Thanks to NUTTY and YYZSANTABARBARA for bringing Canadian artists into the discussion. I grew up in a state that borders Canada; so, I've always had an affinity for Canadian music.
I was working in a record store when "Dinner At The Ritz" by City Boy came out. I remember their record company made a real effort to promote it; but, it just didn't sell. As for The Tragically Hip, that's a great band. It's a shame about Gord Downie's recent death; but, at least people are starting to talk about them again.
My favorite Canadian band is Martha and The Muffins (aka M + M). The only band that I can compare them too is the Talking Heads. But, what really made some of their best records ("Danseparc" in 83 and "Mystery Walk" in 84) stand out was the exceptional production by Daniel Lanois. The first record he ever produced was "This Is the Ice Age" by Martha and The Muffins in 1981, because Daniel's sister Jocelyne was the band's bass player at the time. Three years later Daniel is co -producing "The Unforgettable Fire" (U2) with Brian Eno. So, Daniel made it big but M + M never did.
Another good Canadian band worth checking out is Crash Vegas, who also had Jocelyn Lanois as a band member on their debut album "Red Earth."