Executive Summary

Adams has publicly framed Into the Fire (1987) as a purposeful break from the teen-nostalgia/romance formula of Reckless (1984), accepting that some listeners expected a sequel and didn’t get one. He has said he wasn’t fazed by the comparative sales drop and wanted to grow.  The best direct evidence about why the next chapter sounded different centers on creative choices and collaborators (especially Robert John “Mutt” Lange), not a declared plan to “target Americans.” Neighbours’ creation story highlights Lange’s co-writing/production approach and the outsize impact of film work (“(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”) rather than any on-the-record “U.S. pivot” statement from Adams.  For 18 ‘Til I Die, contemporary industry retrospectives describe U.S. rock radio pigeonholing Adams as a balladeer in the mid-90s—a distribution/format headwind—again framed by commentators more than Adams himself.  One national market Adams did publicly address was Canada, where CanCon rules initially denied Neighbours’ material “Canadian content” status; Adams publicly blasted those rules. That controversy—and the eventual rule change—speaks to regulatory positioning, not a pro-U.S. artistic manifesto. 

Key Primary Statements & Attributions

On refusing to make “Reckless II” and accepting outcomes “We couldn’t write another toss-away song… we had to come up with stuff that had more substance.” (discussing the mindset going into Into the Fire).  “A lot of people were waiting for Reckless II, and that wasn’t gonna happen… we wanted to grow and do something different and not repeat ourselves….” (reflecting later on Into the Fire’s reception).  These quotes indicate conscious artistic deviation and a lack of regret over the lower ceiling relative to Reckless. On the sonic/market shift in 1990–91 The clearest documented driver is Adams’ deep collaboration with Mutt Lange—a producer associated with U.S. rock radio juggernauts (AC/DC, Def Leppard). Reporting on the making of Waking Up the Neighbours emphasizes Lange’s role as co-writer/co-producer and process changes, not an Adams quote about “targeting America.”  Additionally, guitarist Keith Scott has described how “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” arrived late in the sessions and became the global outlier smash that reshaped the album’s impact—a hit born of film tie-in serendipity more than a declared U.S. strategy.  On Canada vs. the U.S.: the CanCon controversy In 1991, Canada’s then-current MAPL rules initially disqualified many Neighbours tracks (including “(Everything I Do)…”), prompting Adams to publicly denounce the policy (calling it a “disgrace”/“stupidity”), and regulators later changed the rules. This episode explains why the domestic (Canadian) airplay picture was fraught; it does not equal a stated “America-first” strategy by Adams.  Partner perspective on Into the Fire Co-writer Jim Vallance has written candidly that Into the Fire was where he and Adams “lost [their] creative compass.” This is not Adams’ own voice, but it corroborates that the 1987 turn was intentional/different and uneven in payoff. 

Assessment of the Prompt’s Claim

“Seeming rejection” of Into the Fire: Adams acknowledges many expected another Reckless, and that Into the Fire drew “middling reviews” and a step-down in sales. His remarks portray calm acceptance and artistic purpose, not bitterness.  “Felt it necessary to focus on appealing to American audiences” thereafter: There is no direct Adams quotation substantiating a conscious “America-targeting” pivot. What we can document is: (a) a strategic creative partnership with Mutt Lange (consistent with late-80s/early-90s U.S. arena-rock sonics), and (b) a global mega-ballad from a Hollywood film that supercharged U.S. (and worldwide) exposure, and (c) later U.S. radio-format friction around 18 ’Til I Die described by industry commentators. Together, these facts explain the effect (strong U.S. resonance in 1991–96), but they don’t amount to Adams publicly saying he chased America. 

Contextual Factors Shaping Perception (1987–1996)

AOR/CHR radio and producer signaling: In that era, working with Lange often implied dense, radio-tuned arrangements that did very well in the U.S. market. Neighbours fits that profile—even without Adams declaring a U.S. bullseye.  Film synergy: The Robin Hood tie-in created cross-format ubiquity (“(Everything I Do)” dominated pop, AC, and film-driven marketing). That success can be mistaken for a deliberate “U.S. pivot,” but its origin was a late-session film request rather than a market memo.  Regulatory optics at home: The CanCon fight made Adams appear less aligned with Canada at precisely the moment he was exploding globally, which further fuels a perception of “going American.” The record shows the dispute was about definitions of national content, not Adams’ renunciation of Canadian audiences. 

Conclusion

Yes, Adams has publicly reflected on the tepid comparative reception of Into the Fire—and he has characterized the album as deliberate artistic growth, not a misstep to be course-corrected for sales.  No clear evidence he said he then needed to focus on American audiences. The sound and success of Waking Up the Neighbours and parts of 18 ’Til I Die align with U.S. radio norms of the period, but available, attributable quotes from Adams emphasize creative collaboration and songwriting evolution, not a market-targeting confession. 

Sources

Ultimate Classic Rock – interview/retrospective with Adams on Into the Fire and expectations vs. Reckless.  Ultimate Classic Rock – background on the Lange partnership shaping Waking Up the Neighbours.  MusicRadar – Keith Scott on the late-arriving Robin Hood ballad and its production (context for the album’s U.S. breakthrough).  University of Alberta Folio – overview of the CanCon controversy around Neighbours.  Vancouver Courier archive (Vancouver Is Awesome) – Adams’ public criticism of the CRTC’s CanCon rule (“disgrace,” etc.).  JimVallance.com – Vallance’s own assessment of the Into the Fire era. (Partner perspective, not Adams’ words.)  In The Studio with Redbeard – editorial context on U.S. rock radio’s mid-90s treatment of Adams around 18 ’Til I Die. (Commentator’s framing.)