American IV: The Man Comes Around

An absolute powerhouse.

There are some excellent covers on this album, but as a whole it feels like it’s missing something.

What a treasure. By the time of this album, Cash's voice is kinda shot. But it doesn't lack for character and wow - what depth. Some of the songs brought tears to my eyes, especially Give My Love to Rose and his version of Bridge Over Troubled Waters. A nice nightcap for a legendary career.

uh no

Late period with Johnny sounding vulnerable and old, but still very capable of capturing emotion with his voice. Astoundingly well chosen covers it’s not just about Hurt.

phewwwww he knew it was his last album before passing, In My Life, Danny Boy, Desperado, and ending with We’ll Meet Again was different.

The first artist I ever remember loving — not liking — loving, was Johnny cash. Yes, as a three year old boy, I knew that Johnny cash was the man. A great equalizer in my opinion — I believe that most people would agree that Johnny cash is the man. And while I hope this is not the only offering of his, I’d say this was a good pick if he doesn’t appear again. Contained in this album is a confessional of a deeply flawed, yet legendary man on his deathbed. Johnnys dying words. I could go song by song, but you just have to listen. Stripped bare, just him and his guitar, with a couple well placed harmonies. It’s raw, deep, and full of emotion. Every line comes from deep within him, and it feels that he’s expressing all of his pain, regret, joy, and hope for the beyond that he feels. It seems that he sees himself as the main character in each song. Just so good. I know most are covers, but it doesn’t matter. It’s Johnny cash. And in eerily appropriate and fitting fashion, as he says in the final song, we’ll meet again. Don’t know where, don’t know when. But the circle won’t be broken, and he finally joined the family circle at the throne.

This album surprised me. I’m usually skeptical of covers, but Cash really picked ones that fit him and his voice, stripped them down, and altered the arrangements to make them his own. I would definitely listen to this album again.

9.2/10. The album clearly is reminiscent of Cash's life, and has the somberness that he knows his time is soon (which it would be, 10 months following the release). The emotion is strong, as is the faith he put into this album, choosing songs from all different times, but applying his classic style to them to create a beautiful piece of work about death, love, life, and everything inbetween. I don't know if I'll have the strength to listen to it again, it's a very heavy album, especially knowing the outcome on why he chose each song.

I can't believe I've listened to Cash's "Hurt" after getting "The Downward Spiral" a week ago. That's two versions of "Hurt" I've listened to. Anyway, "American IV: The Man Comes Around" is one of country music's greatest albums. It has lots of great covers of classic songs. What makes "American IV: The Man Comes Around" very special is that it's Cash's 67th and final record. Most artists would have sizzled out by their 30th album. 5 stars for "American IV: The Man Comes Around".

I love Johnny Cash, but was kind of surprised to see American IV on this list. While his version of Hurt is amazing and a great example of an artist taking ownership of an existing song, I much prever American III, 2, and 1.

Such a distinctive voice, with extra soul at the end of a complicated and full life.

Interesting takes on these songs. Not all of them work, but a good listen nonetheless.

only so high an album full of covers can go :\ unfortunate

**An ok album

The songs are that overwhelmingly miserable that I left unsatisfied. Also, hands off Simon and Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is an incredible song without your intervention of raw sadness.

This album is devastating in a unique way. There’s something incredibly human about these songs, they encapsulate a special sadness which is pretty common in music, but it’s done so beautifully here that it makes other music look bland. His voice, deep, gravelly, somber, it sounds like a man who has spent up his life, and is reflecting on whether he spent it right. Which, considering this was the final album of his life, is likely what he was. This album is mostly covers, but they’re incredibly good covers. No other artist could perform these songs like this. Johnny Cash has a certain quality that, despite how many people have tried, none (that I’ve heard) have perfectly replicated. Combine that with the song choices… if it were exclusively covers, it’d probably be the best cover album I’ve ever heard. “In My Life” is one of my favorite Beatles songs, and it’s always held some intense emotional significance to me. I once had an incredibly intense cry not long after my dad died, and hearing that song is what brought it on. Hearing it performed like this nearly got me to cry, despite the fact that I’m having a great day. It’s truly that intense. It’s special. And he’s special. He really brought some greatness to the world. Life is so complicated. People say life is short, but that’s not really true. It’s incredibly long. It’s the longest thing you’ll ever experience. Yet, despite that longevity, people still feel like it’s not long enough. I’m still so young, and even I feel like I can feel my life slipping through my fingers sometimes. Life is long, but I’m glad it is, because there are so many things I want to live through. There are infinitely more things out there that I won’t get to experience, even things within my lifetime, once I’ve aged and lost the ability. That fact is hard to reconcile with, and I certainly haven’t. Obviously, the idea that I’ll one day have a final parting from my friends and family I care about so much is depressing. But even smaller things can hurt just as much sometimes. It sounds silly, but I’ve had a genuine crisis before thinking about the fact they will still make movies and TV shows and video games and, of course, music, long after I die. It will only be the end of the world for me. I’m not ready to reconcile that fact. I’m still young enough that I don’t really need to yet. But the thought can hurt sometimes. WOW I got off topic there. Anyway. That’s what this album made me think about. It’s either deep or fake-deep, I’m not really sure, but the fact that this album made me write all that can probably make you guess where my rating lands. 5/5 stars.

fan of covers, but not much of country americana..

give my love to rose made me miss my old home again, I love it!! its so full of YEARNING, love and longing I'm so lonesome I could cry and tear stained letter were marvelous too.

Such a strong emotive album by Johnny cash towards the end of his life. 5 out of 5 every time.

It sends chills down my spine every time I listen this version of Hurt, what an incredible achievement to conjure up this collection of songs that make up an unforgetable album. Great start and finish, not every song works with mr. Cash's vocal style, but his personality holds the journey together.

really like all the american recordings and this one the most. title track is just delirious brilliance, and this version of “we’ll meet again” is stunningly great. “Personal jesus” may outshine the original, and the duet of “I’m so lonesome” with nick cave crooning is crazy good. not everything here is great, especially “hurt,” which is a fantastic cover. it is not the definitive version of the song. listen to the original. johnny has gravitas that tent didn’t then, but nin’s version is so much better

Hearing Johnny Cash feels like hearing a hellbound preacher giving his last demented sermons. I love it.

This record is amazing. It’s not just Hurt that is an incredible cover - the record is filled with amazing versions of great songs that only Cash could have done with such quality

Very soft and easy listen. Felt relaxed

What I like about this album is that, for all the mental storytelling of Johnny Cash at the end of his career and life that people like to tell about this album, it is still successful on its own. I think Johnny's voice and instrumentation bring new meaning to these songs. Some of them are from songwriters from entirely different contexts (e.g. Ewan MacColl, Frederic Weatherly), and some are songs from musicians I generally am not a huge fan of (Sting, Don Henley), but each becomes something wholly unique, and uniquely applicable to the Southern Gothic old man vibe of the album. It is still a covers album, so I bristle at calling it a 5, but I cannot deny that I love each of these compositions and performances

Nothing lasts forever. It's just a cover album but Johnny transforms each song into something that's his, a dying man reflecting on the life he lead.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of country music as a whole but I decided to take this one as it was and immerse as I would any other album. I gotta say, this is a really nice record. There's a mellow warmth to the way Johnny Cash covers certain songs and his writing ability on the three tracks he did write for the project are really solid. Knowing that this is the last work he ever released also gives the project this odd kind of emotional weight to it as well. A lively country record indeed. Not bad, Johnny Cash. Not bad.

Normally I am no fan of covers albums but this one might be the exception.

You gotta give it to Johnny Cash, he sang what he wanted to sing the way he wanted to sing it, and no one else sounded like him. But this really is an eclectic mix of cover songs. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry and Streets of Laredo are perfect fits for him, and his gritty, bare-bones Desperado lands well. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and In My Life sound odd. What exactly inspired him to take on Sting's I Hung My Head? But this cover of Personal Jesus is a stroke of genius.

A short and haunting tale from a legendary artist who knows his time is coming. The soft instrumental definitely help the voice stand out, not as a cry for help, but rather as an acceptance of defeat, a voice of gratitude at the end of a career. Im so lonseome I could cry and The Man comes around are my highlights, they really show that this album is an introspection on deep feelings, an ode to mortality, redemption and love. It feels like a closure to a legendary carrer, a closure to life, makes more sense considering Johnny Cash died months after the album´s release. Not my favourite genre, but can definitely apreciate the piece´s value.

Obviously some of the covers come off better than others, but the ones that hit are phenomenal.

Very worn sounding voice but so much feeling in it. The simple backing really suits it.

