Indie rockin' around the Christmas tree

Dude York's peppy untraditional holiday music joins a wave of seasonal sounds —  Raju Mudhar, Toronto Star

"People are taking safer choices"

Six alternative artists discuss the state of underground music  —The Guardian

Playing somebody else’s songs 

Cover shows are fun, but a double-edged sword for the people who perform in them  — Tara Thorne, The Coast

What it was like to be a touring indie band in 2006

Remembering a time when MySpace was king, pay phones were very necessary, and t-shirt sales were more lucrative than tour grants — Michael Small, NOW

Grammys 2018: Britain's reign comes to an end as diversity flourishes

With Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris and various One Direction members snubbed, it paves the way for one of the most ethnically diverse Grammys ever – though female musicians have been sidelined — Ben Beaumont-Thomas, The Guardian

Montreal reporter calls Shania Twain a 'tramp' for her Grey Cup look' 

A Gazette journalist gets slammed for his comment and his initial tone deaf apology  — Jessica Ankomah, Yahoo Canada 

Arlo Guthrie talks annual Carnegie concert, next generation of family musicians

One of the things Arlo Guthrie remembers most about his first show at Carnegie Hall, 50 years ago, is having his mother and his piano teacher in the front row — Gary Graff, Billboard

Justin Bieber joins Whistler midget hockey team for practice

The pop superstar attracted international publicity by lacing up the skates and playing with the Whistler midget A1 Winterhawks — Charlie Smith, Georgia Straight

'Barbra: The Music... The Mem'ries... The Magic!' review

An uninteresting Streisand is on autopilot in this drowsy concert film — Mark Kennedy, AP

In the music spotlight: The Dream Syndicate

The psychedelic rock quartet is now touring behind its first LP in almost 30 years. Leader Steve Wynn refers to “How Did I Find Myself Here?” as the Dream Syndicate’s “laboratory of past, present and future" —  Jeff Elbel, Chicago Sun-Times

Requiem for an Explosion

Mary Knickle presents From the Ashes, a choral remembrance of the Halifax Explosion that debuts on the 100th anniversary of the cataclysmic event — Stephen Cooke, The Chronicle Herald