Heating Up Canada’s Music Scene at NXNE 2025
Play MPE proudly stepped into the spotlight as an official sponsor of NXNE 2025, one of Canada’s most iconic discovery music festivals since 1995. With Toronto vibrating with music from every corner, we joined the city-wide celebration of creativity, connection, and raw talent.
Our team had the opportunity to meet hundreds of emerging and established artists, label reps, managers, and media professionals. Every interaction reminded us why we’re passionate about supporting artists’ journeys from studio to spotlight.
Industry Secrets from Our Live Panel: “Radio Killed the Radio Star”
Play MPE’s very own Alen Vitasovic, led a stellar radio panel alongside radio giants Siobhan Woodrow (Music Director, Sirius XM), Michael Religa (Music Director, Indie88), and David Tysowksi (Radio Promoter, Canvas Media).
The panel dove into how artists can navigate the ever-evolving media landscape in Canada, and ensure all media channels are accounted for. The conversation sparked honest, actionable insights around digital servicing, timing, and radio-ready tracks.
A few key takeaways from the panel:
Level the playing field: Canadian radio is alive and well! You can reach success in the music industry through many channels, but radio play is what truly makes you known. Skipping radio servicing means missing major opportunities.
Data matters: Servicing tools like Play MPE give artists a leg up by hosting all needed metadata and promotional information in one place for easy access. Not to mention a built-in MAPL system to filter specifically for CanCon tracks. “Having all that information […] easily obtainable is just key for me” – Michael Religa of Indie 88.
Don’t rush to radio: Getting on the radio can be an exciting breakthrough for artists, but it’s important to hone your craft first. Music Directors need high-quality tracks that have been mixed and mastered for an optimal listening experience.
NXNE’s 30th Birthday Celebration
The city came out in full force to celebrate NXNE’s 30th birthday. Dundas Square was packed shoulder to shoulder for a massive free concert that brought out some of the biggest names in the industry. The lineup included heavy-hitters like Roy Woods, 4KORNERS, Khalid and Alicia Moffet. From the lights, to the background dancers, killer live arrangements and impeccable sound, the birthday bash certainly did not disappoint.
Beyond the spectacle, this celebration felt bigger than just a party… It felt like a turning point for the Canadian music scene. Canada has always produced globally celebrated artists, but moments like this remind us that the audience and industry support are strong. With emerging artists sharing space with internationally recognized names, we’re actively shaping what’s next.
That’s not to say we don’t have a long way to go. There’s plenty of room for growth up North! Perhaps this is a sign for our artists to invest more back into the local scenes that shaped them?
New Friends and Familiar Faces
We loved hearing from artists who are already using Play MPE to reach tastemakers and programmers across Canada and beyond – including finalists from our very own Caster Emerge Contest!
We were stoked to share our story with new faces and excite artists about untapped potential reaching industry folks. Attendees of the festival were sent home with exclusive Play MPE x NXNE merch and details about our Summer Promotion for international bundles! Send your music across the border this summer… who knows where it might take you.
Take a peek of the festival through our lens here and follow along for more highlights to come!
