Barry Manilow is having one of the most remarkable years of his six-decade career — and that is not an overstatement. At 82 years old, fresh from lung cancer surgery and recovery, he is releasing What a Time, his first studio album of mostly new material in nearly 15 years, scoring a Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit that stretches his chart history to over half a century, starring in his own music video for the first time in more than 40 years, and preparing to take his live show to arenas across America through January 2027. Few artists at any age pull off what Manilow is doing right now.
👉 What a Time is available to pre-order and pre-save now. Secure your copy before the June 5 release and grab your tickets to see him live at barrymanilow.com.
A New Album Nearly 15 Years in the Making
The moment Manilow announced What a Time, the music world took notice. This is his 33rd studio album and his first collection of mostly original songs since 2011’s 15 Minutes, which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200. For an artist of his stature to return with largely fresh material — not a greatest hits package, not a covers album — is a genuine artistic statement.
Primarily produced by Manilow and longtime collaborator Michael Lloyd, the album reflects a creative collaboration with some of the most respected names in the business. Babyface co-produced the lead single alongside Demonte Posey. Dave Cobb, a Nashville producer known for working with major artists across country and rock, also contributed. Longtime Manilow co-writers Bruce Sussman, John Bettis, and Adrienne Anderson are all present across the tracklist.
Manilow wrote or co-wrote 11 of the album’s 13 tracks — a degree of personal investment that makes this far more than a commercial exercise. This is a songwriter returning to his roots.
The Complete Tracklist for What a Time
Here is the full tracklist for What a Time, with writer credits:
- “Once Before I Go” — Peter Allen / Dean Pitchford
- “What a Time” — Barry Manilow / Bruce Sussman
- “Sun Shine” — Barry Manilow / Gary Barlow
- “Another Life” — Barry Manilow / Enoch Anderson
- “Touched by an Angel” — Barry Manilow / John Bettis
- “The Chosen One” — Barry Manilow / John Bettis
- “One More Chance” — Barry Manilow / Bruce Sussman
- “Nobody Knows My Song” — Barry Manilow / John Bettis
- “When Somebody Says Goodbye” (Duet with Sharon “Muffy” Hendrix) — Barry Manilow / Lisa Sennett
- “Don’t Trouble the Water” — Barry Manilow / Enoch Anderson
- “Look at Me Now” (Featuring Dave Koz) — Barry Manilow / John Bettis
- “Nobody Told Me” — Dean Pitchford / Peter Allen
- “Coming of Age” — Barry Manilow / Adrienne Anderson
The album opens with the lead single “Once Before I Go,” co-written by Oscar winners Dean Pitchford and the late Peter Allen, and executive-produced by Manilow’s legendary mentor and longtime champion Clive Davis. It closes with “Coming of Age,” a title that carries real weight at 82. The album also revisits “Another Life,” an emotional ballad Manilow originally included on his 1991 box set The Complete Collection and Then Some…, here given a fresh studio treatment.
Two guest artists make the album even more memorable. Saxophonist Dave Koz lends his signature sound to “Look at Me Now,” while vocalist Sharon “Muffy” Hendrix joins Manilow for the duet “When Somebody Says Goodbye.”
“Sun Shine” — A New Single That Feels Like 1977 All Over Again
Alongside the announcement of What a Time, Manilow released “Sun Shine” as a standalone single. Co-written with Gary Barlow of Take That, the song is a deliberate, joyful throwback — warm, whistling, and nostalgic in the best possible sense. It deliberately echoes the energy of Manilow’s 1977 hit “Daybreak,” right down to a whistling break and the sound of a needle dropping onto vinyl.
Produced by Manilow, David Benson, and Greg Bartheld, the track is a reminder of exactly why he built the audience he did. It does not reinvent anything. It simply delivers the kind of feel-good pop craftsmanship that has always been his calling card.
The music video for “Sun Shine” was directed by Laís Sambugaro and focuses on a young couple getting ready for the day. Manilow does not appear in it — instead, the video lets the song breathe on its own, carried by its warmth and irresistible melody.
“Once Before I Go” — Barry Manilow Steps in Front of the Camera Again
While “Sun Shine” takes a backseat approach, the video for “Once Before I Go” puts Manilow front and center — and it is a significant creative moment. Directed by Jamie Thraves, who has also helmed videos for Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” and Coldplay’s “The Scientist,” the clip was filmed at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, the longtime home of Manilow’s record-setting Las Vegas residency.
The video follows a performer navigating the tension between his dedication to the stage and the family life that devotion requires him to sacrifice. It is emotionally rich, beautifully shot, and feels deeply personal — as though Manilow is not just playing a character but telling a truth about his own life.
It also marks his first narrative music video since “Read ‘Em and Weep” in 1983. That more than four decades passed between them makes this moment feel all the more meaningful. Manilow is not coasting. He is making intentional, thoughtful creative choices at a point in his career when many artists simply stop taking risks.
“Once Before I Go” was produced by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Demonte Posey and written by Peter Allen and Dean Pitchford. It unfolds as a lush, reflective ballad — the kind of song that finds you thinking about everything you have loved and everything that has passed. Radio programmers responded immediately.
More Than 50 Years on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart — and Still Climbing
The chart performance of “Once Before I Go” is not just impressive. It is historic.
