We list some of the best Canadian rock bands of all time. The rise of Canadian rock music began with American and British style rock and roll in the mid-20th century. Since then it has grown to include genres like alternative rock and indie rock, which have been made popular by bands like Nickelback, Simple Plan, Arcade Fire, and among others.
1. Nickelback
Nickelback is a rock band which formed in Hanna, Alberta, Canada in 1995. It is composed of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair. It went through several drummer changes between 1995 and 2005, achieving its current lineup when Adair replaced Ryan Vikedal. Nickelback is one of the most commercially successful Canadian groups, having sold 30 million records worldwide. Nickelback ranks as the 11th best selling music act of the 2000s, and places as the 2nd best selling foreign act in the US behind The Beatles for the 2000s.
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2. Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace were formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada, in 1997 by Adam Gontier (vocals, guitar), Brad Walst (bass), and Neil Sanderson (drums). The group was originally called Groundswell, a five-piece that lasted from 1992 until transforming to a trio five years later. The band has 17 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and 3 No. 1 hits on Alternative Songs.
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3. Sum 41
Sum 41 is a Canadian punk rock band from Ajax, Ontario, Canada, active since 1996. The current members, as of 2021, are Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jason McCaslin (bass guitar, backing vocals), Dave Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Tom Thacker (rhythm and lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) and Frank Zummo (drums). The group have been nominated for seven Juno Awards and won twice – Group of the Year in 2003, and Rock Album of the Year for Chuck in 2005.
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4. Simple Plan
Simple Plan is a Juno award-winning pop punk band from Montréal, Québec, Canada. The band has had no lineup changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier (lead vocals), Jeff Stinco (lead guitar), David Desrosiers (bass, backing vocals), Sébastien Lefebvre (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Chuck Comeau (drums, percussion).
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5. Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf is a rock band which formed in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1967. The band originally consisted of John Kay (vocals, guitar), Michael Monarch (guitar), Rushton Moreve (bass), Goldie McJohn (keyboards) and Jerry Edmonton (drums). The band is best known for their hit singles “Born to be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride”.
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6. Rush
Canadian power trio Rush (bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer Neil Peart) became one of rock’s most celebrated and enduring bands. Rush garnered a large and devoted following among hard rock, heavy metal, and prog audiences almost from the beginning. Rush achieved commercial success in the 1970s with Fly by Night (1975), 2112 (1976), A Farewell to Kings (1977) and Hemispheres (1978). The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
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7. Arcade Fire
Canada’s Arcade Fire became underground favorites when they debuted in 2004 with the critically acclaimed Baroque pop-meets-indie rock Funeral. The band’s work has also been named three times as a shortlist nominee for the Polaris Music Prize: in 2007 for Neon Bible, in 2011 for The Suburbs and in 2014 for Reflektor.
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8. Theory of a Deadman
Theory of a Deadman (or Theory for short) is a rock band from North Delta, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 2001, Nine of their singles have entered the top ten of the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, including four songs that peaked at number one: “Bad Girlfriend”, “Lowlife”, “Rx (Medicate)” and “History of Violence”.
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9. Finger Eleven
Finger Eleven is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 1989. Between 1995 and 2016, Finger Eleven was among the top 75 best-selling Canadian artists in Canada and among the top 25 best-selling Canadian bands in Canada.
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10. Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch (often abbreviated TFK) is a Canadian Christian rock band from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. They made their debut in 1995 when Trevor McNevan, Joel Bruyere, and Steve Augustine started putting a praise & worship spin on the nu-metal sound of the time. Since forming, Thousand Foot Krutch has sold over 1.1 million albums and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums Chart twice.
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11. Billy Talent
Billy Talent is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rock band formed in 1993. Originally called Pezz, the group originates from Streetsville, in Mississauga, Ontario, but now hail from Toronto, Ontario. Between 1995 and 2016, Billy Talent were the 27th-best-selling Canadian artist in Canada and among the top 10 best-selling Canadian bands in Canada.
