Bryan Adams: Get to know the 'Groover From Vancouver'
He's a favourite through the generations!
Bryan Adams, affectionately known as the “Groover from Vancouver,” continues to bring a melodic sensibility to rock music, and in doing so has sustained a wide crossover audience that keeps pop music vibrant.
With a massive 16 studio albums under his belt, including his most recent 'Roll With The Punches', Bryan's first album was released in 1980, and since then he has had countless Top 10 hits. Ahead of his global 'Roll with the Punches' 2026 tour, we're taking a look back at his life and career, and answer some of your burning questions.
Who is Bryan Adams?
Bryan Adams was born on 5th November 1959, in Kingston, Ontario in Canada, making him currently 66-years-old. His parents, Elizabeth and Captain Conrad Adams, emigrated to Canada in the 50s.
Thanks to his military career, Bryan’s father became a United Nations peacekeeping observer for Canada before becoming a foreign service diplomat for his adopted homeland.
Consequently, young Bryan travelled with his parents to Portugal and Austria during the 60s and Israel in the 70s. Bryan moved to Vancouver with his mother and younger brother Bruce in 1974.
Bryan Adams: Early career
Having started working in a recording studio in Vancouver in the mid-70s, Bryan Adams joined local glam rock band Sweeney Todd. The band scored a few minor hits in Canada, but Bryan left less than a year after joining the band.
In 1978, Bryan met drummer and songwriter Jim Vallance and the pair struck a successful partnership that exists to this very day.
How successful was he in the 80s?
Signed to A&M Records, Bryan Adams recorded his first three albums – ‘Bryan Adams’, ‘You Want It You Got It’ and ‘Cuts Like A Knife’ – between 1980 and 1983. The first two albums were minor successes in Canada but did little beyond North America. Peaking at Number 21 in the UK album charts, ‘Cuts Like A Knife’ gave a tantalising glimpse of what was to come.
He finally broke through to a global audience with his fourth album, ‘Reckless’. Going on to sell around 12 million copies worldwide, Bryan was propelled to chart success thanks to a run of singles that raised his profile. These included ‘Summer Of ‘69’, ‘Heaven’ and the ever-popular ‘Run To You’.
His fame increased after touring Europe with Tina Turner. Bryan paid tribute to her in May 2023 after her death at the age of 83, sharing a throwback photo of the pair of them alongside the caption: 'RIP my dear tinaturner I'll be forever grateful for you bringing me on tour, going in the studio together and most of all, being your friend.
'Thank you for being the inspiration to millions of people around the world for speaking your truth and giving us the gift of your unbelievable voice. My condolences to Erwin and your family. It's Only Love...and that's all. ❤️'
Breaking UK chart records
He certainly did – and not just in the UK when, in 1991, ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It For You’ took up residency at the top of the singles charts the world over. The single was written after Bryan was invited to contribute a song to the Kevin Costner-led film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.
With a video directed by Julien Temple and shot in Sheffield, ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It For You’ soon began to climb the charts all over the world. Hitting the top spot in over a dozen countries including Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Norway and Spain, its biggest success was in the UK, US and Canada.
Spending seven weeks at Number 1 in the US and nine weeks on top in Canada in 1991, the single really made history in the UK, holding the Number 1 spot for an incredible 16 straight weeks - still the longest unbroken run in UK chart history.
Selling 15 million copies, Bryan - along with co-writers Michael Kamen and Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange - won a Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television. Other nominations included the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, and an Academy Award for Best Song.
There’s a wry chuckle to be raised knowing that the follow-up single was called ‘Can’t Stop This Thing We Started’. Ironically, it did by peaking at Number 2.
What are his best songs?
Bryan's song 'Everything I Do' will no doubt always be his most popular song. But when it comes to which Bryan Adams songs are actually the best, it's fairly subjective. 'Heaven', 'Summer of 69', 'Run To You' and 'Please Forgive Me' seem to constantly make it onto top lists of his best songs, but perhaps the best Bryan Adams songs are yet to come!
Has Bryan recorded any other songs for film or TV?
Bryan is certainly not one to keep things to himself. Teaming up with Rod Stewart and former Police frontman Sting, the trio scored a global hit with ‘All For Love’, which was taken from the Charlie Sheen and Kiefer Sutherland version of ‘The Three Musketeers’.