I was a huge fan of these albums when I was younger, and there’s still great stuff here, but it would be a far better album with about half the tracks. Some of the songs are a slog - sorry Johnny! Favourite track: Desperado

My favorite memory associated with this album is when the movie Logan used Hurt in the trailers and it was such a perfect choice. Anyway, Johnny Cash rocks.

Not a big fan of country but this was great. His voice and guitar riffs are so captivating.

A very important album which is beautified by the purified reprises of pop and folk standards.

Nice cover band

hoooo johnny. think we could have been a tad more economical here but the emotion is just so strong regardless

Klasse!

This is a very boring album, it's too slow for me and each song sounds the same. I only add one song to my liked but it wasn't that good.

Honestly, no lo pude terminar porque me aburrí. Me queda en 'para escuchar'.

An album that has only made the list on the strength of one song. I enjoyed a couple others to be fair but other than Hurt it is very forgettable.

The last album Johnny made in his lifetime and probably the best album he ever made. Even better than his wildly energetic Sun recordings. It had all the trappings to be a gimmicky curiosity but instead became the ultimate statement of a man who knew his time had come and was ready to face that fact. Don't even get me started on the video to Hurt. When the ghost of June appears next to him I cry every time. The album (and the whole America albums series) features many heavy metal and other heavy style songs. Yet somehow a single forcefully played bass note on the piano of When the Man Comes Around manages to sound far more apocalyptic than any Marshall stack and ProCo Rat2 pedal could ever accomplish. This isn't a man pretending he is facing death, this is the real thing. Johnny died the same way he lived, with integrity and a guiding spirit of truth. #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie has a lot of misses, but this isn't one of them. Your life isn't complete if you've never listened to this one. 5 stars obviously.

Like Leonard Cohen's later work, it was nice that this was different from his earlier albums. A softer, much more considered album that feels sadder, but mainly because it was so stripped down compared to his other albums. I hadn't realised that the Man Comes Around was a Cash song, as it is on the newest pulp album, and is one of my favourite songs on it. It was nice to be suprised by hearing this, and it is a great album. I can't say I was blown away by this album, but it was refreshing to hear something different from Cash. If any of these songs were in a film I think they would set a scene.

I found this quite a sad listen, it felt like it didn't need to be made really. I couldn't really hear any conviction in his voice and couldn't understand why he had chosen to sing these covers later in life. Compared to the later-life Leonard Cohen album we've had I found this quite hollow and meaningless.

Such great covers. Though the Nine Inch Nails is the better of the two versions.

It is the last record released in Johnny's lifetime... and it's a doozy. This is a really good representation of what he started out doing and had returned to with Rick Rubin's encouragement.

Johnny Cash is one of the few artists I know of who reaches people regardless of genre preference. And part of that, at least for people in the states, is how embedded he's become in the pop-cultural history of the United States. He's counterculture and pure American country, he's a punk figure, and a man of faith. He's also an artist who really doesn't have a bad album. This one hits harder than most; there's very little embellishment on these songs. Its the voice of an older, wiser Cash, with basic instrument accompaniments. I'm not sure I could, or even should, try to say which songs are my favorite on this album, because there's not a single skip for me. What I can say is his cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the first version I don't find absolutely depressing to hear. This is an easy 10/10 album, I will always enjoy listening to Johnny Cash.

8/10… outlaw country / western blues / *2002

You know how sitcoms get funnier the more you know the characters and their relationships and the little inside jokes? Listening to Johnny Cash must be like this. I don’t know his work and this just sounds awful to me. Slow, half sung/half spoken, depressing songs (and butchering some songs I love) that people are raving about in the reviews and I’m just sitting here wondering what I’m missing.

More spoken word than I would have liked on this album, but I enjoyed the numerous covers. I was blown away after researching this album a bit to find out it was Cash’s last album to be released before his passing and his 67th record overall. 67!! That is insane. When you take in the big picture, this is pretty impressive. Cash puts his own flair on each tune even though you can hear his age and the troubles he was facing in the songs.

This is going to be unpopular, but this album is not very good. It’s an insult to The Man in Black. He can’t sing anymore, he can barely hold a note and yet they wheel him out here (quite literally) to churn out some cover tunes about death and pain? It’s distasteful at best. To say the style is “stripped down” or “bare” is to miss the fact that he us giving us all the energy that his literally dying body could muster. Young Johnny Cash would have hated this album

I love Cash's version of Hurt, also love NIN's version. What I love most is how the same song, with the same lyrics, can convey a completely different message when performed by such different artists at opposite points of their careers. Really cool stuff. The album I dont love, we don't need an entire album of Johnny Cash at age 70 doing a bunch of covers. I like the idea, and some of the songs sounds great with old man Johnny Cash, but a full length album is too much and all slogged together. 2 stars feels low, 3 feels high. It's a 2.5 but I'm rounding down.

It's a really great listen! Obviously it's just cover after cover, but they're great. Cash has so much sorrow in his voice and it's a great performance. As an album it just holds up great, because it puts you in a specific mood. A lot of the songs here I discovered because of the album, because Johnny Cash revitalized them, and I just enjoyed it a lot.

No es mi género personalmente, pero fue decente. Probablemente, para un fan sea una obra maestra. Desde mi perspectiva, considero que es un 2/10. Es entretenido, pero no me creo un amor a un género que no me gusta, simplemente fue lo que fue y ya.

hmm it was fine, just not my style o_O

Often times a cover album by a veteran artist are Shiite. Not in this case. Stripped down and raw. Great stuff.

I had very high expectations for this ablum and I was not disappointed. Obiviously Hurt is a master piece but When the Man Comes Around and I Hung My Head. I know In my Life but I heard it differently this time. It was exactly how I fell about my partner. Probably my least favourite was Tear Stained Letter, though "It'll be about the darkest news, That ever did arrive in your hometown. It'll be about the saddest thing, Your mailman ever did bring around." really made me laugh.

I hate Johnny cash. He makes everything so whiney and like he plays the victim. I gave yo half way through before he ruined any more songs

Such an emotional roller-coaster

Beautiful album. Cash reminds me here of the power of songwriting, and how much perspective can lie within a single song - at times more than even the writer knows. Love the production as well, and I always like when old singers embrace their age in how they sing and perform. Also great guests. At times a little too sentimental for me, but I also think that’s unavoidable, or maybe even necessary, when making some of your last music and having such a legendary career as Cash. 8.5/10

quite somber and raw... the lyricism is amazing read that this album was one of his last and his voice is telling of that (in a good way like a wise way you know)

Favorite Song: Hurt Least Favorite: Personal Jesus

Brilliant but so much melancholy.

What an epitaph from the man in black. A collection of poignent songs for a man who knows his time is up. Delivered in his inimitable style, the record often enhances the originals.

𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘝 gives me the same feeling as Leonard Cohen’s 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘐𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳: an ageing artist singing with a voice that has lost some of its strength but gained something far more important in return. Every crack, breath, and moment of hesitation seems to carry decades of life with it. That is what makes the album so powerful for me. Most of these songs were written by other people, yet Cash rarely sounds like he is simply covering them. He seems to absorb them completely. 𝗛𝘂𝗿𝘁 is the obvious example: in his hands, it becomes less a Nine Inch Nails song than a final reckoning with memory, regret, and mortality. The rest of the album repeatedly achieves something similar. Cash sounds old here. There is no point pretending otherwise, and that is precisely why the record works. His weathered voice against those sparse arrangements gives me genuine goosebumps. When he sings about death, faith, loss, or looking back on a life, none of it feels abstract anymore. 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘝 is not great despite Cash’s age. It is great partly because of it. Few albums make the passage of time sound this human.

I loved listening to this. Having known that he died shortly after this album was released, it sounded like a man coming to terms with his legacy but still in love with music.

No words could really accurately describe this record. Just listen.

A moving and soulful coda to Cash’s career. Besides the crushing mood of “Hurt”, he makes some surprising choices. “Desperado” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” work better than “Personal Jesus” and “In My Life”. But it’s a testament to the Man in Black that he could take on any song and put his mark on it. Like Dolly with ‘Rockstar’, his last album is a celebration of music styles and his embrace of newer generations. He never went out of style.

johnny cash e sua voz imaculada, não tenho muito a comentar que não seja: grande voz, grandes musicas, de arrepiar.

