The Guess Who. Gordon Lightfoot. Joni Mitchell. Neil Young. Stompin' Tom Connors. Robert Charlebois. Anne Murray. Crowbar. Chilliwack. Carole Pope. Loverboy. Bryan Adams. The Barenaked Ladies. The Tragically Hip. Céline Dion. Arcade Fire. K-oS. Feist. These musicians are national heroes to generations of Canadians. But what does it mean to be a Canadian musician? And why does nationality even matter? Canuck Rock addresses these questions by delving into the myriad relationships between the people who make music, the industries that produce and sell it, the radio stations and government legislation that determine availability, and the fans who consume it and make it their own.

An invaluable resource and an absorbing read, Canuck Rock spans from the emergence of rock and roll in the 1950s through to today's international recording industry. Combining archival material, published accounts, and new interviews, Ryan Edwardson explores how music in Canada became Canadian music.

Ryan Edwardson is a Canadian music fan with a PhD in History from Queen's University.

Ryan Edwardson's profile page

'Canuck Rock is an indispensable resource for anyone researching Canadian popular music, the Canadian music industries, or the development of Canadian nationalism. The book demands consideration of the contextual and cultural forces that are inseparable from Canada's popular music and history. Edwardson succeeds because he convincingly explores which forces allowed music in Canada to become Canadian music.'

Topia: Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies, Spring 2011

‘Edwardson’s book is a thoughtful commentary on the impact that nationalist discourse can have on artistic production.’

MUSICultures, vol38:2011

’Canuck Rock deserves to stand as a central text in the ongoing study of Canadian arts, identities, and cultural policy.’

Topia, number 27: 2012

‘Canuck Rock is an excellent starting point for those who have yet to discover many of the bands discussed in the book, and can also serve as a nostalgic refresher for those with a stronger understanding of the Canadian music industry… A comprehensive piece of work; entertaining, and fact based, with liberal sprinkling of rock star egos, political shenanigans, and international implications.’

Carrie Schmidt, <em>ActiveHistory.ca/book-reviews</em>