33 Best Canadian Male Singers

Kevin Drew

Kevin Drew is one of the godfathers of Canadian indie rock in helping to establish Broken Social Scene, a collective of some of the finest musicians in the country. Not only that, but Kevin was also a founding member of the Arts & Crafts record label, which helped launch the careers of bands like Stars, Metric, Feist, and Apostle of Hustle. 

Geddy Lee

Not only is Geddy Lee one of Canada’s best singers, but he’s also one of Canada’s greatest bass players. Geddy is known for his involvement in the prog-rock trio, Rush, and for his higher-pitched singing voice.

Rush had quite a few hits from the 1970s up through the 1990s, with Tom Sawyer, and, Closer to the Heart being 2 of their biggest. The band was especially notable for its fearless incorporation of cutting-edge technology with regard to musical equipment available at any given time. 

Drake

Most people would probably consider Drake (born in Toronto) to be more of a rapper than a singer, but either way, the success he’s found using his voice cannot be denied. While most of his listeners probably recall his role in Degrassi: The Next Generation, nobody could have guessed he would change the landscape of the music industry in the 2010s and become the legend that he is today.

Sebastien Grainger

Born in Mississauga, Ontario, Sebastien Grainger rose to fame by means of playing drums and singing in the dance-punk duo, Death From Above 1979. Their 2004 album, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine is still regarded as an indie masterpiece almost 20 years later largely in part because of Grainger’s vocals mixed with a rougher aesthetic not typically found in dance genres. 

David Clayton-Thomas

Just about everybody under the sun has heard the Blood, Sweat & Tears song, Spinning Wheel, an iconic song which is led by David Clayton-Thomas’s booming voice amidst a classic horn section. That track, along with, You’ve Made Me So Very Happy, helped to define the year 1968, with the band’s self-titled album (from which the songs come) eventually winning Clayton-Thomas an award as Best Vocalist, as well as Album of the Year.

Andrew Whiteman

While Broken Social Scene is considered a collective of different members, Andrew Whiteman is known for being a mainstay on the touring member’s log. Outside of this, Andrew is best known for his work as the frontman for Apostle of Hustle, who gained moderate success with the track, My Sword Hand’s Anger. 

Randy Bachman

If you’ve ever listened to Bachman-Turner Overdrive, you’re all too familiar with the distinct voice of Randy Bachman. It’s Randy’s large voice that helped define an entire era of music, singing on hits such as You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, and, Takin’ Care of Business. 

Randy actually rose to fame after being a founding member and playing guitar in The Guess Who. He helped write many of the group’s gigantic hits from the late 1960s until his departure in 1970.

Burton Cummings

Speaking of The Guess Who, while Bachman helped write many of the group’s songs, it was Burton Cummings who served as the main vocalist. This Winnipeg native’s voice can be heard on legendary tracks like American Woman, and No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature. 

After The Guess Who, Cummings embarked on a solo career, with his first 3 albums selling enough copies to be certified Platinum in Canada multiple times over.  

Myles Goodwin

Unless you’re a Canadian, there’s a fair chance you might not have heard of Myles Goodwin, who grew up in Nova Scotia. Goodwin is famous for being in April Wine, a classic rock group that found mainstream success in the early 1970s with cover versions of a pair of songs done by Hot Chocolate and Elton John respectively.

Goodwin continued to tour with April Wine until his retirement in 2023, eventually passing away later that year.

The Weeknd

We wouldn’t be able to complete this article without mentioning Toronto native, The Weeknd, whom Guinness World Records named the most popular artist worldwide in 2023. 

The Weeknd rose to fame in the 2010s, which was solidified with his 2019 single release, Blinding Lights, which is perhaps the best-performing song of the 21st century in terms of its overall success, ranking well over 3 billion streams across different platforms. 

Spencer Krug

If you’re an indie rock fan, there’s a chance you are hip to Wolf Parade, which features Spencer Krug as its singer. The band rose to prominence on the Sub Pop label with their 2005 album, Apologies to the Queen Mary.

Outside of Wolf Parade, Krug has released music for a number of other projects, including the supergroup, Swan Lake, as well as his solo efforts as Moonface.