Pop · Rock · Singer-Songwriter
Brooklyn’s baritone showman — a Brill Building tunesmith who became a stadium-filling star.
From the Brill Building to the big stage
Born in Brooklyn in 1941, Neil Diamond started as a jobbing songwriter in New York’s Brill Building, penning hits for others — including “I’m a Believer” for the Monkees — before stepping into the spotlight himself. Late-sixties singles like “Solitary Man” and “Cherry, Cherry” established his brooding baritone, but the seventies made him a phenomenon: “Cracklin’ Rosie” (1970) gave him his first American number one, “I Am… I Said” (1971) proved his confessional depth, and “Song Sung Blue” (1972) gave him a second chart-topper.
Diamond’s seventies were defined by scale — sequined shirts, orchestras, and arenas full of fans singing every word back at him. He was a songwriter’s singer who never lost the common touch: his melodies were sturdy, his choruses were communal, and his voice carried a gravelly sincerity that made even his grandest productions feel personal.
The decade closed with a second act: starring in the 1980 remake of The Jazz Singer, which gave him two of his most enduring records, “America” and “Love on the Rocks.” The film divided critics, but the songs were undeniable — and they carried Diamond into the eighties with his audience intact.
The five stories below follow his seventies arc, from the wine-bottle singalong of “Cracklin’ Rosie” to the immigrant anthem “America.” Listen for the craftsman underneath the showman: every one of these records is built like a Brill Building song, engineered to be sung by thousands.