Bryan Adams: 7 Things You Didn't Know About Canadian Icon

In a few months, iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams will touch down in Australia and New Zealand for his ‘So Happy It Hurts Tour’.

The artist behind timeless classics like “Summer of ‘69” and “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” will perform in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane, preceded by shows in Christchurch and Auckland. He’ll be joined on the tour by beloved X Factor winner James Arthur.

Adams, whose career now spans four decades, first performed in Australia in 1984, and he’s strengthened his bond with his Aussie fans over the past 40 years.

Fans can expect to hear all his hits on the upcoming tour, as well as a sprinkling of new songs – Adams is still consistently releasing music, including his 16th studio album, So Happy It Hurts, in 2022.

Adams is well-known to his legions of worldwide fans, but what about more casual listeners? Ahead of his AU/NZ tour, Tone Deaf has compiled a list of 10 lesser-known facts about Adams, which you can check out below.

Early Bloomer

Adams started his career at a very young age indeed. Aged just 15, he was already performing in local clubs in Canada, the ideal place to learn a trade as a budding musician. He was also recording demos at the same time – we wonder if that young Adams ever thought he’d still be doing this at 65.

Love Live Music?

Get the latest Live Music news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more

Cheap Contract

When he was 18, Adams signed his first contract, with A&M Records, but it wasn’t a blockbuster deal. A&M Records signed Adams for just $1, deciding to wait and see if the young musician would become a star. After two promising early albums, his third release, Cuts Like a Knife (1983), went platinum in the US and Canada.

Not Just Music

Adams has become renowned for his humanitarian work away from his music career. Adams is regularly involved with several charities, including ones concerned with children’s rights and disaster relief. Adams’ various projects include rebuilding a school in Thailand and a sports centre in Sri Lanka after the Indian Ocean Tsunami. He even has his own charity, The Bryan Adams Foundation, which is mainly funded by the man himself.

Behind the Camera

Adams is comfortable in front of the camera, but he’s also got experience on the other side. Adams is an accomplished photographer, with his work appearing in big publications like Vogue and Vanity Fair. He’s even published some photography books, to emphasise his artistic range. He even once told Louder Sound that he was “a photographer moonlighting as a singer.”

Oscar Nominee

“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” was always going to be a hit, but its inclusion in the iconic ‘90s film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves definitely helped catapult the song to worldwide fame. For his efforts, Adams was nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Song for what’s likely still his biggest song. Adams lost out to the title song from Beauty and the Beast, but he would be nominated for Best Original Song twice more in the ‘90s – a win would elude him though.

Canadian Royalty

Before Justin Bieber came along, Adams was the biggest name in Canadian music. For his distinguished and lengthy career, he was recognised by his country by being named an Officer of the Order of Canada and Officer of the Order of British Columbia in 1998. That same year saw Adams earn his place on Canada’s Walk of Fame; he would finally get his place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the US in 2011.

Team Player

Adams doesn’t just write for himself. He’s co-written songs for many other famous artists, boasting credits on albums released by Ted Nugent, Mötley Crüe, KISS (“Down on Your Knees” – listen below), and more. It’s notable how different in sound those artists are to Adams’ solo output, emphasising his range.