Propelled into global prominence by the successes of "Sunglasses at Night" and "Never Surrender," Canadian singer/songwriter Corey Hart's sincere delivery and striking, introspective appearance established him as a defining pop figure of the mid-'80s MTV period. His American audience gradually diminished after Boy in the Box in 1986, yet he retained strong visibility and consistent chart performance in Canada throughout the '90s. He then withdrew from releasing his own material to focus on family life and on crafting songs and recordings for other performers. Returning to wider attention during the 2010s, he resumed live shows across Canada and issued a pair of EPs, among them 2019's Dreaming Time Again.
Born May 31, 1962, in Montreal, Hart embraced music early, making his initial public appearance at age 11 and continuing to write songs as a teenager. He represented Canada at the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo in 1980. The next year he spontaneously reached out to Billy Joel during a Canadian tour, after which members of Joel's band contacted him and flew him to Long Island to cut several demos. Early attempts to secure a Canadian label deal proved unsuccessful, but in 1982 he signed with Aquarius Records and went to England to record his debut album.
First Offense appeared in 1983 and initially gained little traction domestically until "Sunglasses at Night" became a major U.S. Top 10 hit in summer 1984, after which his popularity spread to Canada and elsewhere. The album ultimately earned gold certification in the U.S. and triple platinum status in Canada, paving the way for the stronger-performing 1985 follow-up Boy in the Box. Powered by the hit single "Never Surrender," which held the Canadian pop summit for nine weeks and received a Juno Award for Best Selling Single of 1985, the record surpassed his debut commercially. His third album, Fields of Fire in 1986, enjoyed solid Canadian sales and delivered another number one via his version of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love," though American sales slowed as his momentum there began to fade. Young Man Running in 1988 and Bang! in 1990 achieved only modest results while reflecting a more grown-up songwriting perspective; both releases also marked the conclusion of his agreements with Aquarius Records and EMI in the U.S.
Attitude & Virtue, issued in 1992 on Sire/Warner, produced several singles that performed adequately on Canadian charts. The self-titled 1996 album fared somewhat better, highlighted by the single "Black Cloud Rain," which peaked at number two. During the same stretch Hart collaborated with emerging Quebecois pop artist Julie Masse on her debut English-language album, marking his first experience writing material for another performer. Their professional relationship soon turned romantic, leading to marriage and the start of a family. In 1997 he supplied two songs to fellow Canadian Celine Dion's successful album Let's Talk About Love. After releasing Jade in 1998, Hart stepped back from recording and performing his own work to concentrate on raising his family while occasionally writing and producing for others.
Through his boutique Siena Records imprint under Sire/Warner Canada, he composed songs for and assisted in producing Montreal pop artist Marie-Christine Depestre's 2011 album Walk in Beauty. In subsequent years Hart increased his public profile with occasional performances and, in 2014, the digital-only EP Ten Thousand Horses, which included duets with his wife Masse and fellow Canadian Jane Siberry. Early in 2019 Hart and Warner Bros. Canada revealed plans for an extensive national tour paired with the release of the EP Dreaming Time Again.