This album seems like what it was inspired by the cowboy in Mulholland Drive; the cover also feels Lynchian. Bridge over troubled water - a phrase? "Songwriter Paul Simon was inspired by a line in the 1959 gospel song "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" by the Swan Silvertones, where singer Claude Jeter"

This album has a some really great performances. His voice is beautiful and rich across the whole album. Some of the songs are perfect for Cash, revelatory even. The first three tracks are all fantastic, two originals and one cover. "Sam Hall" is a classic Johnny Cash performance. Not sure if he had ever recorded it before but it's just perfect for him. Some of the songs are a bit awkward though. "Streets of Loredo" is one of my favorite songs of all time. Cash's version feels a bit too rushed to capture the mournful feeling of the song. All three of the duets on the album are worse (not much worse but definitely not better) than they would have been as solo performances. And sometime the duet partner is only introduced in the last minute or so of the song. Why bother? I guess it's nice for them that they got to play with him but it's distracting at best. When I first listened to this album, I was expecting it to be totally stripped down, just Johnny Cash and his guitar. As bizarre as it sounds some of the songs are overproduced, with keyboards and piano constantly moaning or tinkling in the background. His voice is always kept front and center. Since the backing instruments are so low in the mix, why not just leave them out? On the other hand, some of the accompaniments really suit the song, like the honkey-tonk piano on "Sam Hall," the full band on "Tear Stained Letter," and the clarinet on "We'll Meet Again." I probably deserve to be called out for looking a gift horse in the mouth. It's a very good album, and an absolute masterpiece could be made from the best cuts from across the series. I think I'll go make a playlist of my favorite hits instead of crying about the misses. Essential listen: my playlist will be! Desert island disc: yes, since I probably won't survive long as a castaway on a desert island, I think this would be nice to keep me company in my final days

Old man shaky voice, simple guitar, sticking to the exact lyrics and basic tune of the original songs this album covers... Kinda country, kinda folky... and this is one of the best albums ever made in the history of music. The depth of soul and meaning in this is staggering. If there were ever something to define "magnum opus" this is it. I am truly not sure I have ever heard an album with so little pretension have so much emotion "simply" built into the way Johnny Cash sings from the depths of his soul. Purposefully and meaningfully. This album blew me, and many others away when I, a complete post punk new age techno freak, first heard it. Still does, and I am still pretty much a techno freak...

Cash covering other’s songs

Lyssnade inte myxket, men funkar att lyssna på men inget mer

first country album of the list, lets do it country is one of few genres i actually sounds better as a singer ages. johnny sounds good as ever in his old age, in both his talking and singing voice. it feels like your grandpa sitting you down and telling you an old story of his youth the first of many covers on this album, and perhaps the best and most iconic example of a cover surpassing the original. it feels like this song was just meant for cash's voice. the gruff yet emotional tone of his singing just add a whole new layer to this song another original song. even though this album came out in 2002, this song (like many others on here) have such an old timey feel its hard to believe it wasnt released in the 50s. goes to show you how timeless his music is another cover, this time of the iconic simon and garfunkel song, bridge over troubled water. this song works so great in cash's style, its a very natural adaptation. fiona apple also provides some beautiful backing vocals on here the second sting cover of this album, and yet again i think this version is better than the original. cash is such a great storyteller, he just paints the picture so well you can pretty much envision the tale scene by scene great rendition of another iconic song. i appreciate the subtle minimalistic approach, really allows each line to sit with you a song that i originally wouldnt have envisioned him making a cover of, but johnny does an adequate job at making it his own. i wouldnt say it fully lives up to the original, but it doesnt do it an injustice. also cool that he got john fruscante and mike campbell (of rhcp and the heartbreakers, respectively) on guitars the classic beatles song translates pretty well into johnnys style. maybe its just not different enough from the original, but i dont feel he captured the same emotion that john and ringo did in their song sam hall is a traditional english folk tune that has had many renditions through the years, one of the most iconic actually being from johnny cash much earlier in his career. like i said earlier, im a sucker for a more seasoned voice in a country song, so i slightly prefer this rerecording another traditional folk song that has had many iconic renditions over the past century, one most notably from judy garland. cash also has a version of this song that he released in 1965. his voice sounds very nice on this, but i gotta say i enjoy the subtle old western country vibe he has going on his older version desparado is one of my favorite eagles songs of all time. for that reason, it was going to be a near impossible task to try and top it. that being said, he still does the song justice, and the fact that he actually got don henley to sing backup on part of the song is a testament to that im so lonesome i could cry is a song originally recorded by another country legend, hank williams. for this album, johnny cash teams up with the legendary frontman nick cave where they trade verses before coming together for the last verse. i love how well their voices compliment each other yet another cover where if i hadnt known better i would assume was an original. johnny cash man you sure know how to sing a cover streets of laredo was a traditional folk tune that was eventually adapted into an old western that has been covered by many a such country artist, such as marty robbins, willie nelson, and once again a younger johnny cash. although this time i think id say he did it better 40 years prior being the closing track on his final album before passing the next year, this beautiful rendition essentially acts as a capstone to the man's almost 50 years of writing and performing. and i cant think of a better farewell to one of the greatest careers in music history. rest in peace johnny cash even though this album is comprised mostly of covers, i didnt find any lack of identity from cash. even if he didnt fully rework a song, cash added his own (sometimes subtle) flare that made each song his own. when i hear someone say thatcountry music is bad, i assume they just havent heard very much johnny cash yet. great album, giving it an 8

全体的に、音数というか曲を構成する要素みたいなものが少なくて、少ないからこそ、このおじさんのかっこいい晩年の声が響くというか、超かっこいいと思った。 背景を含めてすごいアルバムらしく、そんな背景は知らないけれど、良いアルバムだと思った。

The American recordings are a worthy epilogue to Johnny's storied and yet ordinary career. When he records the first album and sets the template, he'd just come off an era where he recorded The Chicken in Black, oy vey. What Rubin got to with this series is that Cash is Americana in all its kaleidoscopic glory. Born of a rockabilly and gospel tradition he was more than country from the get go. All the album have something to give, even the posthumous 5 and 6, but 4 is the one where it all comes together perfectly. And the reason for that is the song selection, each one exactly right. Take Sting's I Hung My Head, I mean where did that come from, what corner of Sting's mind conjured that up? And of course it perfectly landed in Johnny's lap, the song was 50 years in the making and it was the perfect Cash song. Ditto Hurt, Personal Jesus and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. I'm sure McCall would have cried if he'd lived to hear it, simply beautiful. But it's his take on In My LIfe that resonates with me deeply. Lennon's ode and love letter to Stu is transformed into a reflection on life itself. I have a playlist of covers of Fabs tunes which is over 650 songs deep and this is probably the greatest of all time. Certainly the one that takes one of their tunes and makes it something beyond this corporeal existence.

In the words of Bill Wyman (not the Rolling Stone, the other one): Johnny Cash was "the greatest country rocker of them all, if you’re using the term to mean country stars who came to rock and roll. A gracious albeit haunted presence to the end." And this album was the end, and haunted it is. It is a profound meditation on his career, his mistakes, loved ones lost, his impending death, his victories and mostly his losses. It is one of that small group of albums that face imminent mortality with honesty and grace; Warren Zevon's The Wind, Bowie's Black Star, and Leonard Cohen's You Want It Darker, and this album. The album was not universally lauded on release (see Pitchfork's review, which bemoans many of the cover selections, finding it a bit pointless, noting that Cash's gravitas lends weight and meaning to anything, not matter how randomly chosen), but the whole thing gains significance in light of the video for 'Hurt' and then Cash's passing less than a year after release. That version of 'Hurt' recontextualizes the song from Trent Reznor's original, and the video is a profound capstone on Cash's career, not as a triumphant victory lap, but an acknowledgement of his regrets. It is powerful, and I think that is why this album is the best remembered of his late recordings. And, as the last studio record released in Cash's lifetime, it has a halo effect. Not that all of the album is as bleak as 'Hurt'; there are some surprisingly upbeats call-backs to the types of the songs that made his career. Interestingly, 'I Hung My Head' is a much more convincing gunfighter ballad in Cash's hands than Sting's original version. Not all the song choices resonate for me (Personal Jesus? Really? But the originals are strong), but I find the album overall a varied and interesting meditation on his own career. His voice is not what it was in the past, but it is surprisingly strong (compare with the dry death-rattle of Leonard Cohen's last record). And now a word on Rick Rubin; his brand as the Philosopher King of Music Production gives me the shits. He has produced some records that I really love, and his approach is most successful when the artists are really up to his "keep it simple, just let it show its strengths" approach. This album fits into that framework; relatively simple, not over-polished, great musicians playing simply and leaving space for Cash's presence to stake centre stage. But I never want to hear Rubin speak again; he is not nearly as smart or profound as he thinks he is. He is also an incorrigible star-fucker, constantly brown-nosing legendary musicians in the hopes that they will reciprocate with some admiration. For example, in the trailer of 'Jay-Z in 8', Rubin fawns over Hova, selecting a bunch of his songs to play and praise, and you can see Rubin practically jizz in his pants when Jay-Z says "man, you got great taste in music". It's nauseating. </rant> In summary, a strong album and fitting career capstone, that builds on Cash's meditations on his life and imminent mortality. Tastefully framed and supported by retrained production. You can hear the wear and tear in his voice, but the charisma and authority are still there, which makes this a profound and honest album.

