June has (thankfully) arrived, and with it come two celebrations we love to lean into: Indigenous History Month and Pride Month.

Pride is less of a month, more of a season (it ranges from June to August across Canada, depending on where you live), giving us a vibrant and wide-ranging landscape to celebrate a movement that is rooted in protest against police brutality. 

To start, we’re hitting play on these 25 essential Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ anthems: spanning more than 60 years and various genres, the list includes seminal tracks that illustrate the love, pride and resilience of a community that makes up an integral part of this country and its music scene.

Indigenous History Month started almost 20 years ago thanks to a letter-writing campaign pushing for a time to celebrate “Indigenous achievements, artists, musicians, storytellers, matriarchs, elders and more.” We’ve kicked off the festivities with a list of 5 emerging Indigenous musicians to know in 2025.

How are you celebrating everything June has to offer? We’d love to know.

Meet Montreal post-punk rockers Ribbon Skirt

This Montreal band started out as an indie-rock group called Love Language, but after leaning into a darker and more experimental sound, decided to change its name. Ribbon Skirt, named after the traditional garment worn by First Nations and Métis people, is fronted by Anishinaabe guitarist and singer Tashiina Buswa — and is quickly gaining a devoted following.

Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ musicians celebrate the artists who came before them

Giving people their flowers when they’re still alive is an act of joyful resistance, so we asked six 2SLGBTQ+ musicians to tell us who has made a difference to them as artists, and why — and what song they think is a must-hear from the artist they're celebrating. The result is a beautiful recognition of both industry veterans and contemporaries, plus a perfect playlist to mark Pride for 2025.

Did you know that Rush thought this hit album was going to bomb?

“We were pretty high when we made a lot of that record,” admitted Geddy Lee.

Happy National Indigenous History Month from Reclaimed

This week on Reclaimed, it's an appreciation for the strum and thrum of Indigenous singers and songwriters from across Turtle Island. Celebrating Indigenous excellence in the month of June and beyond, Reclaimed delivers the Indigenous next wave — this week featuring the Hello Crows (pictured), Julian Taylor, Evan Redsky and more.

Party with the cumbia and salsa music of Empanadas Ilegales 

Vancouver-based Empanadas Ilegales formed out of late-night jazz sessions nearly a decade ago, and their raucous energy is undeniable. You can take their cumbia party home with you just in time for summer thanks to the band’s latest album, Sancocho Trifásico — and you can watch the band play some of those new songs live at their Road to the Junos show earlier this year. Watch the band play new album cuts Chancletazo, La Sanguijuela (Gher Bede) and Bailecito del Mord.

4 songs you need to hear to celebrate Indigenous History Month

We’ve devoted this week's edition of songs you need to hear to new tracks from exciting Indigenous musicians — including Tia Wood (pictured), Ribbon Skirt, Piqsiq and Aysanabee.

It’s been 23 years since Avril Lavigne released Let Go

Lavigne was only 17 when she dropped that juggernaut debut album into the world, and the now 40-year-old musician is currently on a worldwide greatest hits tour. What is time??

Lorde continues her almighty hold at No. 1 as Goldie Boutilier, Born Ruffians enter the chart

New Zealand mega-star Lorde continues to dominate the top spot with her latest single, What Was That, holding off hard-charging singles by Mumford & Sons (No. 2), the Beaches (No. 3) and Jessie Reyez (No. 4). Entering the chart this week are new songs by indie favourites Born Ruffians, Afrobeats pop star Ayra Starr, Cape Breton's resurgent Goldie Boutilier, and England's Lola Young. (Weird Top 20 trivia: did you know that Young's great aunt, Julia Donaldson, wrote the children's classic picture book The Gruffalo?)

Thanks so much for joining us for this issue of Listen Up! If you loved it, feel free to let us know at listenup@cbc.ca — and use the same email if you have questions or suggestions. Please share it with your friends, family and even enemies via cbc.ca/listenup.