When the song entered Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart on the February 7, 2026 chart date, it debuted at number 30, extending Manilow’s presence on that chart to more than 51 years and three months. He first appeared on the Adult Contemporary list on November 7, 1974, with “Mandy” — a song that also marked his very first entry on any Billboard chart. Over the decades that followed, he accumulated 13 Adult Contemporary number ones, the third-highest total in the history of a chart that dates back to July 1961. Only Elton John, with 18, and the Carpenters, with 15, have more.
The song did not arrive with a sudden viral moment or a social media blitz. It climbed steadily, week after week, as Adult Contemporary radio stations added it to regular rotation. By March 3, 2026, it had officially reached the Top 10 — making Manilow the only artist in the chart’s history to have Top 10 entries spanning six consecutive decades: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and now the 2020s.
Manilow shared the news with fans in an Instagram video, joking with characteristic humor: “I’m 100 years old with a top 10 single.” He was 82, but the chart achievement was real and unmatched.
He also now holds the record for the longest span between a first and most recent number one on the Adult Contemporary chart — stretching more than 50 years, from the era of eight-track tapes to the age of streaming.
A Health Battle Faced With Humor and Grit
All of this creative output is happening against the backdrop of a serious health challenge that Manilow has addressed with remarkable candor.
Shortly before Christmas 2025, he revealed a stage-one lung cancer diagnosis and subsequently underwent surgery to remove the affected spot. His January tour dates were postponed while he recovered, then pushed back again in February as he needed more time to heal before returning to the stage.
On January 13, 2026, a post on his official Instagram confirmed that “Barry is feeling great,” with his medical team expressing optimism following the operation. Doctors do not believe the cancer spread, and Manilow was not required to undergo chemotherapy or radiation.
He returned to social media in early March with the warm, upbeat energy his fans have always known, thanking Clive Davis, radio stations, and his devoted audience for their support — and announcing the album, the chart milestone, and the tour all at once. The response was immediate and overwhelming.
The 2026–2027 Tour: Final Concerts Across America
Barry Manilow has announced a sweeping run of U.S. arena dates stretching from April 13, 2026 through January 21, 2027 — not counting 45 additional shows as part of his ongoing residency at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas.
Here are all confirmed upcoming tour dates:
- April 13 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
- April 14 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
- April 16 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza
- April 17 – Reading, PA – Santander Arena
- April 19 – Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena
- April 20 – Albany, NY – MVP Arena
- April 22 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
- April 24 – Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum
- April 27 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
- April 29 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
- July 30 – Charleston, SC – North Charleston Coliseum
- August 1 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
- August 2 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
- August 4 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
- August 5 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center
- August 7 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
- August 8 – Norfolk, VA – Chartway Arena
- January 15 – Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena
- January 16 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena
- January 17 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena
- January 20 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
- January 21 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
Many of these dates are billed as the final Barry Manilow concert ever in those cities — making each stop a genuine once-in-a-lifetime event for fans who have followed him across the decades.
Every show carries a special tradition. At each stop, Manilow honors a deserving local music educator with the Manilow Music Teacher Award, presented through his nonprofit Manilow Music Project — a program dedicated to keeping music education alive in schools and celebrating the teachers who make it happen.
Audiences at every venue can expect a full evening of the songs that defined American pop radio for five decades: “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” and “Copacabana (At the Copa),” woven together with new material from What a Time. With his signature showmanship, impeccable band, and the energy of a man who clearly has no interest in slowing down, every performance promises to be a celebration worth remembering.
👉 Tickets and VIP packages for all upcoming shows are available now at barrymanilow.com. Do not wait — final shows in many cities are selling fast.
Awards, Accolades, and an Advertising Hall of Fame Honor
In April 2026, Manilow will receive the American Advertising Federation’s prestigious President’s Award at the Advertising Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The honor recognizes his iconic work composing and performing some of the most recognized advertising jingles in American history — for brands including State Farm, Band-Aid, KFC, Pepsi, and McDonald’s.
It is an unusual honor for a pop legend, but Manilow’s career has always crossed boundaries that other artists never approached. He has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide, released more than 40 albums, and earned 51 Top 40 singles on the Adult Contemporary chart alone. He holds a Grammy, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. He sang an Oscar-nominated song on the Academy Awards stage. He has had number one albums on the Billboard 200 nearly 30 years apart — Barry Manilow Live! in 1977 and The Greatest Songs of the Fifties in 2006.
Named the number one Adult Contemporary artist of all time by Billboard and Radio & Records, he has also produced and arranged albums for Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, and Dionne Warwick — a side of his talent that rarely gets the attention it deserves.
At its core, What a Time is the work of an artist who has stared down cancer, outlasted trends, defied every expectation placed on artists of his generation, and responded to all of it by sitting down and writing 11 new songs.
The album title came directly from Manilow himself. In a social media video announcing the project, he told fans: “What a time it’s been. Hey — that’s the name of my new album! It comes out real soon, and I can’t wait to show these songs to you. Here’s to another century of making music together, my friends!”
He was joking. But the gratitude was entirely real. And so is the music.
From the reflective sweep of “Once Before I Go” to the sunlit bounce of “Sun Shine,” What a Time captures an artist who is not looking backward. He is very much here, very much present, and very much not finished.
Have you already pre-saved What a Time, or are you planning to catch Barry Manilow on tour this year? Drop a comment below and let us know which stop you’re most excited about — or which track from the new album you’re playing on repeat.