6.6

album 250 woo!!!! throughout enjoyed, i always love to listen to johnny cash. a great time

Cash crushes it.

Incredible final album. Some great covers that have become classics. Can’t really give 5 stars to an album of covers, but it’s amazing what people are capable of at the last stages of their life. To give this kind of performance is inspiring

Never been much of a cash fan, but greatly enjoyed hearing his interpretation of covers.

I like Cash's voice, but the vibe of this album was a bit too one-note for me and the covers were hit or miss. Hurt, Desperado, and Streets of Laredo were great interpretations. Bridge Over Troubled Water was one of my least favorite covers ever.

Yes, it's a cover album. The cover of NIN's hurt is one of my favourite covers ever. That alone is 4 ⭐ worthy. Bonus of Personal Jesus, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Desperado.. so good.

I haven't listened to the American albums in a long time, but I might have to revisit them all again. Just beautiful, sad arrangements. 4.5

There are some amazing tracks on here - I think it's probably too downbeat to score five but for me it's close

Decent

2026.09.06.

A mixed bag, but the good stuff is really good and overall outweighs the questionable covers ("Bridge Over Troubled Water", "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "In My Life" being some of the notable misfires). "The Man Comes Around" is one of Johnny's best originals, "Tear Stained Letter" is almost as good, and I love the hilarious cover of "Sam Hall." Whether he's singing originals, traditional songs or putting his take on more modern fare, what really elevates this is Johnny's voice, still strong and full of emotion, and some terrific arrangements and production (Rick Rubin isn't my favorite producer, but he knocked this one out of the park). There are a few too many skips for the full five, but the songs you'll listen to are all fantastic.

The final album of an absolute GOAT. There are few misses on this album. Just a series of incredible, heartbreaking songs

Power of a good cover

3,7 Highlights: The Man Comes Around, Hurt

A cracking cover album. Legendary voice, and great arrangements but... I struggle to like listening to it. As an album and the history of music I can see why it is included, poignant and heartfelt. 4/5

Incredible!

very evocative, strong storytelling

There’s some great stuff on here (hurt, own personal Jesus), and then some that’s not so great. This album is definitely responsible for some of the bad cover choices I’ve made over the years at gigs.

Never heard before (a lot of the songs were familiar). Will be definitely hearing again! Wow! I've had American Music 2 for years and love it, but that might have been even better! An incredible set of songs that Cash completely makes his own. My new favourite version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, Hurt and Personal Jesus. Not a weak moment anywhere! Great to hear Nick Cave's voice pop up again! Easily my favourite 'new' album of this project so far! Favourite track. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Aside from “At Folsom Prison,” this is the first Johnny Cash album I’ve heard in full, and boy, what a (depressing) treat. In the hands of a less developed artist, this style of sparse, cinematic country could easily be gimmicky, but as a final statement from the Man in Black, it feels fittingly emotional and elegiac. More than a few moments made me choke up, and the covers are mostly inspired selections. I will say, it doesn’t quite earn its 52-minute runtime, especially since the sonic style changes so little track to track. RIP Johnny Cash. Fav Tracks: The Man Comes Around, Hurt, Give My Love to Rose, Bridge Over Troubled Water, I Hung My Head, Personal Jesus, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Streets of Laredo, We’ll Meet Again Least Fav: Tear Stained Letter Score: 8.5

Not my favorite, but not bad by any mans

The great Johnny Cash, with the crumbling remains of his voice, but still with that massive heart and huge charisma. I don't think this is the best of the American series - I prefer American III - Solitary Man - and while this has some great moments, especially Hurt, there are several songs here that are not up to snuff, and are rather mawkish

Masterpiece of a dying man through n through

Not a bad (mostly) cover album, but it is hit and miss. Some of the song choices don't really make sense to me

Johnny Cash was a good singer in the country scene,I don't know why he had personally covered Jesus that's the one thing you'll never understand

you only play johnny cash at specific moments in your life this is not one of those

I dont like this

too sad for me

Johnny Cash…..

Great introspective listen from one of America's most fabled artists. The cover tracks were outstanding and unexpectedly fresh. You can hear both a mourning for life and yearning for greatness in Johnny's voice throughout the record.

Today I'm grateful for this project putting me onto Johnny Cash. BOTW was rougher than the S&G version, but there was so much pain. In my life is one of my fave Beatles song, and again, his delivery is lovely.

Didn’t get to listen the whole way thru bc it was too sad

Legendary cover of "hurt", but the rest just aren't on the same level

Good covers

Enjoyed! Love Hurt

Johnny Cash's live albums in his prime showed that Cash is a great performer. John Cash's American albums in his latter years showed that Cash is a great musician.

There are some songs on this I really like. But other leave me cold. Not unough to bring it up to a 4.

The best! All the covers are amazing and when you know the backstories of some of them it's even better.

Some gems here.

Country nich meins bro aber lowk tuff

A last masterpiece from a veteran of recorded music. 67th album! Rest in Peace, Mr Johnny Cash.

Some good songs

Johnny Cash is the only country that I will really listen to, though I don't know if this album is as country as the rest. I believe it was his last and it was quite the send of.

6.5/10

En sinnssyk topp, et par andre gode låter, men alt i alt er det for kjedelig. Traust, gammel vals.

Even though the album consists of mostly covers, Cash paints them differently with his finely aged voice “Hurt” gave me goosebumps

Really solid,

It’s a yes but also sort of a no.

there used to be an old guy in manchester who'd go round shouting "i'm johnny cash" at people and after listening to this i think i believe him

Rather heartwarming.

Not overly keen on this one. Bridge Over Troubled Water and We'll Meet Again probably the lowlights. Can only assume earlier Cash albums are better than this one.

Johnny cash has such an insanely badass voice I like it a lot Highlights: The man comes around Hurt (fav)

yeah so I really really liked this. I got curious after I started recognizing every song, and I actually like that it's a cover album. I feel like there was a lot of intention behind choosing the songs and the way he recorded them and who he chose to collab with. I also didn't realize how many albums this guy had. this was his last studio album and it was number SIXTY SEVEN (I'm not even excited that it's sixty seven, I'm just in shock that he had so many). and when I learned that this was his last album made it more meaningful. I feel like there is just so much emotion and honesty in his voice which is really really nice. It's like he's saying goodbye to all his fans and to his career as a musician. I think hurt was my fav and bridge over troubled water was my least fav (just because I like the original so much)

I can understand why people like this but not for me it was just slow and boring, we'll meet again is the perfect album ender though

Was fine, first couple songs were great. I was pretty disappointed to find out a lot of these songs were covers so that kinda dampens it a bit

Hat mir gut gefallen aber extrem schwermütig und auf die gesamte Länge etwas einseitig. Starke drei Sterne

No notes

Okay fine, I do like country!

I've always enjoyed these Cash American Recording series of albums. No question about it, this is the best one. Hurt became his song. His version of My Own Personal Jesus. Covering The Beatles. Cash always had that rich voice and it comes through even at the end of his life. This one was special.

#238 Heard Before? Yes. I'm surprised the list picked volume four. The series is one of diminishing returns. Notes: - "random Bible quotations" is one of my favorite songwriting strategies, so the opening track is a winner. - for every moment of genuine pathos, there are three others that are comically cheesy. - dragging tempos don't automatically confer emotional resonance. - this album gives me much more respect for Rick Rubin's business acumen than it does for Johnny Cash's talent. Verdict: Mostly nursing home karaoke. Listen Again? Nope. Still the weakest one in the series. But the first one is excellent. I'm putting it on right now.

Old man sings other people's songs worse than the did. The album.

Insípido, tedioso y aburrido. Personal Jesus no fue una tortura comparada con el resto, no es original suya para colmo. Su voz no me parece agradable. Quisiera no ser tan negativo, pero de verdad no veo forma de disfrutar esto; hubiera dejado de escuchar desde que terminé con la primera canción pero por algún motivo pensé que habría algo mejor... no lo hubo. Con esto confirmo porque no toco el country ni con un palo. No. Nunca lo volvería a escuchar por voluntad propia.

An absolute classic. After diving deep into his discography over the past year, I have come to appreciate just what a true legend he is. While his live prison albums are fantastic, there is something uniquely magical about the way this specific record flows. Every song is perfectly placed. "The Man Comes Around" serves as a gripping opener, transitioning seamlessly into his fantastic cover of "Hurt". Even after countless listens, "Hurt" never gets old—it stands as one of the greatest covers of all time. Released just under a year before his passing, the album carries a heartbreaking weight, yet Cash's voice remains incredibly wise and comforting. It is a brilliant testament to his artistry that his 67th studio album, recorded around age 70, maintains such an elite level of quality. The record shares a poignant, energy with David Bowie’s Blackstar, which was also released shortly before its creator's death. Though the tracklist consists mostly of covers, Cash completely reclaims them. "We'll Meet Again"—originally made famous by Vera Lynn—serves as a genius, bittersweet closer. Johnny Cash may not have possessed the most technically flawless voice, but he commanded one of the most distinctive, unforgettable vocal presences in music history. Rest in peace to a true icon.

