Neil Diamond Hits #1 On The Charts
Neil Diamond has been around for many years now - but never has he been so popular than he is today. He has offcially become the oldest living music artist to earn a #1 album. The only other two solo artists to have #1 albums after they have turned 60 is Rod Stewart - 61 - in 2006 with his song “Still the Same” and Lous Armstrong - 60 - in 1964 with his song “Hello Dolly!”.
Diamond is living proof that in this day and age the classics are still important to many people and there is nothing wrong with having an older artist be one of your favorites. It has been years since we have seen this type of music and an older singer like Diamond cross the threshold. However, over the last 5-10 years even the younger generation is not impressed with the pop scene of the modern day music and will cling to the music of their parents.
Before this week Diamond’s highest album was the soudtrack to Jonathan Livingston Seagull in 1973 that made it to #2. That album also brought Diamond his only Grammy Award to date, for Best Album of Original Score. If you stopped people on the street, most would assume that Diamond has had numerous #1 albums and has won a shelf-full of Grammys. Why he hasn’t, I don’t know. But maybe that’s one reason he has lasted so long: He has never been so white-hot that people got sick of him.