Neil Lesley Diamond is an American singer, songwriter and actor who is ranked high on Billboard magazine's list of the most successful Adult contemporary (AC) artists in history. The total circulation of Diamond records is well over 100 million; of which about 50 million were sold in the USA only.
Real success came to Diamond in 1967, when his song "I’m a Believer" became a bestseller performed by The Monkees and spent seven weeks at the top of the national sales charts. From that moment on, Diamond became one of the key figures in the nascent author-performer movement and a constant participant in the charts.
Diamond's new surge in popularity was associated with the release in 2005 of the "12 Songs" albm, produced by the fashionable Rick Rubin and reached # 4 in the national charts. Brian Wilson, the founder and ideologist of The Beach Boys band, was also involved in the recording of the disc.