Rooms, & Labels

Rain City Blues

Vancouver has always been a city steeped in the blues — and maybe it’s no coincidence. With its long gray winters, endless rain, and a history of gritty bars and clubs from Gastown to Granville Street, the city gave rise to a scene where the blues thrived. From touring legends ...

CBC Radio Canada LM Series

A cornerstone of Canadian recorded history, the CBC LM Series stands as a testament to the nation's cultural and musical legacy. Pressed in limited quantities for internal distribution to CBC radio stations, these rare singles and LPs captured live broadcasts, commissioned works, and studio sessions spanning classical, jazz, folk, experimental, ...

Calgary Stampede

A soundtrack for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Calgary Stampede celebrates the spirit of the rodeo, the midway, and the cowboy heart of Alberta. From country anthems and prairie twang to rockin’ barn-burners and Stampede-themed surprises, this collection captures the dust, denim, and boot-stompin’ pride of a city that ...

Celtic traditional

Rooted in centuries of storytelling, melody, and migration, Celtic Traditional celebrates the enduring legacy of Irish, Scottish, and Breton music as it took root across Canada—especially in the Maritimes, Newfoundland, and Cape Breton. Featuring reels, jigs, airs, and ballads passed down through generations, this room honours the fiddlers, pipers, singers, ...

Centennial

In 1967, Canada turned 100—and the country sang in celebration. Thousands of songs were written to mark the centennial of Confederation, capturing the pride, hope, and spirit of a nation coming into its own. This room aims to catalogue and preserve those recordings, offering a rich musical snapshot of Canada’s ...

Newfoundland Christmas

Newfoundlanders have a one-of-a-kind culture, and it shines brightly during the holiday season. This collection captures the warmth, wit, and tradition of Newfoundland Christmas music—full of fiddles, jigs, storytelling, and heart. From kitchen parties to coastal ballads, these songs blend old-world charm with East Coast spirit, offering a festive soundtrack ...

Expo 67

A defining moment in Canadian history, Expo 67 was more than a World's Fair—it was a cultural explosion that showcased innovation, optimism, and artistic brilliance on a global stage. This room captures the sounds of Expo: official theme songs, national pavilion records, rare performances, and sonic souvenirs pressed to commemorate ...

Foreign Pressings

This room is dedicated to those Canadian artists who brought their music beyond our borders and left an indelible mark on the global stage. Foreign Pressings highlights rare and notable international releases—whether issued in Europe, Japan, Australia, or elsewhere—that helped carry the sound of Canada to the world. These albums ...

Hockey Room

It seems Canadians have been singing about hockey for about as long as we’ve been lacing up skates. From backyard rinks to the big leagues, the game has inspired anthems, ballads, chants, and classics. Nothing hits quite like hearing The Tragically Hip on a Saturday night—it’s in our blood. This ...

Holy Grails

Welcome to the vault of legends. HOLY GRAILS is where Canada’s rarest, most sought-after, and nearly mythical records live—private press LPs, lost 45s, unreleased demos, and impossible-to-find tapes that collectors dream about. These are the records whispered about at record fairs and hunted for across decades. Whether for their scarcity, ...

Honorary Canadians

This room is dedicated to the artists who, while not born here, made a meaningful mark on Canadian music. Whether they came to record, perform, collaborate, or simply found inspiration on Canadian soil, these Honorary Canadians became part of the story. Some stayed briefly, others put down roots—but all contributed ...

Jet Records

Jet Records (Canada): The Montreal Underground Imprint That Captured a Nation’s Sound Jet Records was a fiercely independent Canadian record label founded in 1967 by Montreal-based promoter, DJ, and music entrepreneur Don Wayne Patterson. Operating at a grassroots level but with national ambition, Jet became a short-lived yet vital imprint ...

Louis Riel

More than any other Canadian, Louis Riel (and Gabriel Dumont) have had dozens of songs and stories written and recorded about their lives by Canadian musicians. It all started with the first song, written by Louis Riel himself while he was in prison awaiting death by hanging by John A. ...

Military

MOCM TOP 100 CDN ALBUMS

This room is dedicated to the finest Canadian albums of all time, as carefully curated and compiled by Robert Williston. These 100 albums represent the pinnacle of Canadian music across genres, decades, and regions—each one chosen for its impact, innovation, and cultural significance. From classic rock to jazz, indie to ...

O Canada

Poetry, Plays And Spoken Word

Politics

Bloodied but Unbowed: The Early Vancouver Punk Scene

Between 1977 and 1984, Vancouver exploded with a punk and post-punk underground that rivaled the intensity of London, New York, or Los Angeles — but carried its own distinctly West Coast identity. What began in tiny venues like the Smiling Buddha and community halls soon became a full-blown scene: fiercely ...

The Great Canadian Soundtrack

An epic collection celebrating the sound of Canada on screen and stage. The Great Canadian Soundtrack brings together film scores, television themes, theatrical musicals, and stage production recordings that reflect the country’s diverse creative spirit. From iconic national broadcasts to independent cinema, from Stratford to the screen, these compositions underscore ...

Spoken Word Educational

This room is devoted to the voices that taught, informed, and inspired. Spoken Word Educational gathers recordings created to educate—from language lessons and historical narratives to science explainers, social commentary, and cultural programming. Often produced by institutions, educators, or broadcasters, these records reflect Canada’s efforts to inform its citizens through ...

