This week our cross-country tour reaches its eastern edge with a return to Newfoundland and Labrador — a province where music has always carried history, humour, hardship, and heart. We made this stop in earlier years (2017 and 2022), and it felt like the right time to head back to The Rock to hear what has been happening across the local scene. As with the other provincial playlists, this one builds from past editions while adding a wave of newer artists and recent releases from 2022 through 2026.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s music identity has long been shaped by the sea and by traditions carried from Irish, English, and Cornish roots. Storytelling songs, folk ballads, and seafaring tunes remain an essential part of the province’s culture. Yet today’s scene is far broader than tradition alone. Modern artists continue to honour those roots while blending them with indie rock, punk energy, dream-pop textures, and contemporary folk songwriting.
Since 2022, the province has seen a real resurgence in live music and creative momentum. Post-pandemic events like Come Home Year helped bring artists back to stages and audiences back into rooms. Support from MusicNL and provincial funding has also helped musicians tour, record, and share their work nationally and beyond. The result is a scene that feels deeply local, yet increasingly visible across Canada.
Artists like Rum Ragged continue to modernize traditional Newfoundland sounds with power and personality. Kellie Loder has become one of the province’s best-known contemporary voices, while Nico Paulo brings a warm and distinctive indie-pop presence. Rube & Rake remain favourites for intimate songwriting, and Matthew Byrne continues to earn recognition for carrying traditional music forward.
There is also a younger and louder side to the scene. Acts such as Saving Throw and garage-punk newcomers like Sick Puppy show that Newfoundland music is not standing still. It is expanding, experimenting, and making space for many sounds at once.
Community spaces remain central to that growth. Festivals like Lawnya Vawnya continue to champion emerging and independent voices, while grassroots events such as intimate house-show series in Twillingate remind us that some of the best music experiences still happen in small rooms with close listeners.
This playlist leans toward the indie side of the province while still reflecting the traditional spirit that runs through so much of Newfoundland and Labrador music. Expect folk-rooted storytelling, driving rock songs, coastal atmosphere, and a few surprises along the way.
Our journey across Canada may be nearing the shoreline, but the music here still feels like a beginning.
Enjoy these Newfoundland and Labrador Notes and Laments on this stop of the tour.
Tidal Music link:
https://tidal.com/playlist/48e0753f-503c-4a2c-beac-60acfe982595
The YouTube playlist player is not working at the moment. Here is a link to all the playlists. Look for the Newfounland and Labrador playlist there.