On a Day Like Today
Studio album by
Bryan Adams
ReleasedOctober 27, 1998
RecordedJune–August 1998[1]
StudioThe Warehouse (Vancouver)
Genre
Length55:14
LabelA&M
ProducerBryan Adams, Bob Rock, Phil Thornalley, Phil Western
Bryan Adams chronology
Unplugged
(1997) 		On a Day Like Today
(1998) 		The Best of Me
(1999)
Singles from On a Day Like Today
  1. "On a Day Like Today"
    Released: September 22, 1998[2]
  2. "When You're Gone"
    Released: November 30, 1998[3]
  3. "Cloud Number Nine"
    Released: May 3, 1999[4]
  4. "Inside Out"
    Released: 2000

On a Day Like Today is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released on October 27, 1998.

Singles

"On a Day Like Today" was the first single released. It reached number thirteen in the UK and number one on the Canadian Singles Chart. Follow-up single "When You're Gone", featuring Melanie C, reached number three in the UK, and was in the top-ten for ten weeks, while peaking at number eleven in Canada. "Cloud Number Nine" reached number six in the UK and number seven in Canada.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[7]
Los Angeles Times[8]

On a Day Like Today received mixed reviews from critics. Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Tom Lanham gave the album a B+ rating, stating that "Adams started searching for that perfect balance of mature grace and useful guitar grind".[5]

However, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic gave the album two-out-of-five stars, claiming that "Adams simply had no contemporary audience left, and this was not the record to rebuild his career. It was defiantly bereft of ballads, nothing to break on the AC chart, and even if his rock audience had been listening, there was nothing here to rank with his earlier signature hits".[1]

Commercial performance

On a Day Like Today was a success around the world, peaking at number three in Canada, and number eleven in the UK. However at the time in the U.S. market, it became the first of Adams' albums since 1983's Cuts Like a Knife not to obtain a platinum sales certification. According to AllMusic, the record company didn't do a lot of advertising for album, as Adams and this album got caught when his record company sold his recording contract to rap label Interscope, who in turn did very little in the USA to promote it.[1]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."How Do Ya Feel Tonight"Bryan Adams, Phil ThornalleyAdams, Bob Rock4:46
2."C'mon C'mon C'mon"Adams, Gretchen PetersAdams, Rock3:36
3."Getaway"Adams, PetersAdams, Rock3:47
4."On a Day Like Today"Adams, ThornalleyAdams, Thornalley3:28
5."Fearless"Adams, Eliot KennedyAdams, Rock3:52
6."I'm a Liar"Adams, PetersAdams, Rock4:16
7."Cloud Number Nine"Adams, Max Martin, PetersAdams, Rock3:45
8."When You're Gone" (with Melanie C)Adams, KennedyAdams, Rock3:24
9."Inside Out"Adams, PetersAdams, Rock4:43
10."If I Had You"AdamsAdams, Rock, Phil Western4:03
11."Before the Night Is Over"Adams, MartinAdams, Rock3:48
12."I Don't Wanna Live Forever"Adams, PetersAdams, Rock3:14
13."Where Angels Fear to Tread"Adams, PetersAdams3:47
European, South American, and Australian version (bonus track)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Lie to Me"Adams, KennedyAdams, Rock4:37
Japanese and Australian version (bonus track)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Hey Baby"Adams, KennedyAdams4:37

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[27] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[28] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[29] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[30] Platinum 20,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[31] Gold 250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[32] Gold 50,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[33] Gold 100,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[34] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[35] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Gold 100,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[37] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Production

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Ruhlmann, William (February 18, 2012). "On a Day Like Today - Bryan Adams". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  2. ^ "Album Releases: September 1998". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  3. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. November 28, 1998. p. 27.
  4. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 3 May, 1999: Singles". Music Week. May 1, 1999. p. 27.
  5. ^ a b Lanham, Tom (October 30, 1998). "On a Day Like Today". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 6. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  7. ^ The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 2002 edition by Colin Larkin. Page 1944
  8. ^ [Los Angeles Times review]
  9. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today". Hung Medien.
  10. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today" (in German). Hung Medien.
  11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today" (in French). Hung Medien.
  13. ^ a b c "Music & Media" (PDF). Americanradiohistory.com. November 14, 1998. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  15. ^ "Bryan Adams: On a Day Like Today" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  16. ^ "Lescharts.com – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today". Hung Medien.
  17. ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
  18. ^ "Charts.nz – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today". Hung Medien.
  19. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today". Hung Medien.
  20. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  21. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today". Hung Medien.
  22. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bryan Adams – On a Day Like Today". Hung Medien.
  23. ^ "(({artist))} | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  24. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  25. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1999" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on November 28, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  26. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  27. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Bryan Adams – On a day like today" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  28. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  29. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Bryan Adams – On a day like today". Music Canada. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  30. ^ "Danish album certifications – Bryan Adams – On a day like today". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  31. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bryan Adams; 'On a day like today')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  32. ^ "Music & Media" (PDF). Americanradiohistory.com. December 5, 1998. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  33. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Bryan Adams – On a day like today" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved October 13, 2019. Select 1998年11月 on the drop-down menu
  34. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  35. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('On a day like today')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  36. ^ "British album certifications – Bryan Adams – On a day like today". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  37. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
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