Canada’s Quebec provincial Culture Ministry announced on June 20 that elevator and telephone hold music used by government services will be required to feature only Quebec artists, effective immediately, according to an article by Yahoo News. This is part of a US$1.1-million initiative to promote local music produced during the pandemic. “I was waiting on hold with the Culture Ministry, and I was stunned to hear an American singing me a song in English. The time for royalty-free elevator music is over,” said Culture Minister Nathalie Roy. According to the Culture Ministry, from now on, 90% of the music used that contains lyrics will be in French. The other 10% of lyrical music will be in English or an Indigenous language.Â
Solange Droudin, director of the Québec Association for the Recording, Concert and Video Industries (ADISQ), says that while the announcement only pertains to government companies, she hopes private companies will follow suit, saying:
“The goal of the project is to introduce to the public the dozens of Quebec albums that came out during the pandemic and are ready to come to life on stages. Our music is beautiful; let’s hear it.”
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