As a cosmopolitan province, Quebec is a home to varied genres of music, ranging from folk to hip hop. Music has played an important role in Quebecer culture. In the 1920s and '30s, singer/songwriter Madam Bolduc performed comedic songs in a folk style with Irish influences. Quebec's most popular artists of the last century include Félix Leclerc (1950s), Gilles Vigneault (1960s–present), Kate and Anna McGarrigle (1970s–present) and Céline Dion (1980s–present).
The Félix Award is an award, given by the Association du disque, de l'industrie du spectacle québécois (ADISQ) on an annual basis to artists working in the music and humor industry in the Canadian province of Quebec.
Star Académie is a Canadian reality television series that started in 2003, aimed primarily at the Quebec television audience, featuring an array of young women and men under the age of 30 competing for the title of the next solo singing sensation. It is the French-Canadian adaptation of the French television show Star Academy produced by Dutch company Endemol, based on the Spanish format called Operación Triunfo.
Néo-trad is a musical style from Quebec that arose around the turn of the 21st century. It can be considered a subgenre of Québécois folk music. The term combines the Greek prefix neo, meaning new, and the contraction of the word traditionnelle, as in traditional music.
Les Colocs were a rock music group from Québec formed in 1990 in Montreal.
Rock music of Canada is a wide and diverse part of the general music of Canada, beginning with American and British style rock and roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock. Canada has produced many of the genre's most significant groups and performers, while contributing substantively to the development of the most popular subgenres, which include pop rock, progressive rock, country rock, folk rock, hard rock, punk rock, heavy metal and indie rock.
The Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is an annual festival held in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, and organized by a not-for-profit organization, during which hot air balloons of every shape and colour are flown and where 300 shows and performances adding up to over 60 hours’ worth of programming are taking place. More than 200,000 visitors and 1,000 RVs usually participate. It is held over four days in late-August and early September during the Labor Day Weekend.
Pierre Lapointe is a Canadian singer-songwriter. His work largely follows in the tradition of French chanson, though he is influenced by modern pop music. Defining himself as a "popular singer", he has built an egocentric persona of a dandy onstage, but says he does this mostly to deflect attention from himself. His records have found critical and commercial success in Canada. His regular tours in France ensured him a growing popularity as well as critical recognition.
Bruno Pelletier is a Canadian singer, musician, and actor who is known as the “Genius of French Music”, and for playing Pierre Gringoire alongside Daniel Lavoie as Frollo, in English and French.
Ariane Moffatt is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Known for working across multiple musical genres, Moffatt's music combines elements of electronica, jazz, folk, and pop. A francophone, she is bilingual and has recorded tracks in both French and English. Her 2002 debut album Aquanaute went platinum in Quebec, earning 11 nominations at the 2003 ADISQ Awards and winning three Félix awards. She is known in Quebec for two well-received singles from Aquanaute: "La barricade" and "Dans un océan".
Laurence Jalbert is a pop and rock singer-songwriter from Quebec.
Éric Lapointe is a francophone lead singer and guitarist for his eponymous band. His band is characterized by a heavy metal style containing elements of punk, grunge, pop, and hard rock. Lapointe has released eight studio albums, three compilation albums, and two live albums.
Malajube is a Canadian francophone indie rock band formed in Montreal, Quebec.
Noël Ferdinand Lionel Daunais, was a French Canadian baritone and composer.
Marie-Élaine Thibert is a Canadian adult contemporary and pop singer based in Quebec. Thibert was first notable for being the runner-up in the first season of Star Académie in 2003, the Quebec singing idol reality show. She is also a two-time Felix-award winner for Best Female Artist in Quebec and one-time Juno-award winner for Best Francophone album in Canada.
Daniel Mongrain is perhaps best known as a co-founder of the Quebec technical death metal band Martyr. He composes, sings and plays lead and rhythm guitar. Mongrain is currently a guitarist and composes as a member for the Canadian thrash/progressive metal band Voivod since 2008, replacing late guitarist Denis D'Amour.
Ensemble pour Haïti was a French Canadian telethon that was held on January 22, 2010 at 8 PM ET / 9 PM AT. The special, a relief concert to help those affected by the 2010 Haiti earthquake, was simulcast on Radio-Canada, TVA, V, Télé-Québec, LCN, MusiquePlus, MusiMax and TV5, as well as on the Espace Musique, NRJ, RockDétente, Boom FM and Corus Québec radio networks. The event raised approximately CDN$6.65 million.
Mononc' Serge is a Québécois musician and poet who sings in French. He is best known for his inspiring lyrics and his songs making fun of local celebrities and politicians. He is also quite sardonic with the Quebec federalist movement, and their counterparts in the Rest Of Canada (R.O.C.). "Mononc' Serge" is French for "Uncle Serge".
