Which is news that will be welcomed by Kevin Drew of Canadian indie group Broken Social Scene, who was basically saying pretty much everything Mintel were saying backstage at the Juno awards on Sunday night.
Having won Alternative Album Of The Year, Drew took the opportunity to criticise the Canadian music industry, and especially the Canadian Idol franchise which, he claimed, put young singers under the spotlight too quickly.
Observing that all four of the Canadian Idol contestants nominated at the awards event had gone home empty handed, the group's Kevin Drew told reporters: "I feel really sorry for those kids in Canadian Idol because they're going absolutely nowhere. It's a trick ... it's a Canadian music industry downfall because in three years no one is going to remember them". He said that the major labels, unlike the independent labels, were unwilling to invest in their artists long term, adding: "I think things should have gotten a lot smaller years ago. It has to change ... people are still going for the 'instant."'
Drew's bandmate Leslie Feist agreed that things happen too quickly for Idol's pop stars, adding: "Collectively we probably have 200 years worth of gig experience. I feel only empathy . . . for the kids that are put in that position before they have those road scars".
But Susanne Boyce, the President Of Programming of CTV, the TV network which screens both the Junos and Canadian Idol, said she thought the Canadian music world was big enough for both Idol and indie stars. She told reporters: "Whether you have 200 years [of experience] or a day of it - the audiences will connect with you or not. What's lovely is when you see that the world has embraced Canadian music ... so it's all fine. I'm very proud of the whole Canadian music scene and I feel strongly about celebrating all the successes".