- Neil Diamond’s 2008 album, Home Before Dark, hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making him, at 67, the oldest artist at the time to top the chart.
- The album was produced by Rick Rubin and featured collaborations with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.
- Diamond described the album as a “giant step” in his evolution and possibly his best work, with songs like “Act Like a Man” offering a painfully honest self-reflection.
- The chart-topping success of Home Before Dark briefly broke a record for the oldest artist with a No. 1 album, a title previously held by Bob Dylan.
Neil Diamond’s 27th studio album, Home Before Dark, wasn’t just another release; it was a landmark moment in his storied career. The 2008 record saw Diamond reaching a new level of creative honesty, collaborating with iconic musicians, and breaking a chart record held by none other than Bob Dylan.
A New Direction with Rick Rubin
Continuing his partnership with legendary producer Rick Rubin, who also helmed his 2005 album 12 Songs, Diamond embraced a more stripped-back, raw sound. This approach placed his powerful vocals and introspective lyrics at the forefront. The album featured notable guest musicians, including guitarist Jonny Polonsky and two key members of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, who helped shape its authentic sound.
“This record represents a giant step in my evolution as a writer and a recording artist,” Diamond said in a 2008 interview. He confessed the writing process was challenging, adding, “It was more painful to write this, maybe the most difficult album I’ve ever written, and maybe my best.”
An ‘Honest’ Look Inward with “Act Like a Man”
One of the album’s most personal tracks, “Act Like a Man,” serves as a candid self-examination of Diamond’s life and artistry. He described the song as an “honest” exploration of whether his decades-long career had been genuine or if he was “just a poser.”
“There’s a lot of talking to myself in the songs,” Diamond told the Daily Telegraph. “That song is an exploration of how I’ve spent my life and whether I’ve been honest or just a poser. What is this thing? Does it have any value?”
Breaking Records and Topping Charts
Upon its release, Home Before Dark soared to the top of the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K. Its debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 made Diamond, then 67, the oldest artist to achieve this feat.
He broke the record previously set by Bob Dylan, who was 65 when his album Modern Times hit No. 1 in 2006. Dylan would later reclaim the title in 2009 with Together Through Life at the age of 67 years and 11 months, just edging out Diamond’s 67 years and three months. The album’s deluxe edition further strengthened the Dylan connection, featuring Diamond’s cover of the classic “Make You Feel My Love.”
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