Johnny Cash taps into a well of sadness, longing, loneliness and pain. His voice is so emotive and deep, and his singing invites you into his inner world. It's so affecting, emotional, and deeply moving. Probably the best cover album I've ever heard. Excuse me while I bawl from all of the feelings this album unearthed.

Hachja, einfach schön.

Einige Songs haben mich echt sehr berührt. Hab aber irgendwann das Interesse verloren. Bin grundsätzlich nicht so angetan von Cover-Alben.

Cash's voice stops you in your tracks. Songs once familiar and now stripped back and given new perspectives. Reminder of the power of an engaging voice and a simple melody

Amazing. Brilliant album and so moving.

me gustó bastante más de lo que esperaba, siento que es medio tipo un country rock, muy bueno. Temas conocidos que no sabía q eran de él. 8,5/10

its the first time i lesten to this kind of misuc and i really like it as a person who listen to everything .

последний приижизненный альбом Кэша. Этакий взляд на прошедшую жизнь и эпитафия

4/5

3s gachuqeb

I don't know why this exists. It's generally not very good versions of good songs, plus Hurt which is great, and some songs about murder which seems to be his speciality. Points for Hurt, and some of the others are ok.

Iconic comeback from an iconic artist. The title track, Hurt, Personal Jesus all really really great. These are the moments that made the Rock Rubin years legendary. Songs like Desperado and In My Life also help round out a long list of interesting arrangements. Always like how Johnny mixed in his own songs with new covers. It made these albums unpredictable. I do think the album is a little long and a couple of the songs drag but it’s a beautiful swan song for the man in black.

Già solo hurt vale l’album

call me basic but i really just cant like country

oof. this album hits. i've heard some of these tracks, obviously, but what an emotional piledriver this record is. fairly stunned after listening to it.

Is it weird that I looooove music, but I’m not a big JC fan? he just doesn’t do it for me but I honor his legacy

Tip top, voix de fou, instrus quasi à la guitare uniquement, idéal pour un moment calme en acoustique.

Un album parlant de manière simple et brute, de la mort, du deuil et de l'amour. Des paroles poignantes par leur simplicité. Des thèmes qui me parlent beaucoup. Je met 4 et pas 5 car la musique est plus souvent en arrière plan et la voix du chanteur est l'élèment principal des morceaux. Ce n'est pas un défaut en soi mais j'aime quand la musique a une place à part entière dans le morceau. C'est peut-être "normal" pour du Rock Country mais ce n'est pas ce qui me parle le plus

Nice

not every song hits, but when it hits, i bawl like a little baby

I can’t listen to this album. Not once have I made it all the way through in a sitting. It completely consumes my entire day every time I try. I can emotionally recover from one or two songs, but many more than that and I simply won’t. That’s the highest compliment I can give it, even if that really says more about me than anything else. It’s funny that this came up fairly recently after Blackstar. Both artists knew this was going to be their last work and passed not long after releasing, but as much as I appreciated Blackstar it doesn’t have the same devastating effect on me that American IV has. Blackstar is just more bittersweet, while this album leaves no survivors.

Simply unreal how talented Johnny Cash was. He could see the beauty and artisty in genres outside of his own. A true songwriter and performer.

I knew of this one mostly because of the Hurt cover, which is a great song and worth the acclaim. That said I’ve heard it a lot now and think it overshadows the better original version. I hadn’t heard the remainder of the album. Most of it is just bland covers. Completely respect Johnny Cash’s earlier work but this era and album is not for me.

This album is quite depressing, especially Hurt. Not something I'll be adding to my playlist.

fav songs: Hurt, Danny Boy

Beautiful album that riddles with passion. So much pain is transformed by Johnny Cash into virtue and acceptance of his mortality. Perfect choice of songs. An absolute masterpiece.

Создаётся впечатление что Кэш прекрасно знал и чувствовал что это его - финальный аккорд. И самое интересное, что именно каверы тут и являются измюминкой альбома, усиливающие эффект исповедальности альбома. Словно он выражает уважение коллегам музыкантам, будь то своим коллегам, во времена молодости (Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel), так и коллегам по жанру, ну и новому поколению, конечно. (NIN, Depeche Mode) А минимализм в звуке, опять же, подчёркивает и усиливает весь эффект. Вообще, конечно, кавер на Hurt это нечто, замечательная вещь, как и In My Life - очень трогательный.

Part of me regards the American Recordings with some scepticism – the cushy spectacle of ol' Johnny Cash covering surefire hits and cool songs younger people will like. But he covers them well and, damn, he got me – I do like those songs! Crossing over with younger alternative artists is a nice thing for the progenitor of "Gothic country" to have done, and the American Recordings are load-bearing pillars of that genre, which is one I really do like. So I guess the fan-servicey premise ultimately works on me, though it can be a little cloying. If you like Cash's leathery growl, you can't go too wrong here. He sounds really old and tired, but that – and knowing now that this was his last antemortem album – gives it some gravitas beyond the novelty. I'm not going to rag too hard on a guy for sounding knackered on his 67th album. I don't think the production does him any favours, though, which means it must be absolute dogshit because I rarely notice that stuff. The title track is the best on here for me. I'm maybe an outlier in that I much prefer the originals of Hurt and Personal Jesus, but I do think these are great versions for what they are – good covers with a different mood and a weighty, grizzled voice. The second half loses a bit of steam but of course I'm happy to see my bestie Nick Cave pop up.

I thought the choice of songs here rather than the normal country stuff would make his voice more acceptable. It didn't! Perhaps the worst versions of Bridge over Troubled Water and In My Life I've ever heard. I went along for the ride but kept thinking of William Shatner's attempts at singing and how it would have been comical to hear these two together. Yes I know he was on his last legs here but is that any excuse to release this embarrassment? Painful stuff.

Unfotunately, I forgot to make any notes yesterday so this will be short. I love this album - its certainly of an era - like Sam said to me yesterday, it was often played at the end of house parties which I guess could have been a bit of a downer but it never was really. The Hurt video is brilliant, this record is brilliant, the production is a bit ropey but I will never tire of listening to this.

An album that starts impossibly strong with the first two tracks, and never quite recaptures that high, but is still a great listen. 'Bridge Over Trouble Water' is the other absolute banger, the mellotron on it is gorgeous! Like Billie Holiday's 'Lady in Satin', there's something chilling and yet beautiful about hearing someone dying. Rick Rubin did a good job of getting this stuff made when he did, but also jesus h christ i wish someone had taken his hand away from the gain knob at times, and on Hurt in particular, cos that awful distortion at the end is so distracting and ruins an otherwise perfect track. I dunno what the dude was thinking. 'I Hung my Head', 'Danny Boy', 'Streets of Laredo' (and kinda everything else!) also sound like shit - dude's voice is doing enough without having to compress it into oblivion! I just read that this is apparently cos Cash was varying his delivery so much they were overloading the mics, but I'm not buying it, ride the goddamn board Rubin!!! I have docked half a star for this rubbish, I hope you're happy Rick!!!! Anyway, more than anything this record reminds me of sitting in student living rooms at 3 in the morning, feeling at once like i wanted to vanish through the floor, but also quite relaxed and happy! So that's bad/good I guess? (ps we just discovered the original vinyl release had a 'Wichita Lineman' cover on it and it's pretty good so seek that out!)

around my 2nd time being reminded johnny cash was in fact a real person and not just a cartoon character

I remember when this was released. I only had a vague notion of who Johnny Cash was, some old boy who was big in the 60s in country and who was once in Columbo. The ingredients didn’t seem there to make anything noteworthy. My expectations were therefore low, but this album blew me away and it still does, some of the covers are better than the originals, others take the songs in a completely different direction. A lot of the critical reviews focused on how Cash was dying which added poignancy etc. which it does, but I think even if that wasn’t the case and Cash was still alive now the music would still stand up (although maybe he wouldn’t have made such a good album if he hadn’t known he was close to the end).

Beautiful

Very good album.

The album was well done. I enjoyed listening to it.

Don’t know what I can say about this album that hasn’t already been said. It’s great.

