A truly once-in-a-lifetime talent, Barry Manilow belongs to the rare class of artists whose songs have become essential to entire generations of music lovers. On What A Time—his first album of almost all-original material in nearly 15 years—the GRAMMY®, TONY®, and EMMY® Award-winning musician offers up a body of work graced with the melodic beauty and timeless impact of classic hits like “Mandy,” “Copacabana (At the Copa),” “I Made It Through The Rain,” and many more. The latest entry in a catalogue that includes 29 platinum-certified albums and 52 Top 40 singles, the LP signals the start of a dynamic year for the global superstar. With its tracklist spanning from heart-on-sleeve ballads to dance-ready anthems, What A Time ultimately arrives as a powerful new turn from one of the most beloved entertainers in music history.

Produced by Manilow and his frequent collaborator Michael Lloyd (the famed producer behind iconic tracks like Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”), What A Time marks his 33^rd studio LP and first nearly all-original album since 2011’s 15 Minutes (a No. 7 debut on the Billboard 200). In assembling What A Time’s selection of songs, Manilow also enlisted producers like hitmaking luminary Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds (Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson) and nine-time GRAMMY®-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile), as well as longtime co-writers like Bruce Sussman and Adrienne Anderson (both of whom contributed to his glowingly reviewed jazz-pop masterpiece 2:00 AM Paradise Café). In keeping with the eclectic spirit that’s defined his output from the very start, What A Time delves into such diverse musical styles as country, rock, R&B, gospel, calypso, and more—once again revealing the depth of Manilow’s artistry and passion for defying genre boundaries.

In a sublime opening to What A Time, Manilow kicks off the album with the soaring grandeur of “Once Before I Go”: an epic love song executive-produced by the legendary Clive Davis and co-written by Dean Pitchford and the late Peter Allen (the Oscar-winning songwriter behind Christopher Cross’ “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”). As Manilow explains, his dear friend Allen played him the bittersweet track decades ago, bringing him to tears with its deeply personal message of a love that endures even after we’re gone. “When Peter showed it to me, I was too young to sing a song like this,” Manilow recalls. “But when Clive reminded me of it, well, time had gone by, and now it doesn’t feel so wrong to sing a song like this.” Co-produced by Babyface, “Once Before I Go” features a lavish string arrangement from award-winning composer William Ross (Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion), evoking both melancholy and joy thanks in no small part to Manilow’s full-hearted vocal performance. The song reached the Top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Known for his singular mix of sophisticated musicianship, daring originality, and limitless emotional range, Manilow leans into his more playful sensibilities on songs like “Sun Shine.” At the personal request of singer/songwriter Gary Barlow (co-founder of British pop juggernaut Take That), Manilow initially arranged a version of the feel-good track for Barlow’s 2020 solo LP, then revisited it for What A Time with the help of co-producers David Benson and Greg Bartheld. Shimmering with breezy ukulele riffs and Manilow’s radiant piano melodies (along with a bit of carefree whistling), the result is a summery pop gem celebrating the euphoria of infatuation. 

Over the course of its 13 tracks, What A Time spotlights an artist intent on continuing to explore new creative territory more than a half-century into his career. On “Another Life,” for instance, Manilow presents what he refers to as the “very first bona fide rock ballad that I’ve ever done,” merging hard-hitting drums and fierce guitar riffs in a story of romantic unravelling. Meanwhile, on “The Chosen One,” Manilow slips into the role of lyricist and dreams up a gorgeously devastating tale of losing the one you love to someone else’s affections. “I usually just write the melody and leave it to the geniuses that I collaborate with to write the lyrics,” he says, noting that the song’s fictional protagonist and storyline came to him while staring out onto the ocean on a summer’s day in Malibu. Another song showcasing his music’s potent emotionality, the Dave Cobb-produced “Look At Me Now” delivers a soul-baring reflection on love and loss, intensifying its heavy-hearted mood with a smouldering saxophone solo from GRAMMY®-nominated musician Dave Koz (Rod Stewart, Julio Iglesias). “I sang this song once or twice in concerts now and again, not very many times,” Manilow points out. “And yet I kept getting notes from the audience. ‘What is that song? Where can I hear it? Where can I get it?’ So I’m so happy I can put this song on this album. For those people and for everybody.”

Closing out with “Coming Of Age” (an impassioned look back at the moments that indelibly shape our lives), What A Time makes for a triumphant capstone to a discography that began with his 1973 self-titled debut and its platinum-certified follow-up, Barry Manilow II—a 1974 LP featuring his era-defining ballad “Mandy.” A Brooklyn native who took up piano at age seven and attended the Julliard School of Music while working in the CBS mailroom, Manilow soon ascended to international stardom on the strength of hits like “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Looks Like We Made It,” and “Could It Be Magic,” winning a GRAMMY® for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his 1978 smash “Copacabana (At the Copa).” Over the years, he’s landed 28 songs in the Top 10 (including 13 No. 1 hits) and garnered major accolades like earning induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and being ranked by Billboard as the No. 1 Adult Contemporary artist of all time.

Hailed as “The Showman of Our Generation” in the pages of Rolling Stone, Manilow has endlessly thrilled audiences around the world with his stage show, bringing both dazzling theatricality and heartfelt intimacy to every performance. A multidimensional creative force whose work covers a vast range of genres, Manilow has simultaneously built a distinguished career in theater, including making his TONY®-winning Broadway debut in 1977 and recently drawing widespread acclaim for his original Broadway musical Harmony (a 2023/2024 production centered on a harmony ensemble of young men in 1930s Germany, with music by Manilow and the book by Bruce Sussman). 

2018 saw the launch of his ongoing Las Vegas residency, Manilow: Las Vegas – The Hits Come Home!—an award-winning spectacular that’s now surpassed Elvis Presley’s storied run with its record number of shows at the world-famous International Theatre at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. In 2026, Manilow will embark on a farewell tour featuring his final shows in major cities across the U.S. Also a devoted philanthropist, his extensive humanitarian work includes founding The Manilow Music Project (a nonprofit launched in 2008 to provide students with musical instruments in response to drastic cuts to arts programs throughout the U.S.).