Along with '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You', Bryan's single ‘Have You Ever Loved A Woman’ was taken from film ‘Don Juan DeMarco’, starring Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando, while the duet with Barbra Streisand, ‘I Finally Found Somebody’ featured in her movie, ‘The Mirror Has Two Faces’.
In 2023, Bryan released two new songs; 'You're Awesome' and 'Sometimes You Lose Before You Win' which were written for Comedy Central movie, Office Race.
Bryan's collaborations
In 2000, dance producer Chicane hooked up Bryan Adams for the UK Number 1 single, ‘Don’t Give Up’.
Bryan Adams also scored hits with Tina Turner (‘It’s Only Love’), blues singer-guitarist Bonnie Raitt on ‘Rock Steady’ and ‘When You’re Gone’ with Sporty Spice - Melanie C. He also recorded another version of the song with fellow Canadian and Baywatch star Pamela Anderson in 2006.
Bryan and Mel C re-recorded their hit in 2022 and released a new video for it. The video was filmed in one continuous shot and filmed in Mel's home town of Widnes.
He has also written music for the musical adaption of the iconic 90s film Pretty Woman, which ran on Broadway in 2018 and in the West End in February 2020. Bryan later released new versions of the soundtrack to his YouTube channel to the delight of fans.
In April 2025, Bryan released a new version of his collaboration with Tina Turner, 'It's Only Love'. The singer told fans how he found the Tina Turner lyrics recorded in the Warner Brothers archive, and after gaining permission, decided to record a Midnight Mix of the song.
'So Happy It Hurts' album
Ahead of the release of his 'So Happy It Hurts' album in March 2022, Bryan released his song 'So Happy It Hurts' and its accompanying music video in October 2021, as well as his songs 'Kick A--' and 'On The Road' which came out in December 2021.
'So Happy It Hurts (Super Deluxe)' album
As well as releasing the original album in March, Bryan followed this up with a 'So Happy It Hurts (Super Deluxe)' version, which also includes a CD of 12 re-recorded versions of his greatest hits.
Released on 28th October 2022, it includes iconic tracks like 'Summer of '69', 'Run to You' and 'Please Forgive Me'.
Latest music
Bryan released his 16th album 'Roll With The Punches' in August 2025, releasing several songs from the album ahead of the album's release.
When is he next on tour?
Bryan’s 2026 'Roll With The Punches' touring run stretches from 21st April 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa through to 19th December 2026 in Athens, Greece, covering roughly eight months on the road.
Main countries on the schedule include South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Canada, the United States, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Slovenia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Denmark, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
A detailed official set list has not yet been published, so songs are still to be confirmed.
Where does Bryan Adams live?
When he's not staying in fancy hotels touring the world, Bryan Adams has a choice of homes to live in, but he has previously called the UK his "home from home".
Is he married?
Bryan was rumoured to have married his former personal assistant, Alicia Grimaldi, in 2009, but many publications say he has never married.
Does he have a child?
Bryan Adams has two children with Alicia Grimaldi. They welcomed their first daughter Bunny in 2011 and second Lula Rosylea in February 2013.
Is he vegan?
He is! Bryan Adams has been a vocal and active vegan for over 30 years and even reckons his youthful looks are down to his strict vegan diet. He told Vegan Life Magazine in 2016: "For those people who aren't veggie or vegan it was the best gift I could ever give myself to do it.
"I am turning 57 years old this year and I work hard, I am always on the move but I have tons of energy because I am plant-based. It is absolutely the best thing you could ever do for yourself. It is a great path."
Bryan Adams as a photographer
Bryan is a recognised and award-winning photographer who worked on the 2022 Pirelli calendar, where he took photos of a number of big names. He named the calendar On the Road - and with photos of Rita Ora, Cher, Grimes, Iggy Pop, Normani, St Vincent and Jennifer Hudson in urban spaces, he captured the life of an artist on tour.
Bryan has worked with numerous celebrities on a variety of photography projects over the years including Take That, Shania Twain, Rod Stewart, Celine Dion, Amy Winehouse, and Annie Lennox. His work has also been featured in a number of campaigns and magazines including British Vogue,
You can hear the biggest songs from Bryan Adams on Greatest Hits Radio 80s.
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