Canada is well-known for a few things. Maple syrup. Hockey. Frozen wastelands. But one of its top exports of all time has to be Pop-Rock sensation, Bryan Adams. From the early 80s through the 90s, he was everywhere, turning out hit after hit. Not bad for the son of a couple of English immigrants to Canada.
This is an artist with sales of upwards of 75 million albums under his belt. An artist who holds a Grammy Award, numerous Juno Awards (Canada’s cute answer to the Grammys), and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So, what are the top 10 Bryan Adams songs? There are almost too many hits to choose from. But let’s dive into Bryan Adams’ Top 10 songs and see what we can find.
Who is Bryan Adams?
Bryan Adams’ parents immigrated to Canada, where he was born. However, since they worked as diplomats, he was raised in many cities around the world, like Ottawa, Lisbon, Vienna, and Vancouver. At 12 years old, he got his first guitar and apparently played it until his fingers bled. He later dropped out of school to become a musician, a career decision that has not disappointed him.
He played with bands and recorded music into the early 80s. But, it was 1983’s Cuts Like A Knife that was Bryan Adams’ major breakout record. 1984’s Reckless was an even bigger hit, solidifying his place in music history. However, Bryan Adams’ biggest album was Waking Up The Neighbours, released in 1991. So far, he has released 15 studio albums, his latest in 2022.
Aside from music, Adams also has some acting credits to his name. And in the 2000s, he turned his attention to photography, publishing fashion pictures, portraits, and even album covers for other musicians. Talk about success. Now that you know more about the man, let’s look at the best songs that Bryan Adams has released to date.
Top 10 Bryan Adams Songs
“Cuts Like a Knife” (1983)
“Cuts Like a Knife” is the title track off the album that broke Bryan Adams into the mainstream. Before that, he’d had a little local success, but nothing major. But, when Cuts Like A Knife came out in 1983, it made a huge impression on audiences in Canada and, for the first time, in the US as well. The title track was the second single off this album and is one heck of a rocker.
From the first second of the song, you get a great Pop-Rock feel. The guitar riff is excellent, and combined with a mid-tempo drum beat, it drives this song along. The riff is echoed later in the “na-na-na-na-nas” that are so deliciously fun to sing along to and give this song a real Stadium Rock feel. And there’s even a cool organ in there, a guitar solo, and a quiet breakdown. What a masterpiece!
This song hit #6 on the Modern Rock chart and #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, pointing Adams in the direction of major Rock fame.
“Straight From the Heart” (1983)
Bryan Adams’ next great song was actually the first single from 1983’s Cuts Like A Knife. This is a slower, more heartfelt Rock ballad that highlights the singer’s raspy Rock voice. It was written by Vancouver musician Eric Kagna, although Adams wrote the bridge in the middle of the song. That’s the emotional “ooh-ahh” part.
This song is simple and straight-up. You get some plucked guitar, piano, and synth over a walking bassline and a basic Slow Rock beat. It’s really the lyrics that make this song great. No need to complicate things – these words are simple and come straight from the heart, of course.
“Run to You” (1984)
Bryan Adams followed up his 1983 success with his 4th album, Reckless, in 1984. This album had some whoppers on it, some of the biggest and most enduring Bryan Adams hit songs ever. One of them was “Run to You”. This is another Pop-Rock song that makes excellent use of Adams’ scratchy voice and powerful guitars.
This track has a solid pounding beat in the chorus, but during the verses and bridge, this beat is reduced to give some variety and make the chorus really pop. In this song, Adams sings all about infidelity. This is a love song of sorts, or maybe, a lust song.
While it sounds romantic, it’s about running back to a mistress again and again. Combined with the harder edge of this song, and Adams’ black leather outfit in the video, this song helped paint a picture of him as a bit of a bad boy. Just a bit!
“Summer of ’69” (1984)
The next track from Reckless that deserves a place of honor on our list of the top 10 Bryan Adams songs ever is “Summer of ’69”. This is easily one of the most popular Bryan Adams songs of all time, and the #1 rocker people come up with when they think of this artist.
This is a song about trying to make it as a musician. It details trying to hold together a band and young love while aiming for success. Adams later claimed that it was a reference to a sex position, but that was probably a joke.
The strength of this song is its palm-muted guitar riff that combines perfectly with its mid-tempo Rock beat. And, the wistful lyrics happily remembering the intensity of being a teenager really hit home, making you think about the best days of your own life.
