Canada’s Live Music Boom Is Ready to Explode With Erin Benjamin

Episode 315 dives into a conversation Canada needs to be having right now. Erin Benjamin, President and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, breaks down why live music is one of the most powerful and misunderstood economic engines in the country. This episode goes far beyond concerts and culture, unpacking how live music fuels jobs, tourism, talent attraction, and city growth, while contributing billions to Canada’s GDP. Despite its impact, the industry remains largely undervalued and underinvested, not because it lacks potential, but because business and policy have failed to fully recognize what’s already working.

Drawing from more than three decades in the music industry, Erin Benjamin explains what it will take to unlock the next phase of growth and why Canada is standing at a critical inflection point. From de-risking promoters and venues to integrating live music into economic development and tourism strategies, this episode makes a compelling case for why now is the moment to act. If Canada wants stronger cities, better talent retention, and globally competitive cultural industries, this conversation makes it clear that investing in live music isn’t optional anymore, it’s strategic.

Rockstars, I just want to say thank you.

Three years ago, this show started as an idea and a conversation I felt needed to exist. Today, it exists because you kept showing up, listening, sharing, challenging ideas, and supporting the journey week after week. Your support has turned this podcast into a global community, and I’m incredibly grateful for every download, every message, every conversation sparked because of it.

Here’s to the last three years of growth, learning, and momentum and to what we’re building next. If you’ve been here since day one or you just joined us recently, know this: this show doesn’t happen without you. Appreciate you all more than you know. 🔥🎙️

Key Takeaways:

1. Live music is not just entertainment, it is a serious economic engine driving jobs, tourism, and city growth across Canada.
2. Canada’s live music industry generates billions in GDP and supports over one hundred thousand jobs, yet it remains largely undervalued and underinvested.
3. The biggest missed opportunity is not talent or demand, it is the lack of coordinated policy and business investment supporting live music infrastructure.
4. Venues, promoters, and festivals are the backbone of the industry, and without protecting this infrastructure, artist development and touring collapse.
5. De-risking live music is not about bailouts, it is about enabling smart growth and allowing promoters to take calculated chances on emerging talent.
6. Live music plays a critical role in attracting and retaining talent, making cities more competitive places to live, work, and build businesses.
7. Music tourism is one of Canada’s most underleveraged advantages and has the potential to scale economic impact far beyond ticket sales.
8. COVID exposed how fragile the live music ecosystem was, but it also proved what is possible when government, business, and industry align.
9. Business leaders have far more to gain from supporting live music than they realize, from brand alignment to employee experience to city...