Great in parts, some really moving renditions, bit front loaded, and ultimately it's pretty samey, although if you played it in the right mood, probably a higher score. 6/10

I have quite controversial opinions on this one. Where do I even start? First of all, I read online that only three songs on this album were written by Johnny Cash himself, which I find quite strange. This was his final album, released when he was around seventy, so I find it a little odd that the album he left behind is largely made up of covers. When you have had such a long career and have already become as famous as Johnny Cash was, why spend your final album mostly reinterpreting other people's songs? The first song, The Man Comes Around, which he did write himself, is actually one of my favourites on the album. I really like it and think it works perfectly. The covers, however, are a different story. Personal Jesus and In My Life are often described in the reviews as masterpieces, but honestly, I feel like the masterpieces are the original songs. Cash's husky voice adds a certain character, but in some cases it almost feels as though his reputation as an artist makes people overlook the fact that the original was already brilliant. I do really like his voice too, but I don't see the need to these covers. And then, of course, there is Hurt. I can absolutely understand why this cover is so beloved. Unlike Personal Jesus, Cash doesn't simply take the song and put his voice over it; he gives it a completely different interpretation, and you can really hear his own experience and vulnerability in it. I do like his version. What bothers me, though, is how often it is described as being better than the Nine Inch Nails original. Because I simply don't agree. The Nine Inch Nails version has this dark, dirty, almost uncomfortable vibe that I think fits the song incredibly well. It feels raw in a way, and for me, that atmosphere is essential to the song's meaning. Cash's version is beautiful too, but it doesn't have that raw and unique vibe the original has. I think both versions have something to offer, but I wish people would stop treating Cash's version as the better one just because, well, Johnny Cash sang it.

Песни о бездомных, обездоленных и зэках, конечно, грустные и печальные, и Джонни - фигура харизматичная в своём жанре, но это не та музыка, которую хочется слушать

I absolutely love Hurt. Its an absolute classic. Unfortunately it sets such a high watermark that the rest of the album is really in its shadow. There are some other real highlights - Personal Jesus, The Man Comes Around, Desperado - but some of the choices are a bit too ripe that they slip into naff (danny boy, We'll Meet Again). Which is such a shame as Hurt is so so good.

American IV: The Man Comes Around (CD release version) I always get a bit mixed up with the various American recordings, but this is the one I know best, the towering version of Hurt and that it was the last one released before he died giving it greater prominence. That version of Hurt is of course masterful. Doom laden and resigned, but hopeful and redemptive and it remains equally brilliant whether in parody or reverence, and given extra weight after his death. It’s obviously principally composed of covers and interpretations and for the most part they are great, some excellent choices and backed up by superb musicians. Bridge over Troubled Water on first listen might feel a bit on the nose, and I’m not always convinced his and Fiona Apple’s voices work that well together, but it is actually a great version, the harmonium and cello are really rather magical. I’m not really aware of Sting’s original, and knowing it is on Mercury Falling I presume this is a better version, as it's a great track. I love the haunting solemnity of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, and the stripped down countrified Personal Jesus is excellent. I don’t think In My Life quite works - it's certainly too on the nose lyrically and thematically and I don’t think it captures the wistfulness inherent in the song. Danny Boy I like though - it's a sentimental song and the gritty wear in his voice really suits it, supported by the church organ. Desperado is great as well, as is the slightly ramshackle pubby singalong of I’m So Lonesome. We’ll Meet Again could have turned into a saccharine misstep, but the country-folk jazz-oboe is a great combination that gives it a bounciness underneath the obviousness of the words. Of his compositions The Man Comes Around is superb, a sparse arrangement of piano and guitars and a brilliantly biblified set of lyrics, and I really like Tear Stained Letter too. I’m not sure it quite reaches 5 purely on its own merits - not everything works, there is a slight sense of knowingness with some of the choices and it is perhaps 2 or 3 songs too long. But it is great, the age in his voice and ensemble playing are all truly excellent, and the context of his death does elevate it. And the versions of Hurt and First Time Ever I Saw Your Face are more than enough to nudge it to a 5. 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 Playlist submission: There’s a few it could be, but it’s Hurt, obviously.

An album that can't be decoupled from the artist's death, this is something of a latter day flourish. The even deeper than usual timbre in his voice imbues an unmatchable gravitas to songs like 'Hurt', which far outweighs the original to become a masterpiece. He can even make later Sting solo material sound good, with 'I Hung My Head' sounding like it was written for him. And there's plenty else that feeds into the Cash legend, such as the outlaw-country of the jaunty 'Sam Hall'; or the impossibly low vocal on a nicely stripped back 'We'll Meet Again'. The other highlights are 'Personal Jesus' and 'In My Life' - the first, drawing on his religious yet dark mystique, and the latter bringing out a tender side to what is already a perfect song. The title track is also very good. There are several that I'm not so hooked on. It's down to taste which American Recordings you like best; having some superlative covers amongst less impressive ones is a typical pattern for these albums. Whether great or medicore the performances are all intimate. This isn't about song perfection, but the gnarled baritone of a man looking back on life, which gives it its solemn magic.

Fantastic. Cash’s covers completely change the meaning of the tracks, giving the vibe of an old man reflecting on his life. I particularly loved Bridge Over Troubled Water, Personal Jesus, In My Life, and We’ll Meet Again

Johnny Cash’s version of Hurt is so so good

I loved his live albums from the list which both received 5s from me. This is undeniably great, and a wonderful farewell that is engrossing, but I'm not able to give it a 5 when it's entirely covers, I don't think. Still marvellous though.

Maybe rather controversially, I found a lot of the songs monotone and emotionless. Still a very enjoyable listen though with some interesting tracks. My favourite was I'm so Lonesome I could Cry.

Nice album of old man singing and talking his way through some classics. Haunting to say the least.

Not bad, better than what I thought it would be.

Some good covers from the old time country crooning rebel.

Gravely voiced Cash, speaking and straining his way through Bridge over troubled water, Paul Simon’s song that can’t be disconnected from Garfunkel’s clear voice, was I initially thought — courageous. But then he tries to cover The first time ever I saw your face — and my reaction was I don’t think so, Johnny. But wait there’s more, an attempted cover of Lennon and McCartney’s In my life. And then - say it isn’t so - Cash does his rendition of Danny Boy. Followed by Desperado. At which point I have to say “no”, even if Don Henley was in the studio. I wanted to appreciate the last album created in his lifetime but this was just sad, as if Cash decided to record his favorite singing in the shower moments.

This is my second Johnny Cash album I have got from the generator in the space of 2 weeks. With most artists, I’d be disappointed having to hear multiple albums in a short space, but Johnny Cash is something special! In this album you can really hear his age, his voice is weaker and during his legendary cover of ‘Hurt’, he sounds as if he really is! ‘In My Life’ was a solid cover of The Beatles hit, though I think that The Beatles’ original was more emotional, despite Cash’s older voice making it sound more hopeless. ‘We’ll Meet Again’ was a perfect end to this album, it starts off deep, but really plateaus from an emotional standpoint when the choir enters, the Vera Lynn version was played at one of my family member’s funeral so the song has an even bigger meaning to me!

This is such a wise album. Listening to it feels like sitting with an older, quieter version of Johnny Cash. He still has that classic style, but you can clearly hear how he grew older and wiser. It’s not as energetic or fiery as the records from the start of his career, and that slower, heavier pace fits the mood perfectly. What keeps the whole album warm is his deep, beautiful manly voice and the long list of great covers. He takes on Hurt, Bridge Over Troubled Water, I Hung My Head, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Personal Jesus, In My Life, Sam Hall, Danny Boy, Desperado, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Streets of Laredo and We’ll Meet Again. Each one feels personal in his hands. The production by Rick Rubin stays simple and sparse, which gives Cash’s voice all the space it needs. It’s a late career record full of quiet strength and reflection.

Veel classics, maar vind het niet perse het beste album. Ook wel fan van Nick Cave, maar op dit album klinkt hij gruwelijk slecht.

Barely sings

Not bad, Personal Jesus and Hurt were the clear highlights in 50 mins of covers and some originals. I'll give it flowers, but probably won't listen again. 2.5/5 -> 3/5

Enjoyed this one pretty well, I already knew and like Hurt.

Bummer after bummer. Listen to this album if you wanna get more depressed than you already are.

The Man Comes Around and Hurt are incredible, but there a lot of 'eh' covers on this. Trim it down a bit and it's much higher.

Overall it was great, but the lyrics were a bit childish and repetitive in my opinion

Really strong. I can finally see what my great uncle was talking about. Favourite Song: The Man Comes Around

Pretty interesting voice, very distinct. Gravelly. Won't say it is my taste, but interesting nonetheless. Surprised with Cash's version of "We'll meet again." A pleasant surprise.

So meaningful and deeply felt. Loved listening to this.

