1985 Classic, Ranked Among the ‘Greatest Rock Duets of All Time,' Felt Like ‘a Tornado Had Come Through the Studio'
In 1985, two of the biggest names in music joined forces for a powerful duet. The song, "It's Only Love," was released by Bryan Adams and Tina Turnerin November 1985. Written by Adams and Jim Vallance, the song peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Jan. 18, 1986. The song was known for its driving guitar riff and the duo's explosive vocals and was ultimately nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal in 1986.
Ultimate Classic Rock ranked "It's Only Love" one of the greatest rock duets of all time, noting that when Adams reached out to Turner, who was one of the biggest stars in the world at the time, about a collaboration, he was "unsure what kind of response he would get."
Speaking with Classic Rock, Adams recalled, "I was such a Tina fan. …I got a message to her manager, asking if she'd have time to record this song for my album. And I got a call back saying Tina wanted to meet me. … She came over and said to me, ‘I love that song.' She recorded it with us the next day."
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Bryan Adams couldn't believe what happened during the recording session
Adams was blown away by his studio session with Turner. In an interview with Absolute Radio, he recalled, "I remember when she left the studio... I looked back into the control room, and I saw the engineers just sort of stood there, and I went in and said, 'I hope you got that on tape.' And they all sort of looked at me and said, 'Yeah, we got it.'
"It was almost like a tornado had come through the studio and just blown everything apart," he added per Songfacts. "It was one of the best moments for me ever recording, for sure."
Adams also expressed gratitude for getting the chance to collaborate with the "Private Dancer" legend. "It was such a privilege to have sung with her, especially since I was only 24 at the time," he told Songfacts.
Adams' friendship with Turner continued until her death in 2023. After "It's Only Love," he co-wrote and produced her Grammy Award-winning song, "Back Where You Started," as well as "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight," according to Variety.
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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 3:05 AM.