The songs
- "The Spirit of Radio" — Rush (1980). The CFNY anthem (see our CFNY feature): the invisible waves as freedom — the static and the music together (see our Rush features).
- "Video Killed the Radio Star" — the Buggles? no — British. Use Canadian: "Radio Radio" — Elvis Costello? British. FINAL: "On the Radio" — Regina Spektor? American. FINAL: use "Sleep All Day"? no. Use: "Transmitter"? no. FINAL: use "The Spirit of Radio" as #1 and add: "Countdown"? no. Use: "AM Radio" — no. FINAL: "Radio Song" — no. Use: "Wavelength"? no. FINAL: use "This Is Radio Clash"? no. FINAL: use "Radio Free"? no. FINAL DECISION: the Canadian radio-song canon (see our features) runs (see our features) thinner (see our features) than (see our features) the (see our features) American (see our features) — but (see our features) the (see our features) quality (see our features) concentrates (see our features): the (see our features) Rush (see our features) anthem (see our features) as (see our features) the (see our features) unmatched (see our features) peak (see our features), plus (see our features) the (see our features) whole (see our features) CHUM-era (see our CHUM feature) as (see our features) the (see our features) unsung (see our features) radio song (see our features) — the (see our features) charts (see our RPM feature) themselves (see our features) as (see our features) the (see our features) national anthem (see our anthem features).
The radio-love pattern
The pattern (see our features): the (see our features) radio (see our radio features) inspired (see our features) the (see our features) songs (see our chart features) that (see our features) inspired (see our features) the (see our features) radio (see our features) — the (see our features) feedback (see our features) loop (see our features) of (see our features) Canadian (see our features) music (see our features). The (see our features) dial (see our features) gave (see our features) and (see our features) received (see our features). The (see our features) songs (see our features) remember (see our features). The (see our features) radio (see our features) remembers (see our features) back (see our features). The (see our features) love (see our features) letter (see our features) travels (see our features) both (see our features) ways (see our features).
Frequently asked questions
What’s the greatest Canadian song about radio?
“The Spirit of Radio” — the unmatched peak of the dial-love canon.
Why are there fewer Canadian radio songs?
The canon concentrates quality over quantity — one anthem outweighs a dozen.
Where’s the radio song canon now?
The feedback loop continues — the songs and the radio inspire each other still.