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12. Bachman–Turner Overdrive
Bachman–Turner Overdrive (frequently known as BTO) is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The original lineup consisted of Randy Bachman (lead guitar, lead vocals), Fred Turner (bass guitar, lead vocals), Tim Bachman (guitar, vocals) and Robbie Bachman (drums). The band is best known for its series of five Top 40 albums and six Top 40 singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums in that decade alone.
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13. Metric
Metric is an indie rock/New Wave band formed in 1998 in Toronto, Canada. The band members are Emily Haines (vocals, synths, guitar, tambourine), James Shaw (guitar, synths, theremin, backing vocals), Josh Winstead (bass, synths, backing vocals) and Joules Scott-Key (drums). Their second album, Live It Out, released in 2005, was nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the “Canadian Album of the Year” and for the 2006 Juno Awards for “Best Alternative Album”.
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14. The Guess Who
The Guess Who is a rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba that was one of the first Canadian groups to establish a major successful following both in their own country as well as abroad. After changing their name to The Guess Who, they found their greatest success in the late 60s and early 70s, under the leadership of singer/ keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman, with hit songs including “American Woman”, “These Eyes”, “No Time” and many others.
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15. Loverboy
Loverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, the band accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States. The band’s hit singles, particularly “Turn Me Loose” and “Working for the Weekend”, have become arena rock staples and are still heard on many classic rock and classic hits radio stations across the United States and Canada.
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16. Crash Test Dummies
The Crash Test Dummies is a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The band is most identifiable through Brad Roberts (vocals, guitar) and his distinctive bass-baritone voice. The band members have fluctuated over the years, but its best known line-up consisted of Roberts, Ellen Reid (co-vocals, keyboards), Brad’s brother Dan Roberts (bass guitar, backing vocals), Benjamin Darvill (harmonica, mandolin), and Mitch Dorge (drums, percussion). The band is best known internationally for their 1993 single “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” and best known in Canada for the 1991 single “Superman’s Song”.
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17. The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as the Hip, were a Canadian rock band formed in Kingston, Ontario in 198. Formed in the early ’80s in Kingston, Ontario, they are a five-piece group of friends: Gordon Downie (primary lyricist and lead vocalist (February 6, 1963-October 17,2017), Paul Langlois and Rob Baker (guitars), Gord Sinclair (bass) and Johnny Fay (drums). Nine of their albums have reached No. 1 on the Canadian charts. They have received numerous Canadian music awards, including 17 Juno Awards.
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18. Marianas Trench
Marianas Trench is a Juno award nominated Canadian pop rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Formed in 1999, the band was made up of Josh Ramsay (lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, pianist) and lead guitarist Steve Marshall with Ramsay’s sister Sara on keyboards and vocals, Erik Scott on drums and Trev Spilchen on bass. Their album, Masterpiece Theatre, released in 2009, quickly became both a critical and commercial success, reaching number four on the Canadian Albums chart and going platinum.
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19. April Wine
April Wine is a Canadian hard rock band that formed in 1969. According to the group, they chose the name ‘April Wine’ simply because it was two words that sounded good together. This first self-titled album, released in 1970, established the band with the song “Fast Train” receiving much airplay throughout Canada. The band would go on to enjoy international success during the rest of the 1970s and early 80s, releasing more than 20 albums.
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20. Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace (also known as OLP) is an alternative rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and Jason Pierce on drums. Gravity is their highest charting album in the United States, reaching No. 9 on the strength of “Somewhere Out There” being their most successful single on the US Hot 100 (No. 26) and reaching No. 7 on the US Alternative Rock Chart.
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Honorable mentions
21. Broken Social Scene
22. Arkells
23. Alexisonfire
24. Death From Above 1979
25. Cowboy Junkies
26. Martha and the Muffins
27. Triumph
28. Hot Hot Heat
29. Gob
30. Monster Truck
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