Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The Tragically Hip's place in the canon of influential Canadian music is forever cemented.
Often labelled "Canada's band," with all the accolades and baggage that entails, The Hip formed as a rock group between friends in Kingston, Ont., in 1984, counting Gord Downie, Paul Langlois, Rob Baker, Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay as members. Together, they would release 13 studio albums, amass countless awards and, for 20 years, stand as the country's best-selling band. Downie himself would release eight albums, mostly solo but some with other outfits (including the Sadies).
The band was active until Downie's death from brain cancer in October 2017. That The Tragically Hip would have lived on for many more years is undoubted, if time had been on its side.
The Hip's music has inspired innumerable songwriters and artists all over the world, and continues to do so nearly a decade after its final show. And this year, almost exactly 10 years later, The Tragically Hip is letting Canadians re-live that 2016 Man Machine Poem Kingston concert with a special broadcast on CBC on Aug. 22. Fans can watch The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration concert at 7 p.m. local time on CBC-TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio and CBC Music’s YouTube page. Communities can also sign up to host a public screening here, to ensure all fans can get in on the action.
In honour of the anniversary, the CBC Music team spent part of this summer on the impossible task of ranking The Hip's 10 best songs.
Subscribe to @cbcmusic
For everything you need to know about the week in music, exclusive live performances and the best new songs, sign up for CBC Music's newsletter, Listen Up!: cbc.ca/listenup
CBC Music is your hub for coast-to-coast-to-coast Canadian music. Watch exclusive performances, candid interviews, and behind-the-scenes content featuring your favourite artists. Visit cbc.ca/music for more.
Follow us on
Instagram: instagram.com/cbc_music
TikTok: tiktok.com/@cbcmusic
Facebook: facebook.com/CBCMusic
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The Tragically Hip's place in the canon of influential Canadian music is forever cemented.
Often labelled "Canada's band," with all the accolades and baggage that entails, The Hip formed as a rock group between friends in Kingston, Ont., in 1984, counting Gord Downie, Paul Langlois, Rob Baker, Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay as members. Together, they would release 13 studio albums, amass countless awards and, for 20 years, stand as the country's best-selling band. Downie himself would release eight albums, mostly solo but some with other outfits (including the Sadies).
The band was active until Downie's death from brain cancer in October 2017. That The Tragically Hip would have lived on for many more years is undoubted, if time had been on its side.
The Hip's music has inspired innumerable songwriters and artists all over the world, and continues to do so nearly a decade after its final show. And this year, almost exactly 10 years later, The Tragically Hip is letting Canadians re-live that 2016 Man Machine Poem Kingston concert with a special broadcast on CBC on Aug. 22. Fans can watch The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration concert at 7 p.m. local time on CBC-TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio and CBC Music’s YouTube page. Communities can also sign up to host a public screening here, to ensure all fans can get in on the action.
In honour of the anniversary, the CBC Music team spent part of this summer on the impossible task of ranking The Hip's 10 best songs.
Subscribe to @cbcmusic
For everything you need to know about the week in music, exclusive live performances and the best new songs, sign up for CBC Music's newsletter, Listen Up!: cbc.ca/listenup
CBC Music is your hub for coast-to-coast-to-coast Canadian music. Watch exclusive performances, candid interviews, and behind-the-scenes content featuring your favourite artists. Visit cbc.ca/music for more.
Follow us on
Instagram: instagram.com/cbc_music
TikTok: tiktok.com/@cbcmusic
Facebook: facebook.com/CBCMusic
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