Ticket 2 Ride

This guy is not only a survivor, he’s a thriver. Bryan Adams has been chugging along for more than four decades. That puts him in the “legacy artist” category. Sorry dude, you also get the senior discount.

For me, Bryan Adams’ music is difficult to describe. It’s pop, rock, soft rock, AOR and adult contemporary. For example, I was listening to his greatest hits disc, Ultimate, and he duets with Rod Stewart and Sting on the song, “All for Love” which is one of those power ballad things that became popular in the 1980s. That song checks all the boxes.

I still have my vinyl copy of Cuts Like a Knife (1983), Adams’ third album, which helped establish the Canadian singer in the U.S. Three singles, including the title track, pushed the album into the Billboard top ten, giving him a successful album! “Cuts Like a Knife” was the song that convinced me to purchase the album.

Adams teamed with Jim Vallance to write most of the songs, a partnership that has lasted through the decades. Producer Bob Clearmountain (Bowie, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen) would co-produce four Adams albums and was important in establishing Adams’ sound. Clearmountain is one of the premier producers of the 1980s and 1990s.

Reckless (1984) followed a year later and sold 12 million copies worldwide. His duet with Tina Turner, “It’s Only Love” was a top 15 hit and perhaps his best collaboration. It’s a rocker. “Run to You” was another rocker, and a number 6 hit.

Into the Fire (1987) kept the singles coming, but reviews were mixed and while sales were good, it did not match its predecessor.

Waking Up the Neighbors (1991) found Adams changing producers, now enlisting Robert “Mutt” Lange (AC/DC, Lady Gaga, Def Leopard, Foreigner). More mid-tempo rockers and power ballads, but the partnership with Lange as both co-producer and co-writer clicked. Result – over 16 million albums worldwide. Here’s an example of where Adams was, “Can’t We Stop This Thing We Started”, a mid-tempo, grungy kind of thing, not terribly original, but somewhat familiar. Written by Adams and Lange, it’s not offensive, yet not instant ear worm kind of pop music, but it somehow peaked at number two on the hot 100! That’s the problem with pop music, Adams was giving his fans something comfortable and mildly pleasant, but was taking zero chances and not advancing creatively even half a step.

“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” was not only a single from Waking Up the Neighbors, it was featured in the Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The single topped charts around the world and sold millions of copies – a ginormous hit by any standard. Unfortunately, it seemed to brand Adams as a romantic ballad guy, as his rock fans fled.

Thirty-five years later, Adams is still recording and touring, but nothing matched his success in 1991, or even 1983.

Adams released his 16th studio album in 2025, Roll with the Punches. All the songs were written and produced by Adams, with a small group of musicians lending a hand. Things are a leaner these days. This album is released on his own label, Bad, and he has mounted an ambitious tour this summer.

Legacy artists enjoy continuing popularity on classic rock and adult contemporary radio, but get little airplay with new material. Touring pays the bills, and eventually, selling their catalogue and rights can net them serious money. Ask Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan. Remember the film, The Graduate? The word then was “plastic”. Today, the word is “monetize”.

Back to his Ultimate collection. That set is quite a career retrospective and defines a very successful relationship with his fans. I’ve never seen Bryan Adams in concert, maybe he’s coming near where I am. Who knows.