Neil Diamond To Complete Rick Rubin Album Trilogy With 'Wild At Heart'

By Michael Angulia | Published: Apr 19, 2026 2:24 PM EDT

Music icon Neil Diamond will be releasing his new album, "Wild At Heart", on May 8th, which will mark the third and final release in his trilogy of releases from his collaboration with Rick Rubin.

UMe shared the following details: Diamond unveils Wild At Heart, a testament to his mastery and a remarkable third - and final - entry in his universally praised collaboration with producer Rick Rubin. Recorded initially at sessions for Diamond's chart-topping Home Before Dark, this collection of ten songs features his signature passionate vocals and powerfully incisive lyrics surrounded by urgent yet stripped-down arrangements.

Diamond initially teamed up with Rubin for 2005's 12 Songs, hailed as "one of the most entertaining, satisfying albums Diamond has ever released." The partnership went so well that Diamond was eager to work with Rubin again. 2008's Home Before Dark was a tremendous popular success (his first-ever Number One album on the Billboard charts) and garnered widespread critical praise. PopMatters' James Bassett echoed many of his colleagues' sentiments when he hailed Home Before Dark as "an album of rare beauty, grace, and eloquence that captures Diamond in all his plain-spoken and big-hearted glory. And it is easily the most intensely personal release of his esteemed career."

"My work with Rick was a labor of love," Neil shares, "and I'm so gratified that these songs will finally be set free into the world to complete our trilogy of work."

Recently revisiting this material, Diamond spent time fleshing out nine new songs to be released for the first time and closed the set with an alternate take of "Forgotten," which initially appeared on Home Before Dark.

The unique set of songs on Wild At Heart (simultaneously archival and brand-new) will be released on CD, vinyl, and digital platforms via Capitol/UMe on May 8, 2026. Following the release of "Wild At Heart," the album's second track, "You're My Favorite Song," is out now.

In anticipation of Wild At Heart's release, digital Deluxe Editions of 12 Songs and Home Before Dark are now available and include the debut of bonus tracks previously available on limited physical releases.

Diamond immensely enjoyed collaborating with Rick Rubin and the all-star quartet he assembled for the Home Before Dark sessions: keyboardist Benmont Tench and guitarist Mike Campbell (both from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers), along with ace session guitarist Smokey Hormel and guitarist Matt Sweeney (co-founder of the NYC indie rock group Chavez) and frequent Will Oldham cohort. "Working with these guys and having Rick's ear made it a great deal of fun," Diamond told Billboard in 2008. "It was magic."

Revealing the spare but emotional resonance that are hallmarks of his work with Rick Rubin, Wild At Heart has marvelous cohesiveness drawn from material recorded over a handful of years ago.

Accompanying his soul-baring lyrics and commanding yet vulnerable vocals, Diamond's guitar, which he had rarely played on recordings, leads the unadorned arrangements, which involve mainly subdued guitars and keyboards.

Wild At Heart finds Diamond in a reflective, philosophical mood, but it is conveyed on a very human scale, so the songs come across as deeply personal. On "Shine On," the singer advises his son to "never doubt in yourself" and "sing what you feel inside." The terrific "You Can't Have It All" remains presciently relevant today as Diamond asks: "What's the matter with the world? Can't everyone take care?"

A well-known master of love songs, Diamond adds several more to his canon with "The Secret You" and "You Still Look Good To Me," while "Talking It To Death" and "Forgotten" explore the rockier side of love that is on the rocks. "You're Getting To Me," "You're My Favorite Song," "You Never Know," and the title track contains classic Diamond hooks; however, the performances hold a warm intimacy that feels like he's playing in your living room.