Oh, Canada, is the home and native land to many of Christian music's most popular bands and musicians: Matt Maher, Thousand Foot Krutch and Manafest, just to name a few. Let's not forget newcomers Caves, Bethel Music's Amanda Cook, Dan Bremnes and Downhere's Marc Martel. Here is NewReleaseToday's Tour de Canada playlist for 2017. Take some time to listen to these amazing artists; you'll be glad you did!

"Stones" by Manafest
Place of origin: Pickering, Ontario
Manafest, a native of the city I currently call home, had dreams of becoming a skateboarder. Those dreams were derailed after a severe boarding accident. Manafest found success as a musician, mastering music that combines both hip hop and rock. For those who like Eminem, Manafest is a talented equivalent to satisfy your ears--without the vulgarity. Start with "Stones," the single from Manafest's upcoming album with the same name.

"Honestly" by The City Harmonic
Place of origin: Hamilton, Ontario
 
The City Harmonic started out as a house worship band at a Hamilton-based interdenominational event. The Juno Award winning quartet became a force to be reckoned with in Christian contemporary music, and is now releasing a final album titled Benediction Live to close out their career. "Honestly" is their final new track.

"Honest" by Thousand Foot Krutch
Place of origin: Peterborough, Ontario
Trevor McNevan, lead singer and founder of rock band Thousand Foot Krutch (TFK), grew up and launched TFK in my old stomping grounds of Peterborough, a city located Northeast of Toronto, Ontario. He and original guitarist Dave Smith played gigs at a local theater on weekends. Now they sell out large arenas. "Honest" is a breathtaking power ballad from the 2016 album Exhale.

"Where the Light Is" by Dan Bremnes
Place of origin: Kamloops, British Columbia
Dan Bremnes emerged in 2015 with his first studio album Where the Light Is, featuring the hit single with the same name. Bremnes is not a new artist. He started his career independently in 2010. He released the album Your Strength, followed by the EP Light My Way in 2012. Bremnes collected accolades for Light My Way, winning Covenant Awards in 2013. Listen to "Where the Light Is," and you'll see why Bremnes is a big deal.

"Abide with Me" by Matt Maher
Place of origin: Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario
Matt Maher has a voice that demands attention. His musical stylings transcend his contemporaries. "Abide with Me," a single from Maher's 2015 album Saints and Sinners, exemplifies this fact. Catch Maher's recent song "Oh Mercy," a duet with fellow artist Audrey Assad, on Stu Garrard's Beatitudes project.

"King of My Heart" by Caves
Place of origin: Port Perry, Ontario
In the past two years, Caves has been turning heads with their music. Josh McCabe and Matt Shaban have given a fresh, original sound to both their own music and cover tunes, such as Bethel Music's "King of My Heart." Most recently, they released a unique EP featuring covers of Johnny Cash classics. 

"Closer" by Amanda Cook
Place of origin: Niverville, Manitoba
In 2010, independent artist Amanda Cook connected with Bethel Church and became a member of its music ministry. Shortly thereafter in 2011, Amanda married her husband Jacob Cook. She is currently serving as a songwriter and worship leader for Bethel Church. Cook released her fourth solo album, Brave New World, under the Bethel Music banner in 2015.

"Say the Word" by Marc Martel
Place of origin: Montreal, Quebec
Marc Martel was the lead singer of the Canadian Christian band Downhere. They emerged in the late '90s and concluded their over-a-decade-long run in 2013. In 2012, Martel auditioned for Queen Extravaganza, Queen's official tribute band. His audition video of Queen's hit "Somebody to Love" quickly went viral, and Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor selected Martel the group. Martel has spent the years since working on both Queen tribute tours and his own solo material. "Say the Word" is the opening track on Martel's 2014 solo album Impersonator. Just this week Martel launched a kickstarter to launch his next set of EPs.

"I Am Yours" by Tim Neufeld & the Glory Boys
Place of origin: Abbotsford, British Columbia
In the early 2010s, the musicians of the band Starfield quietly disbanded to pursue solo projects. Tim Neufeld, former lead vocalist, released his first solo album Trees in 2013. A year later, Neufeld released his second album, The Joy. In late 2016, Neufeld released Hootenanny. Neufeld continues to tour with famous artists such as Third Day and Chris Tomlin.

"Home" by Brooke Nichols 
Place of origin: Toronto, Ontario
Brooke Nichols is a worship leader at C4 Church, based out Ajax, Ontario. She released her debut worship album Found In You in late 2016, which features this single, "Home."