Джон бабосы

Johnny Cash's American series is the most raw version of Johnny Cash. These albums really embody exactly what I think of when I think Johnny Cash. Have you ever heard someone sing their own eulogy? That's what this album sounds like to me. From the beginning of The Man Comes Around through the haunting We'll Meet Again, it just sounds like a great man singing his sole regret about a great life. Hurt is the clear standout here, a full transformation of Reznor's song. To take the same words but inject an entirely different feeling, such a talent. The cover of Personal Jesus is a bit of a sleeper hit here too, again taking the same words and transforming them into something new. Give this a listen, a close listen. Immerse yourself in the feelings, and by the time the full chorus enters in We'll Meet Again, you'll be reaching for the kleenex.

As a collection of songs, particularly from a legend approaching his death and reflecting on some favorite songs from his life, this is poignant and (against all odds) very enjoyable. It just doesn’t quite cohere as an album. It’s classic Johnny Cash in the sense that it’s very self consciously trying to sound exactly like what people think an old cowboy would sound like, while also serving up some covers of pop music from the previous few decades.

His rendition of "Hurt" is absolutely perfect.

def not my thing lol.. i liked personal jesus tho didnt know that wasnt originally by depeche mode 😭 rest of the album is snooze fest tho

The Beatles again!?

It's amazing how Cash has the talent to take other people's songs and make them so uniquely his.

they named money after this guy because he was so good at music

For days when i drink my coffee on the porch, looking at the sunset

The it's my life cover hurt my ears.

There are very few artists I can honestly say I’ve always loved. From my earliest memories of my grandmother playing Johnny Cash records in the mid-1960s through his final albums produced by Rick Rubin, he has remained one of my favorites. Over the years I’ve listened to American IV: The Man Comes Around countless times—there couldn’t be a better swan song for such a great artist. Hearing this album fills me with happiness that I was alive to follow his career, and sadness knowing I’ll never hear a new Johnny Cash song.

I appreciate this album for what it is but it just makes me so damn sad.

Hearing an old Johnny Cash, that sounds exhausted and regretted but he acknowledges that his time has come brings me with uncontrollable tears Most of the songs aren't his own creation but I think is the charm of this album.

I have mixed feelings about Johnny Cash. I haven't listened to him regularly or by choice in many years, but I can't deny the artistic merit of his work.

When I saw the year I knew it was gonna be the one with Hurt. Powerful stuff, you can tell he's near the end from the weariness in his voice. Interesting variety to the covers, I was surprised that there was a Johnny Cash Personal Jesus and he makes it work

I don't listen to very much Johnny Cash. Album made me feel sad and introspective. Standouts are Hurt, I hung my head, and tear stained letter. Cash's performance feels despondent and full of grief.

Haunting

Album slaps. Johnny Cash is a certified classic. 'Hurt' is a top notch cover of all time!

its country its fine

Has some incredible covers, but his voice definitely felt like it was losing shape.

This is an easy 5 for me. I love all the American Recordings and this one is probably the best and is my favorite. The emotion, the starkness, the Johnny Cash of it all.

Highlights were Bridge Over Troubled Waters and In My Life, both worse covers of original songs. I love old Jonny Cash, but not a fan of newer albums. 3/10

It was a joy to be able to come back to this album. So beautiful. So haunting. Hurt was obviously the highlight of the album but not a weak song to be found.

I only realized that it's a cover album when Bridge Under Troubled Water started playing. Fantastic album.

American IV: The Man Comes Around was the final album released during Johnny Cash's lifetime, and it's nothing short of extraordinary. This album is superb. It strikes the perfect balance between revisiting Johnny Cash's own songs, such as "The Man Comes Around" and "Give My Love to Rose", and reinterpreting songs by other artists in a way that makes them feel completely his own. Every cover is carefully chosen and delivered with incredible emotion. I also love the guest appearances, particularly from two of my favourite artists, Nick Cave and Fiona Apple, who add even more depth to an already remarkable album. Johnny Cash has one of the most recognisable voices in music, and on this record it's at its most powerful. The arrangements are stripped back and intimate, allowing every word to land with real weight. His voice is weathered, fragile and deeply moving, giving the songs an honesty that very few singers could achieve. Knowing how ill Cash was when these recordings were made, and that he was still grieving the loss of June Carter Cash, makes the album even more emotional. At times it's a difficult listen, not because the music isn't beautiful, but because every performance feels so personal. There's a sense of reflection, vulnerability and acceptance running through the entire record that makes it incredibly powerful. This is more than just a collection of songs. It feels like a farewell from one of the greatest artists of all time, and it's hard to imagine a more fitting final statement. Favourite tracks: "Hurt" is simply incredible. It's one of the greatest cover versions ever recorded, completely transforming the original into something uniquely Johnny Cash. Least favourite tracks: There aren't any. Every song is different, every performance is heartfelt, and every track earns its place. Album artwork: A classic Johnny Cash album cover—simple, timeless and perfectly suited to the music inside.

a man close to death singing will always get me

Had me in tears at some moments.

The first two tracks are all timers. And it’s always great to hear Johnny’s voice.

Listened

Omg so sad

Good, but I still like the county songs over the slow version of popular songs

American Recordings 440 063 336-1 (US) vinyl rip: As this is the first Cash album I've ever listened to, and really the most I've heard in one sitting, I had no idea what to expect. I wonder if he chose the songs to perform all on his own? "Hurt" is definitely better than the NIN version. I can't imagine any other version of "Personal Jesus" than his. He sounds like a man that's lived a long, painful life on every track. "Sam Hall" is a killer rerecording. I like the anger.

Would have been 3 but then Danny Boy came on

It was good, particularly for the genre

not a bad listen, but a few other cash albums I would put on before this one. Still this puts a solid end note on his legacy

Man, I was so bored at first, but as it kept playing, I was noticing my nostalgic receptors flaring up. I've never heard Johnny Cash on purpose before, and I don't think I've heard him at all, period. But I recognized his influence. From cartoons like Over the Garden Wall, Courage, and even Pixar movies, I can tell that he played a major role in helping create a sound that is loved by many. The album was actually really good, as it told stories of triumph, defeat, and spirituality, while still coming off as "manly" and not in a toxic way either; it was sensitive and really captured what it feels like to be a man. In a world where I hear how often men are hated (for sometimes very valid reasons), I was touched to feel heard and seen as a man myself. Then, to cap it all off, his final song on the album, "We'll Meet Again," made me well up with emotion as if I had made a friend just by listening to this album. Yes, Mr. Cash, we will meet again.

Personally a difficult listen. Would need to revisit this album at a later date 3.5/5

Smärtan i hans röst är så jävla real. Och hans tolkning av Bridge over troubled water och desperado gav mig gåshud.

Very good, Johnny Cash makes all these covers and originals work well. You can feel the hurt in his heart and it kind of tears the listener apart. I also want to shoutout "Tear Stained Letter", a very good original song written by Cash with great lyrics to go with a haunting mood. high 3.5 turned to 4/5

Hit and miss imo

Insoportable este álbum. Si pudiera le daría -50000000 estrellas

noloescuche me dio alta paja

Classic songs, classic voice

Not every song was perfect, but because of Hurt it is a 5 for me.

I love Johnny.....but most of these didn't do much for me. "Hurt" is a masterpiece. Most of the rest were better if I wasn't familiar with the original. I appreciate how minimal and raw this production is.

As always it's a great listen. Powerful, painful and at times funny.

This is his 67th studio album. The Man Comes Around was a solid start to the album. Hurt is hard to listen to. Cash's version is the best, but the song itself brings back so many hard memories for me. Cash has a way of making a song his own. This album really shows how reflective he was knowing he was nearing the end of his life. I enjoyed the story behind I Hung My Head. So far every song is a banger, but so sad! When in this headspace, I would absolutely jam this album again. Sometimes you just need a good cry.

3 and a half. Some class some dross

I remember getting this in HMV like it was yesterday, loved it then and love it now

Class, few men can make me listen to the lyrics as Johnny Cash can

Really enjoyed all the covers on this one. Emotional and poignant.

