18 til I Die

18 til I Die is the seventh studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. Released on 4 June 1996, by A&M Records, the album became a commercial success peaking at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and No. 2 in his home country Canada. It was recorded on different locations which included Jamaica and France. 18 til I Die featured the number one song "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?", which had been released as a single and on the soundtrack to the film Don Juan DeMarco over a year prior, and 4 other singles: "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" (the album's second single, released May 28), "Let's Make a Night to Remember", "Star", and "18 til I Die"; the album track "I'll Always Be Right There" was also released to radio in the United States. After the release of the album in June, to promote the album, Adams toured around North America and Europe. Perhaps the most memorable of these concerts was playing to more than 70,000 people at Wembley Stadium in July 1996. The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.[6]

18 Til I Die
Studio album by Bryan Adams
Released	4 June 1996
Recorded	1995–96
Genre	Rock, soft rock
Length	51:48
Label	A&M
Producer	Bryan Adams, Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Bryan Adams chronology
Live! Live! Live! (1994) 18 Til I Die (1996) Unplugged (1997)
Singles from 18 til I Die
"Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" Released: April 4, 1995 "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" Released: May 7, 1996 "Let's Make a Night to Remember" Released: June 2, 1996 "Star" Released: 1996 "18 til I Die" Released: 1996 "Do to You" Released: 1997 "I'll Always Be Right There" Released: 1997

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[2]
Los Angeles Times	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]
USA Today	[5]

Music

Recording and production

The album was written and recorded and produced by Adams and R.J. "Mutt" Lange in a house in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, from Winter 1994 to Summer 1995 and in two different houses in Provence, France, from Autumn 1995 to Spring 1996 using the Warehouse Studio Mobile Unit. Even the mix was done in a house in Provence, France, in March 1996 by Bob Clearmountain. Adams played some of these songs live before release; for example, he played "Let's Make a Night to Remember" at a soundcheck in a gig in 1993 during the So Far So Good World Tour. Adams had completed 12 songs by 1995, but felt that something was lacking in the album, and went back and recorded two new songs: "The Only Thing" and "18 til I Die". Adams then named the album 18 til I Die.

Release

18 til I Die was officially released in June 1996. In the United States the album peaked at 31 on the Billboard 200 and held that position for three weeks. In Adams' native Canada, 18 til I Die reached number 4. The album was released in Australia, Europe and New Zealand in late June 1996. The album was a massive commercial success during its release in Europe, reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart, Adams' second in a row. 18 til I Die reached the top ten in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Austria, Sweden, Germany and Australia, and was a moderate top 20 success in France.

The album was certified platinum in the United States [7] 18 til I Die was certified three times platinum in Canada and Australia and two times platinum in the UK.[8][9][10]

18 til I Die included the hit singles "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman", "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You", "Let's Make a Night to Remember", "Star", and "18 'Til I Die", all of which had accompanying music videos. "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" had been the number one song on the US Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks when originally released in spring 1995, while "Let's Make a Night to Remember", the second single from the album to chart in the United States, peaked at 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and #6 on the adult contemporary chart). The other singles became big hits in Europe. "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" was the most successful rock song from 18 til I Die, reaching number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart. The music video for "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" received heavy airplay on music television. In early 1997, the track "I'll Always Be Right There" became the album's final single, reaching #3 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart and #59 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.

Album differences

On 4 November 1996, a second Australian version of 18 til I Die was released, featuring the song "I Finally Found Someone" (a duet with Barbra Streisand) in place of "You're Still Beautiful to Me" and had an alternative cover with a purple background and a different track order, while the Japanese version contained the bonus song "Hey Elvis".

Track listing

International

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You"	Adams, Lange	3:37
2.	"Do to You"	Adams, Lange	4:11
3.	"Let's Make a Night to Remember"	Adams, Lange	6:19
4.	"18 til I Die"	Adams, Lange	3:30
5.	"Star"	Adams, Lange, Kamen	3:42
6.	"(I Wanna Be) Your Underwear"	Adams, Lange	3:18
7.	"We're Gonna Win"	Adams, Lange	2:27
8.	"I Think About You"	Adams, Peters	3:36
9.	"I'll Always Be Right There"	Adams, Lange, Kamen	3:17
10.	"It Ain't a Party... If You Can't Come 'Round"	Adams, Lange	3:47
11.	"Black Pearl"	Adams, Lange	4:00
12.	"You're Still Beautiful to Me"	Adams, Lange	5:14
13.	"Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?"	Adams, Lange, Kamen	4:48

