# Steve Jordan on Founding Polaris, Why Genres No Longer Create Barriers, Quitting A&R & More

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/i-hate-simkin-7337655/steve-jordan-on-founding-polaris-why-genres-no-longer-create-barriers-quitting-a-r-more
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/i-hate-simkin-7337655/steve-jordan-on-founding-polaris-why-genres-no-longer-create-barriers-quitting-a-r-more.md
Podcast: [I Hate Simkin](https://stenobird.com/podcast/i-hate-simkin-7337655)
Published: 2025-12-17T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://3b54cd92-d36d-4435-aa90-79f3f823bb32.libsyn.com/steve-jordan-on-founding-polaris-why-genres-no-longer-create-barriers-quitting-ar-more
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/3b54cd92-d36d-4435-aa90-79f3f823bb32/Steve_Jordan_MP3.mp3?dest-id=4100463
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Duration seconds: 3283

## Resource

Jonathan sits down with longtime former CBC Director of Music Steve Jordan to dive into his full journey. Steve tells never-before-shared stories about: • His early days running incorrect weather forecasts on radio • Being the first person to play The Tragically Hip on radio • Launching local Kingston bands and building a true DIY music scene • Crossing paths with Sarah Harmer, The Inbreds, Mahones & more • Everything wrong he saw with award shows that inspired Polaris • What label life was really like in the 90s and 2000s and why his dream was not reality • Why most A&R scouting was painful ("90% of bands you check out aren't good") • The truth about discovering commercial acts vs. music you love • How the industry has completely changed — and why nobody knows what it is anymore You'll hear a ton of behind-the-scenes music industry history, wild anecdotes from the early days of Canadian rock, and honest insight about signing artists, surviving label politics, and building long-term careers. The full episode is available on Youtube if you prefer video. If you enjoy the podcast please rate/review us it helps us a lot! If you care about Canadian music, A&R stories, or the evolution of the industry — this episode is a must-watch/listen. New episodes of I Hate Simkin every second week. Hosted by Jonathan Simkin. Powered by 604 Records.

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