Bryan Adams – Reckless

Reckless is the fourth solo album from Bryan Adams. It became a massive seller, earning a diamond award in Canada for sales over one million, triple platinum in the UK and quintuple platinum in the US for sales over 5 million, while topping the charts in Canada and the US, and reaching #7 in the UK.

Bryan Adams won three awards at the 1996 Junos, including Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Composer of the Year (with Jim Vallance), though Reckless garnered ho-hum reviews from the critics:

• All Music Guide gave it 4 stars out of 5, calling it "radio-friendly pop-rock," though Bryan Adams is no longer in the online site
• Robert Christgau graded it a C-, saying "maybe I'll let Bruce Springsteen teach me how to hear John Cougar Mellencamp, but damned if I'm going to let John Cougar Mellencamp teach me how to hear Bryan Adams"
• Rolling Stone magazine gave it 3 stars out of 5, calling it "the closest thing yet to generic rock & roll," though the Rolling Stone Album Guide upped that to 3.5

Reckless spawned six hit singles in Canada (seven in the US), including "It's Only Love," a duet with Tina Turner, and "Summer of '69." Reckless gets included in most lists of greatest Canadian albums:

• Chart magazine polls: #73 in 1996, #47 in 2000, #40 in 2005
• #12 in Bob Mersereau's The Top 100 Canadian Albums book in 2007
• #39 in the 2011 Mar*Star poll
• #37 in the CBC Radio's 2013 list of the 100 Greatest Canadian Albums

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Track Listing

1. "One Night Love Affair" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 4:32
2. "She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 3:14
3. "Run to You" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 3:54
4. "Heaven" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 4:03
5. "Somebody" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 4:44
6. "Summer of '69" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 3:35
7. "Kids Wanna Rock" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 2:36
8. "It's Only Love" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 3:15
9. "Long Gone" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 3:57
10. "Ain't Gonna Cry" (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 4:06

Personnel

• Bryan Adams – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (except 4), background vocals (on 2, 5, 7, 10), handclaps (on 2), piano (on 4), percussion (on 4), lead guitar (on 5, 9), harmony vocal (on 6), harp (on 9)
• Keith Scott – lead guitar (except 9), rhythm guitar (on 1, 2, 3, 5, 9), background vocals (on 2, 5, 7, 10), handclaps (on 2)
• Dave Taylor – bass
• Tommy Mandel – keyboards (except on 4, 6)
• Mickey Curry – drums (on 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
• Jim Vallance – percussion (1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
• Pat Steward – drums (on 1, 6, 7), background vocals (on 7)
• Jody Perpick – handclaps (on 2), background vocals (on 7)
• Lou Gramm – background vocals (on 2)
• Beanbag – handclaps (on 2)
• Rob Sabino – keyboards (on 4)
• Steve Smith – drums (on 4)
• John Eddie – background vocals (on 5)
• Bob Clearmountain – background vocals (on 7)
• Gerry – background vocals (on 7)
• Tina Turner – lead vocals (on 8)