Bryan Adams Biography

Bryan Guy Adams, CC, OBC (born November 5, 1959) is a British and Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with an estimated 75 to over 100 million records and singles sold worldwide. Adams was the most played artist on Canadian radio in the 2010s.

Adams's career began with his self-titled debut album at age 20. His breakthrough came with the 1983 album Cuts Like a Knife, which included the title track and his first US top ten hit, "Straight From the Heart," written at 18. Reckless, released in 1984, made him a global star. The album was the first by a Canadian artist to be certified diamond in Canada and featured six charting singles.

In 1991, Adams released "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You," which reached number one in at least 19 countries and sold over 15 million copies worldwide. It was included on Adams' Waking Up the Neighbours (1991), a worldwide number one album. Hits from the 1990s include "Please Forgive Me" (1993), "All for Love" (1993), and "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" (1995).

Adams's achievements include numerous Juno Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, among 16 Grammy nominations. He has also been nominated for several Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards. He has been inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Canada's Walk of Fame, and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Born in Kingston, Ontario, Adams travelled with his parents to diplomatic postings in Lisbon, Vienna, and Jaffa. He attended schools in these locations before moving to North Vancouver. He bought his first guitar at age 10 and started playing in bands, working as a studio session singer. At age 15, he was the vocalist for the glam rock band Sweeney Todd.

In 1978, Adams began a prolific songwriting partnership with Jim Vallance. Together, they co-wrote for Adams and many other artists. In 1980, Adams signed with A&M Records. He released his debut album, mostly co-written with Vallance, in February 1980.

Beyond music, Adams is a renowned photographer, his work appearing in magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Esquire. He has published the critically acclaimed photography book Wounded—The Legacy of War in 2013. Adams also founded The Bryan Adams Foundation, supporting educational opportunities.

Adams remains active in music, releasing the Tracks of My Years album in 2014 and the album Get Up in 2015, and undertaking extensive tours. He also composed the music and lyrics with Jim Vallance for the Broadway musical Pretty Woman: The Musical, which debuted in 2018 and opened in London's West End theatre in 2020.