Quite right, Steve, and what you point out is a problem with the new
CBC Music streaming channels.
CBC, which is public radio, has entered into a contract with a private company,
AVLA Inc., (part of the
CRIA sphere - Canada's counterpart to the
RIAA) for content. You can now hear Ryan Laird on the "
Complete Cohen" channel, multiple times, even though it's not a Leonard Cohen song he's performing. He's signed to
CMT/Sony which is one of
AVLA's corporate clients. Similarly, you can find covers of Cohen songs by
AVLA clients such as those in the Simon Cowell stable, but, it appears, you won't be able to hear covers of Cohen songs by artists who are not licensed through
AVLA.
As manager to an artist who performs several well-loved covers of Cohen, but, who has chosen to not be part of the old record industry establishment, I spotted this dissonance first on the Cohen channel, but, it seems to a failing throughout the entire galaxy of channels. I've pointed out to the
CBC this rather odd situation of public radio paying for access to a private music licensing agency - and, at the same time, not utilizing rich, and Canadian, musical resources it's collected over decades as a public institution.
So, far, there's no indication
CBC Music plans to become more inclusive though there's always hope. It may be that the "deal is done", and a corporate filter is now applied to what should be a cultural resource. One change - they've renamed the channel "
Cohen Covered" - which, at least, is more accurate a name than "
Complete Cohen". Perhaps, if they can be persuaded to use a real person, rather than an automated program, to playlist the music they've licensed privately, you may eventually see Ryan Laird's own song replaced with something actually by our man, Leonard Cohen.