“Heaven” (1984)
Reckless was home to some great rockers, but there was also an incredible romantic ballad on this record. This song went to #1 in the charts and cemented Bryan Adams as a great romantic writer. That song is, of course, “Heaven”, one of the best Rock ballads of the 80s.
This track is based on a romantic piano tune. But, in the chorus, huge 80s Rock drums and smashing guitar chords add intensity and flair. Of course, this is 1984, and there’s enough synth in the song to sink a battleship. But this song is just very powerful.
The lyrics are dripping with romance, but they’re straightforward, avoiding cheesy clichés found in other ballads at the time. Believe me, the passion and power of this song have made it the soundtrack to a whole heck of a lot of lovemaking.
“It’s Only Love” (1984)
The last great song from 1984’s Reckless is “It’s Only Love”. This is a powerful, fun Rock song to begin with. But the fact that it’s a duet with the inimitable Tina Turner makes this song amazing. This duo is a great combination. Both singers have a huge amount of power and, of course, raspy voices, too.
Adams was only 24 at the time, while Turner was an established superstar, and he remembers this collaboration as the best of his career. This is also a fun Rock song with a great guitar riff. And the lyrics are cute – telling you not to worry too much because it’s only love.
“(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” (1991)
At some point, Bryan Adams probably realized that his greatest strength was in power ballads. He was able to combine a raspy Rock sound with romantic tunes to create intense love songs that were massive hits.
His next big hit, “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”, was featured on his 1991 album Waking Up The Neighbours (Canadian spelling) and on the soundtrack for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. This was an enormous hit song by Bryan Adams, shooting up to #1 in many countries around the world.
It’s a slow Rock ballad that leans on the piano once again. And, this time, it includes strings for that romantic feel. The drum sound here is huge, and so is the guitar, giving the song incredible power. Adams sings at his most soulful here, making it sound like his heart aches so badly that it makes his voice raspy. This is perfectly pure Pop-Rock balladry at its finest.
“Can’t Stop This Thing We Started” (1991)
Waking Up The Neighbours was also home to another, more fun track – “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started”. This track harkens back to Adams’ pure Rock sound from the early 80s, even though it came out in 1991. The song is fun and positive, and this helped it shoot up to #2 in the charts.
This is a love song in the guise of a slightly swinging Pop-Rock track that sounds a fair bit like a Tears for Fears song. The drums still have that big 80s Phil Collins sound. The bass holds things down here, while guitar and organ parts interplay giving a great Classic Rock feel to the song. And the vocals? Adams sings with power and fun on this track, making it a heck of a lot of fun to sing along to.
“All For Love” (1993)
Adams’ next hit was a massive track, sung by a raspy trio including none other than Sting and Rod Stewart. This is a song known the world over as it hit #1. The song was written by Adams and his songwriting partners and then recorded by the super-trio for the soundtrack of the 1993 movie The Three Musketeers.
The lyrics are hugely romantic. They take the Musketeers’ motto and change it from one of fraternity to one of romance. This is a spine-tingling, goosebump-raising power ballad that stirs the cockles and just about everything else.
“Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” (1995)
Bryan Adams’ 1996 album, 18 Til I Die, featured a single that came out the year before. “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” was written for the movie Don Juan DeMarco and is one of Bryan Adams’ most romantic tracks ever. This song was another #1 hit for Adams, one more feather in his very feathery songwriting cap.
Because of the setting of the movie, the song has a light, Latin-influenced sound. This gives it a classic romantic flow and feel. And, of course, the lyrics are oozing with romance. This is a more mature Bryan Adams, and his songwriting shows it.
In the Mood for Great Rock Music?
If so, check out our thoughts on the Best 70s Rock Songs, the Best 80s Rock Songs, the Best 70s Rock Bands, the Best 90s Rock Songs, the Best 80s Rock Bands, and the Best 90s Rock Bands for more incredible song selections.
The Top 10 Bryan Adams Songs of All Time – Final Thoughts
This was a pretty tough list to nail down. With some other artists, you might scratch your head trying to think of 10 mega hits to list. But, with Bryan Adams, it was painful to try to choose 10 out of such a huge catalog of great songs.
This Canadian rocker turned balladeer, turned photographer has had an incredible career. His raspy voice became a staple of 80s and 90s romantic music and helped to define two decades of sound. And, he’s still writing and recording music. So, let’s see what other great Bryan Adams songs we’ll hear in the future.
Until next time, happy listening.
