Inside the 2025 Canadian Music Hall of Fame Ceremony

Inside the 2025 Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

From red carpet reunions to career-defining moments, RANGE joined the celebration as Canada honoured its most iconic artists at the National Music Centre.

By Glenn Alderson

Photos courtesy CARAS/Jarrett Edmund

Published on October 23, 2025

Earlier this year, RANGE was invited to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre in Calgary, AB. The evening brought together some of the country’s most enduring icons for a celebration of Canadian music history in the making.

Hosted by eight-time Juno Award winner Paul Brandt, the ceremony honoured 2025 inductees Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger, Loreena McKennitt, and Sum 41, alongside 2024 inductee Maestro Fresh Wes, who returned to personally mount his plaque on the Hall of Fame wall. The atmosphere at Studio Bell was electric as artists, fans, and industry figures gathered beneath the stunning architecture of Canada’s temple to all things music.

Loreena McKennitt accepting her induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the National Music Centre in Calgary, AB on May 15, 2025.

Sandwiched between two local TV news crews on the red carpet before the ceremony, RANGE caught up with a lineup of Canadian legends, each reflecting on their own paths to the Hall of Fame. From Andy Kim’s timeless optimism and the string of pseudonyms he’s had over the course of his career to Maestro Fresh Wes’ pioneering pride as the Godfather of hip-hop in Canada, the night was a reminder of the breadth and resilience of Canadian artistry. And perhaps most striking was McKennitt, who spoke with the same quiet power that’s defined her decades-long career—an absolute force who has continually broken down walls, paved paths, and carved out space for women in the music industry.

“Music is such an extraordinary medium to communicate with,” McKennitt told us while holding a freshly minted vinyl copy of her album, Lost Souls, which we picked up earlier that day at Recordland to gift her. “So I think it’s really to feel your soul first and learn about the business. Really learn about it so that you can have a chance of making a go of it. It’s not easy. You have to be very determined and resourceful.”

Following an emotional ceremony capped by spirited live performances from all of the inductees, concluding with pop rock legends Glass Tiger, we left Studio Bell humming “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone), reminded of why Canadian music continues to resonate around the world.

The 2025 Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is now streaming on CBC Gem.

Watch RANGE Magazine’s exclusive red-carpet interviews with Andy Kim, Maestro Fresh Wes, and Loreena McKennitt here.