CRTC launches new database to make it easier to identify Canadian music

The following news release was issued by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

October 29, 2026—Gatineau—Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

The CRTC is launching a free, downloadable music database that makes it easier for broadcasters, artists and the public to identify Canadian music.

For the first time, information that broadcasters use to identify Canadian music is available in one place. The database brings together information previously spread across several industry sources, making it easier for Canadian artists to be discovered and played across the country.

This will also help radio stations identify and promote music that counts toward their Canadian content requirements.

The initial release includes a large selection of popular Canadian songs. New releases and older songs will be added regularly to the database including additional French, Indigenous, and third-language music. As part of the initial phase, the CRTC welcomes feedback from users to help improve the database and ensure it continues to meet the needs of broadcasters, artists, and the public.

Quick facts

The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record.

The CRTC’s new database modernizes how Canadian content is identified, making it easier and faster for broadcasters to find and play Canadian music.

The CRTC is continuing to provide tools, reduce administrative burden, and modernize the broadcasting framework for radio stations. This includes the CRTC recently removing the requirement for radio stations to renew their licences every few years.