'Track Changes' recovers Canada’s forgotten internet music history

Source: Cam Gordon

A new non-fiction release, Track Changes: The Origin Story of Canadian Music on the Internet (1990–2010), shines a light on the era before streaming giants dominated the industry. Written by former communications head for Twitter in Canada and music journalist Cam Gordon, the book aims to be a cultural archive of the two decades when Canadian artists and fans first moved online.

It explores a "partially hidden history" of the digital frontier, documenting how early innovations—ranging from BBS communities and mailing lists to fan-built websites—fundamentally reshaped the country's music landscape before the platforms themselves went dark and the hardware became obsolete.

Gordon chronicles the evolution of legacy brands like MuchMusic and HMV alongside the rise of home-grown innovators such as the Nettwerk Music Group, online record labels such as Zunior, and message boards like Stillepost.

The book is available through FriesenPress, and you can check out  @TrackChanges_ca on Instagram for additional tidbits on Canada's early internet music footprint via screenshots, photos and stories from defunct websites, online forums, digital ads, news articles, blogs and social platforms.