Removed Album #36 (List: https://pastebin.com/cSThNiK9) From the Vault #28 (March 8, 2026) I'm surprised that a Johnny Cash album was pulled from the list, especially since three albums kind of feels like the listmakers are lowballing his importance. Two albums is definitely a scandalous number now that this one is gone. Granted, I don't know very much about Cash, so maybe he was more of a singles guy than an album fellow. It's been a very long time since I last listened to a Johnny Cash album. "At Folsom Prison" was album #23, meaning Johnny Cash could have the largest album gap on this list. Future me, please let me know the distance between these two albums in the alotted space: [567, with this being my second Cash album. I don't think any album is going to beat this number]. Okay, I love you future me even though I'm long dead thank you bye-bye. A cover album, huh? I guess I know why this album was removed, though I'll save my speculating for later. I was on board with this album for the first half, though my attention began to wane pretty heavily during the second. With the exception of "Danny Boy" and one very special tune, these songs carry themselves more or less identically. It's just Johnny putting on a show for me in a run-down apartment complex with his upbeat acoustic guitar and waxy vocals. The solitude is humbling and nice at first, but I was banging on the walls and begging to be let out by the end. The emptiness of these songs and their general sameyness became claustrophobic after a while. Oh, cool. "Hurt" is on this thing. I've heard this song through my Dad. Learning that this was a cover of a Nine Inch Nails song was one of the more shocking music-related experiences I've had in my life. My Dad didn't know either, so I was able to shock him as well. I mean, what is there to say about it? It's one of the best covers ever. I admittedly haven't listened to the NIN original, but I don't need to in order to know that Cash completely owns this version. There really is something to hearing an acoustic cover of this song from a decrepit man on his deathbed. The vocals are the strongest aspect for this reason - the shakiness is very affecting. The instrumental is no slouch, however. I particularly like the thudding piano during the chorus, and the acoustic guitar complements that stretch of the song beautifully. It gives the song a great, thundering sense of finality. My only real complaint is that the mastering on the vocals is quite strange during the final stretch, even if that raucousness is what makes it one of the best parts of the song. Time to sleuth for reasons as to why this album was removed. Let's see. Included in the original 1001 lineup and pulled from either the 2010 or 2011 update of the book (I don't have a scan of the 2010 revision). Not a long shelf life in the grand scheme of things. The book entry says that this album released one year before Johnny Cash died and is the last to be released within his lifetime. "As ever, Cash is largely working with other people's songs, using his solemn timbre and empathy to make them his own." I guess he's always been a cover act then, huh? The music video for Hurt won an award. Hit or miss - the book singles out "Danny Boy" as a weaker cut. Wikipedia reveals that this album is considered one of Cash's best, had a few guests on the backing vocals and was met with modest success on the European and Western charts. Like many of the other ex-list albums, the removal of this one boils down to it being an easy target. These list curators are simpering pussies who won't go after anything released prior to 1997, instead cannibalising the contemporary picks. This album only having one original track and Hurt being the stand-out tune by a wide margin are obviously what devastate this album. That being said, I think I can stick my neck out for this one. It makes a nice headstone for a tortured soul. I cosign this inclusion.

Lindo disco. Tremendas versiones. Poco monótono

I loathe Country Music, new, and old. It's the only genre of music I dislike. Then, there was Johnny Cash. Why, Cash, why? You're the only reason I can't claim the title as the biggest Country Music hater. The album contains arguably the greatest cover song of all time, and sadly, Cash showed us with this album it would be the last thing he ever recorded. We can hear the grief in his voice on every track. I refuse to give a cover album the full five stars, but it's definitely the greatest 67th album of all time. Favorite Track: "Hurt".

johnny cash's voice is sooooo soothing to me for some reason

Any album that gets me teary eyed gets a five imo

I've listened to multiple Cash albums, through different decades of his life, and I just can't get in to any of them. I'm more apt to "enjoy" his younger recordings, though. I couldn't finish this album. I'm a melody person, and his more talking than singing style turns me off. "In My Life" was what got me. There's vocal turn in the first lyric, and Cash attempts but is unable to do it. He's got that old person vibrato and a prominent lisp and the end of his words. It just takes me out of the moment when listening. In "A Bridge Over Troubled Water," the vocal duet never matches. It's as if the female vocalist (Fiona Apple?) recorded her part first, and then Cash recorded his without listening to her. It's just a really weird choice. On top of that, the vocals seem blown-out in certain songs, and the audio tech didn't knownhow to balance everything correctly. In the end, I wonder if this album would have been as popular if it wasn't Cash singing. I think people knew it would be his last album, and they hold so high because of that. It's just not my cup of tea.

This was dull - someone needed to tell him to take a step back from the microphone, because the last thing I needed to hear in my headphones was the sounds of an old man's mouth churning and smacking, punctuating every word.

I heard the singles from this back in the day, but never dove deep. Now that I'm older, I can appreciate the depth and yet the shallowness of Cash's voice.

Great album. The opening 2 tracks are hard to beat

Hesitant to be like "yea he knew he was dying and this was it" but doesn't it sound like he did? So well done. I love the reworks of old material, every cover on here is incredible, I know everyone loves that Hurt cover and I do too but that In My Life cover is even better. The Beatles have cooler harmonies whatever but I've never really digested that song even though I've heard it a million times until this version. Beautiful and haunting and full of love and sadness, so good. This album, covers as it may be, is a top 50 on this list so far, just so good.

En bra skiva, lite melankolisk. Lite för lång, kunde ha plockat bort några låtar och den hade fått högre betyg.

Beautiful gem! Johnny makes these songs his own compilations.

i thought i liked johnny cash, but the greatest hits are selected for a reason, and these songs are not them

This album feels like coming home

cover songs, they're ok. I don't really like this album. I would hope that Johnny Cash, instead of covering hit songs, at least work with writers or cover more obscure tunes. Just a boring album. Lotsa strumming. The only good tune here is the Hank cover. 2.

First track is killer, but the album starts to get a bit maudlin towards the middle and end. Interesting (if sometimes strange) cover choices on here.

Solids got a few classics

Chilling, hauntingly beautiful, i am not much of a crier at music but hurt is one of, if not, the best covers ever done. I really underestimated johnny cash, this was moving.

gives me a similar feeling to blackstar by bowie: beautiful, but heart wrenchingly sad. a beautiful and powerful album that i love so so much.

Yes, its pretty neat that Johnny Cash covered Hurt in his old-man-gravely-warbly-whistly voice but thats about all it is. When the man comes around is a banger though

J’aurais mis 3 étoile sur 5 mais les seule bonne toune il les a voler so yeah 🫤

just not for me. Too boring down, just guitar and a deep voice and some sad thoughts. Just like meh like dude get over it go outside get a milkshake and some skittles and start smiling go eat a laughing cow and have a good laugh pretty painful to sit through icl

Johnny Cash's iconic voice was pretty cooked by the time he made this record, but it oddly works. He could still sing a bit, and his voice and delivery on what might be the greatest (mainly) cover album of all time makes this a 93/100 for me

The Man Comes Around - 4.5/5 Hurt - 5/5 Give My Love to Rose - 4/5 Bridge Over Troubled Water - 4/5 I Hung My Head - 4/5 First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - 3.5/5 Personal Jesus - 4/5 In My Life - 4/5 Sam Hall - 4/5 Danny Boy - 3.5/5 Desperado - 4/5 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - 4/5 Tear Stained Letter - 4/5 Streets of Laredo - 4/5 We'll Meet Again - 4/5 It's surprising that an album consisting of mostly covers outside of 2 songs can still be so thematically relevant. Cash is contemplating his own mortality and his impending death, and the haunting and impending doom a lot of the songs have really make that theme work. He even covered Hurt so well Trent Reznor said Cash owns that song now. A good collection of covers that bookends a legendary career for Cash. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: The Man Comes Around, Hurt

Soaked in pathos

I hadn't listened to this for a few years, and it's even better than I remembered. Perhaps because I'm older myself now. Just a masterpiece. The choice of songs, the arrangements, the intense personal honesty. The cover versions all make their originals seem silly and childish. He gives a power to songs that would otherwise feel schmaltzy and sentimental. He even gives weight and meaning to the silly cowboy stories that irritate me so much in most country music.

8 / 10

You can feel the emotion, though some songs seem labored. Hurt is incredible, Personal Jesus is nice, and I enjoyed I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.

Correcto

Classic and meaningful but also not my first choice/ preference for many of the songs

I've never been a fan, but I loved the rendition of Personal Jesus, and I've always liked Danny Boy

No me generó nada, ups.

3.5 ⭐️. In which Cash gives the sickness of mortality to some immaculate songs.

Honestly I miss the days when someone could reinvent songs well known to people. Sadly we just don’t have many current pop songs that hit as hard as this.

A Rick Rubin project. A collection of covers by Johnny Cash Cash’s distinctive vote Hurt: a great song. One of the best ever. The Man comes around. Great song. A very good song. Four stars.

- Not a big fan of his voice - Uh I dunno nothing special I feel

Vibes: 3 Instruments: 3 Production: 4 Emotional Value: 4 Storytelling: 5 Album Cover: +0 Stand Outs: Give My Love to Rose, Sam Hall Overall Rating: 3.8

It’s pretty nice. I love Johnny Cash but his older stuff that I’ve heard is more my style. 3.5

A great opus album for a great performer

Review - a classic "guy does an album right before he dies" record. Really good performances from a very old Cash, great choice of songs. A few duds here and there but basically very good. Score - 7/10 Need to listen? - YES

Literally life-changing records for my kind of music. I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, but this series is genre defining, and set the stage for so much.

Some great stuff on here. The man comes around, personal Jesus and Hurt which is arguably the best cover of all time.