Corey Hart
May 31, 1962 — Montréal, Québec, Canada
Corey Hart is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter who became one of the defining voices of 1980s new wave with "Sunglasses at Night" — a song so ubiquitous that it defined an era — and who sustained a successful recording career through multiple platinum albums and sold-out tours across North America.
Montreal Beginnings and the Road to a Record Deal
Born on May 31, 1962, in Montréal, Québec, Hart grew up in a bilingual household and showed musical talent from childhood. His family moved frequently due to his father's work — spending time in Mexico City, the Bahamas, and Miami — giving Hart a cosmopolitan background that showed in his musical sensibility. He began writing songs as a teenager and moved to New York to pursue a record deal, eventually signing with Aquarius Records and recording his debut album, First Offense (1983), in Miami. The album was produced by Andy Goldmark and featured the song that would change his life.
Sunglasses at Night and International Success
"Sunglasses at Night," released in 1984, became one of the signature songs of the decade — a pulsing, synth-driven new wave track that reached the top five in both the United States and Canada, won a Juno Award, and was nominated for a Grammy. Its accompanying music video, with Hart in leather jacket and dark sunglasses, defined the MTV era aesthetic. The follow-up album Boy in the Box (1985) reached multi-platinum status in Canada and produced the hit "Never Surrender," another anthem that resonated with a generation. Hart toured extensively in North America and Europe through the mid-1980s, establishing himself as a genuine international pop star.
Did You Know?
Corey Hart retired from recording in 1997 after a decade of albums and tours, withdrawing from public life to raise his family. He remained out of the spotlight for over two decades before returning with his first new album in 30 years, Dreaming Time Again, in 2019 — which debuted at number one in Canada, making him the only Canadian artist to reach number one in three different decades (the 1980s, the 1990s, and the 2010s-2020s).
Retirement, Return, and the Hall of Fame
After three more studio albums through the 1990s, Hart stepped away from music in 1997 to focus on family and other creative pursuits, becoming one of the most successful "quiet retirements" in Canadian pop history. His return in 2019 with Dreaming Time Again was met with enthusiasm from fans and critics. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2019, joining the pantheon of Canadian pop icons. His original 1980s albums remain beloved in Canada, and "Sunglasses at Night" endures as one of the most recognizable Canadian pop recordings of the 20th century.