Neil Diamond Debuts On A Billboard Chart He’s Never Hit Before

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentNeil Diamond Debuts On A Billboard Chart He’s Never Hit BeforeByHugh McIntyre,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts.Follow AuthorMay 22, 2026, 08:00am EDTNeil Diamond's latest full-length Wild at Heart brings him to Billboard's Americana/Folk Albums chart for the first time as it becomes a bestseller. Neil Diamond portrait, London, 21st June 1971. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)Getty ImagesNeil Diamond's latest release, Wild at Heart, is new to his fans, but the music featured on the project was not recorded recently, as the singer-songwriter has all but retired from making new music. He revealed that he would no longer play live in early 2018 after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and Wild at Heart was recorded in 2007 during sessions for another full-length, though the set was only released earlier this month. Diamond's Wild at Heart launches on a pair of Billboard charts this week, and it earns the celebrated performer his first appearance on a tally he's never reached before.Neil Diamond Debuts Wild at Heart on the Americana ListWild at Heart opens at No. 15 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart. That list is centered around the most-consumed projects in those styles, with both sales and streams playing a role in where a title settles. Diamond claims one of only a pair of new arrivals on the 25-space tally. Ashley McBryde’s Wild, which has nothing to do with Diamond's release, kicks off its time at No. 21.Neil Diamond Reaches the Top 10 AgainWild at Heart performs even better on a more competitive ranking, the Top Album Sales chart. On that list, which is not focused on any one style and which ranks releases based on total purchases – be they on a physical format or from a digital platform – Diamond debuts at No. 10 with his new set. According to Luminate, Wild at H...