The History of Canadian Rock 'N' Roll

by Bob Mersereau

A huge contingent of Canadian artists has made contributions to rock and roll. The history of Canadian rock and roll is a lively, entertaining, and largely untold tale.

Rock and roll was born in the United States during the 1950s. Its popularity rapidly grew, spreading across the Atlantic to England. The Brits transformed rock, bringing it back to the States in a new form with the British Invasion. Since that time, the two countries have dominated headlines and histories, in terms of rock music.

What's often forgotten in these histories is the evolution of Canadian rock and roll during the same period. Over the years, a huge contingent of Canadian artists has made invaluable contributions to rock and roll. The list of innovative Canadian artists is quite impressive: Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Paul Anka, Arcade Fire, The Band, Bryan Adams, Rush, Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion, Diana Krall, Gordon Lightfoot, Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, Tegan and Sara, Feist, Nickelback, and many others, not to mention the all-star producers, such as Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel), Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi), Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Kiss), and David Foster (Michael Jackson, Celine Dion).

The history of Canadian rock and roll is a lively, entertaining, and largely untold tale. Bob Mersereau presents a streamlined, informative trip through the country's rich history and depth of talent, from the 1950s to today, covering such topics as: Toronto's club scene, the folk rock and psychedelic rock of the 1960s, Canadian artists who hit major stardom in the United States, the challenges and reform of the Canadian broadcasting system, the huge hits of the 1970s, Canadian artists' presence all over the pop charts in the 1990s, and Canada's indie-rock renaissance of the 2000s.