Japanese Bonus Track[11]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"Hey Elvis"	Adams, Peters	3:26

Japan 2012/2013 SHM-CD Bonus Tracks[12][13]

No.	Title	Length
14.	"Low Life" (From "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" Single)	4:10
15.	"I Want It All" (From "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You" Single)	4:48
16.	"Hey Little Girl" (From "Let's Make a Night to Remember" Single.)	4:39

Australia (Purple Cover – November 1996)[14]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You"	Adams, Lange	3:37
2.	"Do to You"	Adams, Lange	4:11
3.	"Let's Make a Night to Remember"	Adams, Lange	6:19
4.	"18 til I Die"	Adams, Lange	3:30
5.	"Star"	Adams, Lange, Kamen	3:42
6.	"(I Wanna Be) Your Underwear"	Adams, Lange	3:18
7.	"I Think About You"	Adams, Peters	3:36
8.	"I'll Always Be Right There"	Adams, Kennedy	3:17
9.	"It Ain't a Party If Ya Can't Come 'Round"	Adams, Lange	3:47
10.	"Black Pearl"	Adams, Lange	4:00
11.	"Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?"	Adams, Lange, Kamen	4:48
12.	"I Finally Found Someone" (with Barbra Streisand)	Adams, Lange, Streisand, Hamlisch	3:43
13.	"We're Gonna Win"	Adams, Lange	2:27

Personnel

• Bryan Adams – rhythm guitar, vocals, co-producer
• Keith Scott – lead guitar
• Paco de Lucia – featured flamenco guitarist on "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?"
• Mickey Curry – drums
• Dave Taylor – bass
• Olle Romo – percussion
• Michael Kamen – piano, string arrangements
• Mutt Lange – guitars

Chart positions

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Position
German Albums Chart[15]	22

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[16]	3× Platinum	210,000^^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[17]	Gold	25,000^*
Belgium (BEA)[18]	Gold	25,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[19]	3× Platinum	300,000^^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[20]	Gold	23,896[20]
Germany (BVMI)[21]	Gold	250,000^^
Japan (RIAJ)[22]	Platinum	200,000^^
Latvia (LaMPA)[23]	Gold	4,000^*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[24]	Platinum	15,000^^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[25]	Gold	50,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[26]	Platinum	50,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[27]	2× Platinum	600,000^^
United States (RIAA)[28]	Platinum	816,000[29]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[30]	Platinum	1,000,000^*
Worldwide	—	5,000,000[29]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Entertainment Weekly review
3. Hochman, Steve (June 2, 1996). "18 'Til I Die". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 6. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
5. USA Today review
6. Bliss, Karen. "Adams recording new album". Jam!. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
7. "RIAA Certifications". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 2013-08-08. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
8. "BPI Certifications". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
9. "CRIA Certifications". CRIA. Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
10. "ARIA Certifications". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
11. https://www.discogs.com/Bryan-Adams-18-Til-I-Die/release/4312104
12. https://www.discogs.com/Bryan-Adams-%E3%83%96%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%82%A2%E3%83%80%E3%83%A0%E3%82%B9-18-Til-I-Die-/release/9197309
13. https://www.discogs.com/Bryan-Adams-18-Til-I-Die/release/12355342
14. https://www.discogs.com/Bryan-Adams-18-Til-I-Die/release/2068917
15. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
16. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
17. "Austrian album certifications – Bryan Adams – 18Til I Die" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
18. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1996". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
19. "Canadian album certifications – Bryan Adams – 18 Til I Die". Music Canada. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
20. "Bryan Adams" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
21. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bryan Adams; '18 Til I Die')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
22. "Japanese album certifications – Bryan Adams – 18 Til I Die" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 14 September 2019. Select 1996年8月 on the drop-down menu
23. "International Latvian Certification Awards from 1998 to 2001". Latvian Music Producers Association. 1999. Retrieved 14 September 2019 – via Directupload.
24. "New Zealand album certifications – Bryan Adams – 18 'Til I Die". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
25. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 940. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
26. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Bryan Adams; '18 Til I Die')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
27. "British album certifications – Bryan Adams – 18 Til I Die". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 September 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type 18 Til I Die in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
28. "American album certifications – Bryan Adams – 18 Til I Die". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
29. LeBlanc, Larry (24 October 1998). "Bryan Adams Unveils New "Day"". Billboard. p. 59. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
30. "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1997". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 September 2019.