Banff Rodeo Records

Despite its western-sounding name, Banff Rodeo Records was not founded in the Rockies but emerged from Eastern Canada as part of Rodeo Records Ltd.—a label established in Montreal in 1949 by Don Johnson and George Taylor. The company relocated to Halifax in 1956, where it opened a recording studio, and ...

HMS Records

Much Records

Canadian label based in Montréal founded by Brian Chater and launched in September 1970. Ceased operations in late 1974 when Chater focused on management and publishing with his new firm B.C. Music Management. MUCH Records then morphed into SWEET PLUM for english content and FLEURS for francophone content.

Mushroom Records

Mushroom Records was a Canadian independent record label founded in Vancouver, British Columbia with financial backing by brothers Wink and Dick Vogel in 1974. The brothers were sons of businessman and politician Hunter Vogel. Shelly Siegel was the label's vice-president and creative director. Producer Mike Flicker also worked with the ...

Quality Records

Quality Records: Canada’s Unsung Powerhouse of Sound Long before multinational majors consolidated control of the Canadian market, Quality Records was quietly building the backbone of Canada’s recording industry from the ground up. Founded in October 1949, Quality was the first record company in Canada wholly owned by Canadians, and from ...

Rece Records

Rece Records was founded by Henri Brown in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1982. Henri Brown is a multifaceted artist with a passion for music, acting, and film production. Born into a family of entertainers, including his mother Black Cultured Pearl, and his aunt, Canada's First Lady of Jazz, Eleanor Collins ...

SGM Records

SGM RECORDS: Created in 1963 by STAN CAYER ~ Artist, Manager, Promoter, Singer, Rep, and Record Label, Jack of all trades rolled into one THE SGM RECORDS STORY In 1963 Stan Cayer drove from Vancouver to Nashville with $1,000 that he had saved, with the intention of recording some of ...

Sir John A Records

An homage in name to Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A Records was an Ottawa-based independent label that played a key role in documenting the city’s emerging music scene. Known for its raw energy, DIY spirit, and regional pride, the label released a string of records that captured the ...

Trend Records

Formed by Merv Buchanan, Trend Records was responsible for some of the most collectible Canadian music in existence. The label released three albums and a dozen singles, all pressed in very low quantities and distributed locally. Most notably, Bent Wind's Sussex is considered to be the holy grail of Canadian ...

Ugly Pop Records

Ugly Pop is a long-running Canadian independent record label specializing in punk rock vinyl. uglypop.bigcartel.com

Van Records

Canadian record label from Vancouver, British Columbia founded by Kenny Harris in 1970. Operations ceased on March 1, 1974 when the parent company went bankrupt. Parent Label: K.H. Productions Limited Contact Info: 133 East 14th Street North Vancouver, B.C. ...

Vintage Records

Canadian record label managed by Artie Kohn and founded in association with Sound Canada Recording Centre in 1971. Also used the imprint Ultra Records and Stud Records. ...

Yorkville Records

Sub-label of Arc Records from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, created by Bill Gilliland in late 1966 after he signed The Ugly Ducklings from Yorktown Records.

Sir John A. MacDonald

This room is dedicated to Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. As one of the architects of Confederation, his legacy—complex and far-reaching—continues to shape the nation’s history. This collection features historical recordings, spoken word, music, and tributes relating to Sir John A. ...

Terry Fox

This room is a tribute to the most inspirational Canadian—a symbol of courage, determination, and hope. Terry Fox celebrates the enduring legacy of a young man who set out to run across Canada on one leg to raise money for cancer research, and in doing so, united a nation. Here ...

The Laurie Bower Collection

The Laurie Bower Singers – Canada’s Studio Soundtrack The story of the Laurie Bower Singers is less about chart hits than it is about presence. For more than two decades, their voices seemed to be everywhere in Canadian life—on radio jingles, television themes, variety shows, commercials, and an unbroken run ...

Frankie Hart: Goddess of Psych Pop, Queen of Elegance

Franki Hart is a multifaceted Canadian vocalist, instrumentalist, and songwriter whose musical journey spans folk, psych-rock, studio pop, and modern jazz. Her voice—a mix of raw vulnerability and soulful precision—has anchored some of Canada’s most compelling yet underappreciated music from the late 1960s onward. Early Years and Les Sirocco Hart’s ...

This is Canada 1958

A fascinating audio time capsule, This is Canada 1958 features approximately 35 short vignettes capturing the people, places, and spirit of Canada at mid-century. Originally pressed on 10-inch records and narrated for American audiences by Ottawa native Peter Roberts, these recordings offer a uniquely charming glimpse into Canadian life, culture, ...

The Small Towns of Canada

The map of Canada, like the map of most countries, is peppered with curious names. The names of towns and villages like Honeymoon Bay, Whitehorse, Cupids, Hearts Content, Moose Jaw, Penetanguishene, Flin Flon, Hearts Delight, Kapuskasing, Long Sault, Dildo, Trois-Rivières, and Tatamagouche. In this series, presented by the Canadian Broadcasting ...

Canadian Pioneers

This collection honours the trailblazers—the artists who dared to do something different and, in many cases, were the first to do it in Canadian music. From genre-defining innovators to cultural groundbreakers, Canadian Pioneers celebrates those who opened doors, broke rules, and carved out new paths with originality, courage, and vision. ...