was really nice.
Theo performed his new holiday track "Christmas Dream" and I really liked …read more

Canadian Idol winner, Theo Tams, hasn’t been wearing the crown for very long but it’s been super busy, it would seem!  Today’s Idol Christmas music comes from Tams who has released two new tracks just in time of the holiday season! 
One song, "Christmas Dream" was co-written by Tams and I think it’s really pretty.  I don’t always like original Christmas music (I like the oldies) but this will be doing in to my collection.  List to it on the CHUM FM website. 
On iTunes, you can download either "Christmas Dream" or "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)."  The best …read more

Canadian Idol host (and son of former Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney), Ben Mulroney, will be getting married today at Montreal’s St. Patrick’s basilica.  He and his fiancee, Jessica Brownstein (a local fashion designer), who you may know got engaged at Nick’s Deli.  The couple have planned a small ceremony which starkly contrasts the wedding of Ben’s older sister, Caroline, whose lavish affair “attracted hundreds of on-lookers and more than 400 guests, including former U.S. president George Bush and his wife Barbara, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and talk-show host Kathy Lee Gifford.”
I wish all the best for Ben …read more

Have you seen the video for Hedley’s single “Never Too Late?”  I instantly thought of Duran Duran and some digging around on YouTube revealed that it is a parody of the vid for “Rio.”  Remember that 80s song?  I put both videos up on Canadian Music News so that you can watch them both and compare!
What do you think of this song?  I’m not a huge fan but I think it’s funny and upbeat which is always a good thing with lead singer and former Canadian Idol finalist, Jacob Hoggard.  Check it out and tell me what you think!

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